Breakthrough in STAR-4 airborne mapping system

Denver, Colorado, USA, 24 October 2006 - Airborne Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR or INSAR) is maturing as a cost-effective three-dimensional mapping technology. It is attracting increased attention in the geospatial community because of its unique operational advantages. Intermap Technologies Corp. today announced an engineering innovation and technological advancement to this industry-leading radar collection technology.

The company has reached a significant breakthrough to its STAR-4 airborne mapping system with the addition of an advanced planar array antennae that improves the efficiency and accuracy of the IFSAR technology.

The upgraded system was fully integrated into the company's production stream last week and is expected to enable Intermap's STAR-4 mapping system to collect 3D elevation data 12% to 15% more efficiently than with the previous antenna configuration.

The company's STAR-4 mapping system is currently collecting 3D data in the United States as part of Intermap's NEXTMap USA program and will continue to collect data around the world on custom projects. Additionally, the company has four additional aircraft equipped with IFSAR technology that are being used for data collection in its NEXTMap programs and for its fee-for-service business throughout the world.

According to Michael Bullock, Intermap's Vice President of Engineering, "The advancements made by our engineering teams are significant to the company and the industry as this new STAR-4 planar antennae will significantly improve the generation of high-quality NEXTMap products while setting the stage for the development of next generation high-resolution custom data products."

- About STAR mapping system
The revolutionary STAR technology enables mapping large areas more quickly and more efficiently than any other technology in the world. And equipped with STAR technology, fixed-wing aircraft can operate day or night, in clear or cloudy conditions - virtually anywhere, anytime.

Involved with IFSAR technology since 1993, Intermap is working to exploit the potential of this technology and to develop new, market specific applications. Various mapping products are being generated by Intermap’s STAR technology, which is based on high-resolution airborne IFSAR. More significantly, these STAR derived products are being used for applications traditionally supported by other mapping technologies and this list of applications is growing.

The STAR-4 system has proven to be the most accurate system developed by Intermap to date. Technology developed for the STAR-4 is transferable to the company's other systems, which can further increase the accuracy of Intermap's entire fleet.

Source : http://www.intermap.com