Twenty years ago, SimActive revolutionized photogrammetry processing by translating techniques from the video and gaming industry for use in the geographic information science field. Today, the company remains at the forefront of innovation, developing efficient ways to process remote sensing data into actionable geospatial information.
In early 2024, SimActive, a well-known Canadian photogrammetry software developer, released an upgraded cloud capability for Correlator3D. With new distributed processing capabilities, wasted waiting time becomes a thing of the past. The latest version of Correlator3D generates point clouds and digital surface models (DSMs) twice as fast as previous versions.
This is the latest in a very long series of improvements since the brothers Philippe and Louis Simard founded SimActive in Montreal 20 years ago. They introduced the photogrammetry industry’s first image processing engine for aerial triangulation and DSM generation, based on a graphics processing unit (GPU), which until then was only used in games. This has increased processing speed and convenience many times over. For example, today you can create a point cloud from 300 drone images in less than 8 minutes on one standard PC. This has led to a dramatic increase in the company’s software sales over the past few years. “This is a great recognition for all the efforts we have made,” says CEO Philippe Simard.
“The autocorrelation innovations in version 10.1 enable users to speed up project delivery, since DSM and point cloud generation account for around 50% of the overall processing time,” comments CTO Louis Simard when asked about the challenges he has tackled recently. Autocorrelation is a highly complex process and is often a bottleneck in photogrammetry workflows. Regarding the role of artificial intelligence in recent innovations, he says: “AI was not part of the solution in that version, but we are researching and developing its use at different levels, even though it tends not to help much with basic photogrammetry calculations. We redesigned the DSM generation module to efficiently process more images simultaneously, speeding up overall processing. We also developed a task management system that optimizes the use of the different system components during processing.”
CTO Louis (left) and CEO Philippe Simard.
Cloud Computing
In SimActive’s view, cloud computing has transformed information-driven work. “Cloud computing is beneficial for users who don’t currently have the funds to invest in the hardware required to process mapping projects, or for users who work offsite but have stable internet access,” explains Philippe. “This is often the case with operators who are just starting out in business or who work in remote locations. The cloud also helps with sporadic needs, such as users who need to process a large project within a few weeks and only need extra power for a short period of time.”
Needless to say, SimActive’s solutions are not limited to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or “drone”) operations. GPU technology and multi-core central processing units (CPUs) are also used in the Correlator3D software, which rapidly processes large mapping projects based on aerial and satellite imagery. It generates dense DSMs, accurate digital terrain models (DTMs), point clouds, 3D models and vectorized features. In fact, SimActive positions itself as “the technical standard that the photogrammetry industry refers to”. The CTO backs up this statement: “We originally developed our software to process large-format imagery collected with metric cameras. Clients using such advanced hardware must always deliver very high-quality and accurate results that are validated against controls. This meant that our Correlator3D software had to be designed from the very beginning to meet the highest mapping standards. The software was later adapted for drone imagery, ensuring that all processed data delivers highly accurate results.”
Last year, Microsoft announced its collaboration with SimActive. The technology giant selected Correlator3D software on the Microsoft Cloud platform to provide a cloud-based solution for real-time data processing, analysis, and decision-making for global defense and intelligence operations. “Microsoft offers one of the best cloud solutions,” Philippe says proudly. “As more and more of our clients use the Azure platform, our goal was to ensure that the integration of our software in that cloud environment was optimal. It’s a Windows-based solution with a wide choice of hardware options, so our clients can get the most out of their investment by using the cloud.”
Market Development
SimActive has thousands of clients in more than 100 countries. Among them are government agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fortune Global 500 companies such as BHP Billiton, and national organizations such as the French national railway SNCF. Clients turn to SimActive when they need to manage large projects while requiring fast processing and quick turnaround. “Professional users have full control over our processing capabilities with a hands-on, step-by-step processing approach. In addition, they can run the software in script mode for batch processing,” Louis comments. Meanwhile, the company also explicitly offers access to high-end processing software for clients without photogrammetry experience. For example, the improved performance of drones has opened the market to many smaller users. He adds: “Our software is designed for use by both beginners and professionals. Novice users can run automated processing workflows without detailed photogrammetry knowledge. Clients can also upload their entire project and have our photogrammetry specialists generate optimal results from the images, including quality control.”
Going forward, SimActive’s success will continue to be driven by its ability to process even larger datasets as acquisition platforms fly further and longer. Clients’ definition of “reasonable processing time” changes with every innovation available in the market. The CEO stated, “We position our software as a high-end photogrammetry solution, which means the challenge is to stay ahead of the competition. The number of different sensors used for mapping also continues to grow, so our algorithms must constantly be adapted to the new sensors. The use of Correlator3D has recently been extended to multi-camera drone payloads. For example, the software allows users to import oblique and nadir camera configurations to develop better 3D mapping products, which allows drone mappers to apply textures to the sides of buildings and other infrastructure. Correlator3D’s project setup and aerial triangulation module take the guesswork out of importing these complex multi-camera configurations. Our customers are capturing five times as many images as would be acquired with a traditional single-camera setup.”
A quick damage assessment after a tornado hits Alabama.
Conflict and climate
The defense market has always been a natural fit for the company, ever since satellites and drones became crucial in conflicts. As such, military needs have shaped some of SimActive’s products. For example, the development of its Correlator3D software was initially supported by the Canadian military. Recent advances, such as cameras being able to collect high-resolution imagery very quickly, have helped defense organizations around the world acquire data faster for mapping applications. This was one of the reasons Microsoft decided to partner with SimActive. “We’re already seeing an explosion in the number of intelligence data points, with multiple sensor feeds that need to be processed,” says Jonathon Beesley, director of business strategy for Microsoft’s Worldwide Public Sector Defense and Intelligence division. “With SimActive, we can demonstrate the integration of feeds from multiple remote and autonomous sensors.”
Correlator3D’s continued improvements in terms of its ability to quickly handle very large projects are of course also beneficial for civilian applications. For example, in November 2023, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) used the software to process drone imagery for damage assessment after a powerful tornado struck the city of Selma. ALDOT was able to quickly collect over 18,000 images of the area and process the data to provide DSMs and orthomosaics within 24 hours. The ability to process such large datasets ensured emergency responders had the information they needed as quickly as possible. Lewis believes that the collaboration between ALDOT and SimActive not only highlights the critical role of technology in disaster recovery, but also highlights the growing importance of drone data in quickly assessing and responding in the aftermath of natural disasters. “As climate-related events become more frequent and severe, the use of advanced photogrammetry software is emerging as an invaluable tool for informed decision-making and efficient recovery efforts,” he concludes.
Multiple camera payloads (oblique and nadir) allow drone mappers to create textures on the sides of buildings and other infrastructure.
