I spoke with Rony Ledany the Managing Director of Terra Pixel about their new product ImagePatch this week. As you may know the Virtual Earth API allows for custom tile layers to be added over the top of the stock road or aerial tiles built in. The difficulty is how you source the data, prepare and integrate into your system.
I asked Rony a few quick questions:
John: So Rony, what is ImagePatch?
Rony: ImagePatch.com is a web based service that let viewers/customers view samples and order local (20-500 acre sites) ortho imagery in high resolution (3,6,& 12 Inch/Pixel). Many Viewers/ Users / Platform Integrators of Microsoft Virtual Earth can now have control over the resolution and decency of the aerials viewed. For example, Real Estate Developers can create an up to date internet base portfolio and monitor their construction progress. CAD/ GIS professionals who plug Microsoft Virtual Earth into their Autodesk and or ArcGIS software can now request Image Patch as a base layer for their local project .As advertising on Microsoft Virtual Earth becomes more popular what better way for Golf Courses, Resorts, and even home owners to promote their location in high resolution, and enhance the way people view them on Virtual Earth.
John: How easy is it to incorporate your service into a Virtual Earth application?
Rony: Very easy, as we deliver our patches in YUM format (Virtual Earth tile base ready package) you can just like you see our image samples on ImagePatch.com
John: Are we talking about better quality images, more recent image or coverage of areas not currently in Virtual Earth?
Rony: Microsoft Virtual Earth publish their imagery in many levels of resolution. Generally, high resolution in urban areas and less in rural locations. Image Patch can deliver much higher resolution, but focuses on specific location vs.. an entire region.
John: Thanks for the quick chat Rony, if people are interested in this service how do they get in contact with you?
Rony: www.ImagePatch.com let you view patch samples, then over to the Order Page in just 4 easy steps:
1. Locate the area of interest
2.Define the area for acquisition
3. Chose Resolution
4. Submit an email request
We will then both get an email confirmation that include a KML with a polygon of the area of interest.