ISRO launches new version of GIS, image processing software

Ahmedabad, Jan 27 (PTI) The Space Application Centre,(SAC) part of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),here today launched new version of its indigenous softwareIGIS for analysis of GIS and image processing data.

The version 1.1 of IGIS (integrated GIS and imageprocessing software) was launched by director of SAC, Dr R RNavalgund at a function here.

"IGIS is a software which is indigenously developedcatering to the needs of our own satellite data and isavailable at a low cost to academic institutions," Navalgundtold reporters here.

"It could provide information like crop production inIndia, ground water availability, change in water levels ofreservoirs, what is happening to mangroves, results ofafforestation. In short it would be useful for all naturalresources," he said.

Navalgund, however, said that though new modules havebeen added to the IGIS 1.1 version, it still lacked capabilityto analyse microwave data.

"IGIS will not be complete without tools for analysingmicrowave data. Within six to eight months time, we would belaunching a satellite that would provide data in microwaveform. And so if we want to analyse the data we need thetools," he said, adding that in next few months the peoplewho designed the IGIS could upgrade it further to be able toanalyse microwave data. .

According to Navalgund, due to advancement in technology, the sheer quantum of data available for analysishas gone up and there is a need for analytical tool to handlethe enormous data and hence software like IGIS becomesimportant.

The IGIS is a joint venture of ISRO with city-basedScanpoint Geomatics Ltd.