The ICL South Africa-managed R15-million Telkom aerial photography project to supply the utility with digital maps of some of the country`s most remote areas and so contribute to the extension of Telkom`s network infrastructure to previously disadvantaged communities, is on track for completion by June. Through a process known as Digital Topographical Mapping, Telkom will develop highly accurate 1:50 000 geographical charts that provide the company`s Geographical Information System (GIS) bureau with critical information for infrastructure planning.
The project, which got underway in February 1998, aims to map all remote areas of the country in this manner, with the initial project area - covering the southern-most 39% of the former Transkei - already completed. The second and third phases of the project, incorporating the remainder of the former Transkei and southern and northern KwaZulu-Natal, will be completed in the next few months, should clear blue winter skies prevail.
ICL SA client director for Telkom, Willem Coetsee, says the project is a perfect example of ICL`s commitment towards finding a solution to clients` requirements.
"Part of the rationale for strengthening our relationship with Thebe last year was to create an even more formidable force in the local information technology arena. This project vindicates our view that the new shareholder structure increases our competitive edge in the marketplace and will help to grow our market share," notes Coetsee.
He adds that as a major IT supplier to Telkom and the prime contractor for the aerial photography project, ICL`s role is to appoint subcontractors and ensure that parties work together to deliver a superior final product to the customer - on time and within budget.
Here, he notes that Aircraft Operating Company (AOC) and Azur Aerial Works are responsible for the aerial photography, with Digital Topographical Mapping Services (DTMS) undertaking all mapping aspects of the project.
All photography is conducted from an altitude of 10 000 feet, with highly sophisticated cameras capturing the images on nine-inch continuous film. Once the photography has been completed, the film is delivered to DTMS for processing, where, using high-resolution scanners, it is converted to a digital format at high precision levels.
The scanned images are then subjected to block adjustments, aerial triangulation and complex mathematical calculations to correct distortions and to derive digital elevation maps conforming to the specified requirements.
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