According to strategic research conducted by Frost & Sullivan, a
Mountain View, Calif., market research company, total revenues in the
remote sensing data and geographic information system (GIS) software
markets rose 10% in 1998, while 1999 revenues are forecast to
increase 11.7%. The steady growth is representative of increasing
adoption among new commercial users, and the expanded use of
imagery and GIS software by existing users, the report stated.

„As pricing declines and more simplistic software becomes readily
available, new users are expected to implement these software
applications for their business,“ the report stated. „These and other
factors have created new capabilities and opportunities for the
commercial remote sensing and GIS markets.“

According to the report, base mapping data, such as panchromatic
orthophotography, will increasingly become the foundation upon which
companies build visual records of geographic data. Also, increasing
availability from a growing number of satellite-based and aerial imaging
companies will continue to create downward pressure on the pricing of
such data products. Greater affordability of these base layers will
enable more frequent data purchases and free up resources for
specialized attribute data collection.

„Due to continued federal, state and local government&apo;s dominant use of
remote sensing data throughout the forecast period, data providers will
be able to more aggressively target commercial markets with
specialized data products bundled with software and/or attribute data,“
the report stated.

The remote sensing data and GIS software markets defined in the study
include revenues generated from satellite operators“ images, enhanced
data generated by value-added resellers and ground station fees paid
for satellite imagery reception rights.