LONGMONT, Colo., Jan. 4, 2006 – DigitalGlobe announced that its Brazil-based partner INTERSAT has introduced a new product, Virtual Reality Simulator. Designed to train airplane pilots, this flight simulator package relies on DigitalGlobe’s high-resolution QuickBird satellite images for a three-dimensional visual perspective.

INTERSAT’s Virtual Reality Simulator product has been available to commercial and government customers since August 2005. It integrates Leica Geosystems’ ERDAS Imagine Virtual GIS with QuickBird satellite imagery to offer pilots the ability to train in a “real-world” scenario without sacrificing expensive equipment or putting pilots in danger.

QuickBird imagery, with its 60-centimeter resolution and high accuracy, provides realistic backdrops and close-up views that flight trainees find helpful for navigating flight paths and visualizing topography. Coming to life in 3-D perspective, the images clearly show such features as runways, airport structures, taxiways, roads and waterways. The imagery is overlaid with additional geographic information systems (GIS) data that depict important elements of an airport’s infrastructure or a complex flight path.

INTERSAT’s Virtual Reality Simulator product has been developed with the integration of approximately 140 square kilometers of QuickBird imagery and a digital terrain model (DTM) from Colombia.

“By properly identifying the existence and characteristics of ground features, pilots in training can reduce risk by visualizing them within the safety of a computer setting,” said Omar Silva Júnior of INTERSAT.

INTERSAT’s partner, STC Sistemas e Tecnologia Ltda (www.stcsimulador.com.br) is already using the Virtual Reality Simulator for training Brazilian and Colombian Air Force pilots.

STC Sistemas e Tecnologia is responsible for producing Brazil’s first flight simulator. Founded in 1995, STC is located in São José dos Campos, SP, the center of Brazilian Aeronautical and Defense Industries. STC was established as a technological cooperation agreement with a simulator manufacturing firm to maintain and install all simulators developed in Brazil. Today the company is dedicated to operating, installing, and applying technical training for the Tucano family of simulators.

EMB-312 Tucano is a worldwide recognized light military aircraft manufactured by EMBRAER (www.embraer.com.br). The EMB-312 Tucano is primarily used as an advanced flight trainer, but can also be adapted as a light strike aircraft, due to its excellent maneuverability, payload and range capabilities.

“Virtual Reality Simulator reproduces the real and functional panels and console using a 16-bit computer. Simulation covers the aircraft systems, allowing for training in the same operation conditions of the real aircraft,” said Luiz Otávio Bernardes of STC.

Sample imagery is available on the Web here:
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About INTERSAT
INTERSAT – Satellite Images (www.intersat.com.br) is a Brazilian company specialized in the commercialization of images obtained by many satellites, and is now recognized in the market for the wide range of offered products, the high quality of its products and, especially, by the high value it adds to the solutions presented to its clients. Based in the city of São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil, INTERSAT started its activities in 1995, with the purpose of offering the maximum quality in services based on geographical information obtained from satellite images. The company’s working team, consisting of highly specialized technicians, guarantees its clients well fitted solutions for their specific needs, achieving results that add high value to planning and decision-taking processes in a practical and straightforward way, with the best possible cost-to-benefit ratio.

About DigitalGlobe
Longmont, Colo.-based DigitalGlobe (www.digitalglobe.com) is the clear leader in the global commercial Earth imagery and geospatial information market. The company’s technical superiority and innovation, unparalleled commitment to customer service, extensive business partner network and open systems philosophy make DigitalGlobe the preferred supplier of imagery products to government and commercial markets. DigitalGlobe’s QuickBird satellite is the world’s highest resolution commercial imaging system, and the company will launch its next-generation WorldView no later than 2006. The company’s updated and growing ImageLibrary contains over one hundred million square kilometers of global imagery for countless mapping and planning needs.

DigitalGlobe is a registered trademark of DigitalGlobe.