In partnership with the districts and others, the responsibilities and roles of the Photogrammetry Section is to:

• Provide timely, quality photogrammetry products for Caltrans use - aerial photography, aerial photography reproductions, photogrammetric digital topographic maps, and photogrammetric digital terrain data including terrain modeling data.

• Provide effective coordination of Caltrans photogrammetry operations.

• Develop, establish, and maintain standards for photogrammetry products produced for and by Caltrans.

• Develop and administer "blanket" photogrammetry-related service contracts for Caltrans use - aerial photography, aerial photography reproduction, digital map compilation, CADD digitizing, and map conversions.

• Manage and provide public access to the Caltrans aerial film library - and invaluable archive of aerial photography procured by Caltrans and other cooperating agencies that dates back to the early 1950's.

• Evaluate, develop, and procure cost-effective, new-technology photogrammetry equipment and systems.

Caltrans Photogrammetry Products and Services:

User's Guide to Photogrammetric Services (pdf - 976 Kb)

This Guide provides an easily understood description of the processes, characteristics, and time requirements for photogrammetric products and services available to Caltrans Project Engineers and others users.

This publication is in Adobe PDF format. If you have not installed the Acrobat Reader, download it now!  It's free.

Caltrans Photogrammetric Mapping Standards (pdf - 66 Kb)

Caltrans Precision Photography Standards (pdf - 73 Kb)

Both of these Adobe PDF documents are excerpts of currently executed contracts and are purely for informational use only (not to be used for bidding purposes). The next bidding opportunity for these contracts will be around April 2003.

Caltrans Photogrammetric Mapping Standards - Resource Files   Updated February 2001

Mapping Contractors wishing to submit CADD files utilizing Caltrans Mapping Standards will need eleven (11) resource files. These files will aid the Contractor in creating the proper MicroStation format required by Caltrans.  Resource.exe is a self-extracting zip file that, when downloaded and run on your computer, will extract the necessary files.   E-mail David L. Brubaker at David.L.Brubaker@dot.ca.gov if you have any questions.

Read about the new Field Survey Control File Format   Updated February 2001

Please submit all field data by TSSS Point File Record Format (.tss). Send your file as an e-mail attachment to Paul Fredrickson at: Paul_D_Fredrickson@dot.ca.gov Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions please feel free to call Paul at (916) 227-7653 or CALNET 8-498-7653.

Read about the new Photogrammetric Mapping Control File Format

In August of 2000, Caltrans changed the file format for Photogrammetric Control. Caltrans provides mapping contractors with the control information for each individual mapping order. The old control file format utilized .GPA as the file extension. The new control file utilizes .GPE. Both formats will be available to the mapping contractor until January 1, 2001. After that date .GPE will be the only format available.

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Links to other Photogrammetry sites:

American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)

International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS)

Please forward your Photogrammetry comments or questions to: paul.d.fredrickson@dot.ca.gov

SR 7-31-00