Leveraging your GIS as a Collaborative Platform

Exploring a Federal Partnership for Remote Sensing Imagery

—Christopher Benson, Office of Surface Mining

In an ongoing search to improve efficiencies in meeting mission critical requirements, the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) has teamed up with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to leverage the U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy. This policy is designed to promote partnering between DOD and civil government agencies. A two year project was collaboratively developed to explore the best methods for image data acquisition and delivery, as well as providing other virtual inspection products and services to OSM and its partners. This paper highlights progress to date, including development of workflow procedures, virtual inspection priorities, field user guides, challenges, and successes.