Progress in the Use of Vhr Satellite Imagery and Applications in Urban Remote Sensing

This paper presents various works completed by the laboratory SURFACES - Department of Geomatics, University of Liege - between 1994 and 2000 in the framework of the TELSAT programme. Not less than 22 studies have been achieved during this period, which mainly deal with the use of very high resolution (VHR) satellite imagery and urban remote sensing. Owing to the experience accumulated about these topics by the laboratory for the beginning of the TELSAT programme - in the mid of the '80s - the works here under consideration are mainly devoted to applied studies. However fundamental research is not withdrawn. The expectation — and recently the availability — of new sensors was the opportunity for simulating, developing and improving methods, notably in the domains of the fusion of images and satellite photogrammetry. Finally it is worth noting that, as far as our laboratory is concerned, the considered period is also characterized by a wide diffusion of the results of our researches in fundamental and applied remote sensing. Several books and many papers have been published while an international symposium was held in Liege dedicated to urban remote sensing. On the other hand, satellite maps. CD and Web sites have been largely distributed for vulgarisation purposes.