NGA posts BIG-R BAA Advanced 3D topic

On June 1, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) posted Topic 10 of the BIG-R BAA: Advanced 3D Analytic Tool Development, Enhancement, and Integration. Abstracts are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on June 26, and proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on July 28.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Research Directorate (NGA Research) is soliciting proposals for pioneering research in the analysis and real-time, interactive visualization of large, high-resolution 3D data (HR3D) sets and associated registered imagery sources, particularly its representations in the form of point cloud, mesh, or polygonal models. Proposals should investigate novel methods to advance the state-of-the-art in the automated analysis of 3D data, and be robust to the many challenges restricting comprehensive 3D analysis today. Utility of existing Electronic Light Table (ELT) capabilities extended to 3D data types is strongly encouraged.

Specifically, this topic call is seeking development/enhancement of software with a corresponding Application Program Interface (API) and Software Development Kit (SDK), capable of being integrated into existing Electronic Light Tables (ELTs). This topic call contains four independent Technical Elements and seeks to enhance and/or further develop and integrate several ELT capabilities into a single exploitation and real-time visualization tool that analysts can use to conduct analysis of HR3D data. As stated earlier, proposers can submit proposals for only one of the Technical Elements, multiple Technical Elements, or all Technical Elements.

This topic call seeks to integrate and enhance best-of-breed tools and capabilities into an environment that will enable seamless exploitation of 3D geospatial content, using a single tool. NGA analysts use a number of commercial and open source ELTs, primarily QT Modeler, a product from Applied Imagery LLC. Other tools include ESRI’s ArcGIS suite of tools and QGIS.

While these ELTs provide many 3D exploitation functions, the agency needs to integrate those capabilities into a single system that will enable and accelerate seamless HR3D data analysis workflows, as these data become more readily available in regions around the world where previously only (2D) imagery existed. Some of these capabilities will require enhancements and/or further development prior to integration.

This BAA topic call encourages collaborative relationships and multidisciplinary teaming between academic and industry partners. Experience integrating and operationalizing 3D tools is needed. Proposers may find developers with competencies in photogrammetry, lidar, computer vision, geospatial data, error modeling, and other 3D modeling topics to be of particular value.

Review NGA BIG-R BAA Topic 10: Advanced 3D.

Source: SAM

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