Capability automates metadata capture and publishing of GeoPDF® maps, imagery and derived geospatial information products 

The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND), Canada’s equivalent to the U.S. Department of Defense, has implemented an automated Metadata Capture and Publishing Tool jointly developed with TerraGo® Technologies to make it easier to catalog, search, retrieve, distribute and archive its TerraGo GeoPDF® formatted maps, imagery and derived products.

The Mapping and Charting Establishment (MCE) is the DND organization responsible for providing geospatial information to the Canadian Forces. During the past four years, MCE has implemented a geospatial information management solution that is centered on metadata. By tagging its geospatial holdings, MCE is able to quickly search and retrieve its content in a timely manner. The collected metadata are also leveraged to enable content management, distribution and archival.

The TerraGo automated Metadata Capture and Publishing Tool was developed to capture metadata based on the ISO 19115 geospatial metadata standard and the Adobe XMP metadata format. It uses easy-to-complete forms to capture specified metadata elements that provide critical information about individual geo-referenced maps, derived products and images. With form-captured metadata, data managers can more precisely categorize geospatial information thereby enabling rapid searching and retrieval of desired content.

“The new Metadata Capture and Publishing Tool developed by TerraGo for DND significantly enhances our ability to manage our GeoPDF content. This new tool will allow us the ability to easily embed standards-based, specified metadata fields directly into GeoPDF maps and imagery providing end users important information such as accuracy of the product and security classification just to name two. With this advance in capturing metadata for our GeoPDF products, we are able to retrieve and distribute them effectively and efficiently,” said Pierre Simard, the MCE Engineering Officer.

“Accurate metadata is critical to efficiently managing ever-expanding geospatial information repositories,” said Rick Cobb, TerraGo CEO. “We are proud to partner with Canada DND to provide an innovative solution that will enable the MCE to produce and manage its world-class maps and imagery assets.”

Previously, the MCE would manually key in metadata into its GeoPDF maps, imagery and derived products. This process was often cumbersome and prone to the introduction of human error. The new tool offers a single interface with a simple metadata pull-down feature that also cuts down on variance of metadata entries.

Key features and benefits of the new Metadata Capture and Publishing Tool include:

•     Integration of Adobe Forms to capture the required metadata after GeoPDF creation
•     Importation of existing metadata and validation of values (intelligent defaults, drop down lists and template files) prior to writing data directly to the document
•     A command line utility that extrapolates the spatial extent, metadata and spatial reference information for use across the entire Canada DND enterprise.

Canada DND is also using TerraGo’s metadata tool for training its Military Geospatial Engineers. Geospatial Engineers are members of the Military Engineering Branch of the Canadian Forces who capture, manage, process, exploit and distribute geospatial information.

TerraGo Technologies products are distributed in Canada solely through Spatial Geo-Link Limited.

About TerraGo Technologies
TerraGo Technologies geospatial collaboration software and GeoPDF maps and imagery are among the most widely adopted solutions to produce, access, update and share geospatial information and applications with anyone, anywhere. TerraGo solutions enable enterprises to extend, exchange and exploit geo-referenced maps, imagery, audio, video and other intelligence in connected or offline environments. Trusted by government agencies and businesses worldwide, TerraGo solutions increase the use of geospatial data throughout and between enterprises and the return on geospatial investment through greater organizational efficiency, productivity and responsiveness. Founded in 2005, TerraGo is privately held and is an In-Q-Tel portfolio company. For more information, visit http://www.terragotech.com.

TerraGo and GeoPDF are registered trademarks of TerraGo Technologies, Inc.
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