The IEEE GRSS Technical Committee on Data Standardization and Distribution: A refocus

Data standardization is a topic of major importance for the enhanced utilization of remotely sensed data. Nonetheless, the Society needs to reflect on the nature of the present Data Standardization and Distribution Technical Committee charge and consider modifications that would allow the Society to better serve the evolving needs of its members. In reality, data standards are intimately connected to the associated application software (within which data is ultimately used), as well as the telecommunication channels and media used for its transmission and storage. Currently, the Data Fusion Technical Committee is actively pursuing data usage through their interest in a variety of fusion approaches for mining more information from imagery. It might thus be proposed that the charge of the Data Standardization and Distribution Technical Committee be modified to better reflect transmission and storage of geospatial data. Therefore, it is proposed to the membership to change the name of the Technical Committee to Data Archival and Distribution (DAD), and expand its service area to the society and its members.