The geometric and cartographic characteristics of the ZY-3 images and their usage in the production of cartographic data and GIS applications in Brazil

The Chinese SASMAC operated satellite Zi-Yuan-3 (ZY-3), represents a new generation of satellites equipped with high-resolution sensors, which ensures data quality and accuracy in several applications. In this paper, the geometric and cartographic features of the ZY-3 images and their usage concerning the production of cartographic data have been considered. Tests were carried out in order to verify its applicability in generating information through a Geographic Information System (GIS). The obtained results show that the ZY-3 images are suitable for using in the 1:25.000 scale regarding only the intern geometric calibration and without further geometric corrections such as orthorectification.