HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In 1910, the International Society for Photogrammetry (ISP) was founded under the leadership of its first President, Eduard Dolezal, from Austria. After 70 years of functioning under its original name, the Society changed its name in 1980 to the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS).

Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing is the art, science, and technology of obtaining reliable information from noncontact imaging and other sensor systems about the Earth and its environment, and other physical objects and processes through recording, measuring, analyzing and representation.

The term of photogrammetry was first used in published work in 1867 when the art and science of photography itself was still in its infancy. Over the last 80 years the principal application of photogrammetry has been the compilation of maps from aerial photographs. During the most recent decade, photogrammetry and remote sensing has provided the primary source data for Geographic Information Systems. There has been in addition a continuing development of applications of photogrammetric close-range techniques to many other fields - engineering, architecture, archeology, medicine, industrial quality control, robotics etc.

Surveillance and environmental imaging and interpretative studies from aircraft and earth satellites, using sensors which operate in the various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum -ultraviolet, visible, infrared, thermal, and microwave - have come to be called "Remote Sensing". There is no special significance, however, in the degree of "remoteness" of the sensor from the object surveyed, and any form of non-contact observation can be regarded as remote sensing. There is no clear-cut distinction between photogrammetry and remote sensing, and it is for this reason that the Society changed its name in 1980.

Except for interruptions during World Wars I and II, the Society has carried on its activities continuously since its founding. These activities culminate every four years at the International Congress on Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. The Congress includes the presentation of scientific and technical papers, technical tours, scientific and commercial exhibits, meetings to conduct the business of the Society, and a social program. The locations of the Congresses from 1910 to 2000 are as follows:

1. 1913 Vienna, Austria
2. 1926 Berlin, Germany
3. 1930 Zurich, Switzerland
4. 1934 Paris, France
5. 1938 Rome, Italy
6. 1948 The Hague, The Netherlands
7. 1952 Washington, DC, USA
8. 1956 Stockholm, Sweden
9. 1960 London, United Kingdom
10. 1964 Lisbon, Portugal
11. 1968 Lausanne, Switzerland
12. 1972 Ottawa, Canada
13. 1976 Helsinki, Finland
14. 1980 Hamburg, F.R. Germany
15. 1984 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
16. 1988 Kyoto, Japan
17. 1992 Washington, DC, USA
18. 1996 Vienna, Austria
19. 2000 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
20. 2004 Istanbul, Turkey

The location of the next congress will be Beijing, China.

The Presidents of ISP from 1910 to 1980 and of ISPRS from 1980 to 1992 are as follows:

• ISP:
  • 1910-1913 E. Dolezal, Austria
  • 1913-1926 E. Dolezal, Austria
  • 1926-1930 0. Eggert, Germany
  • 1930-1934 Gen. Perriet, France
  • 1934-1938 G. Cassinis, Italy
  • 1938-1948 W. Schermerhorn, The Netherlands
  • 1948-1952 O.S. Reading, USA
  • 1952-1956 P. Mogensen, Sweden
  • 1956-1960 R.L Brown, United Kingdom
  • 1960-1964 A.P. Clemente, Portugal
  • 1964-1968 H. Harry, Switzerland
  • 1968-1972 L. Solaini, Italy
  • 1972-1976 Samuel G. Gamble, Canada
  • 1976-1980 Jean Cruset, France
• ISPRS:
  • 1980-1984 Frederick J. Doyle, USA
  • 1984-1988 Gottfried Konecny, F.R. Germany
  • 1988-1992 Kennert Torlegard, Sweden
  • 1992-1996 Shunji Murai, Japan
  • 1996-2000 Lawrence W. Fritz, USA
  • 2000-2004 John Trinder, Australia
  • 2004-2008 Ian Dowman, UK