Transforming Aerial Data into Actionable Geospatial Insights
The Directorate
Established in the 1960s, the Directorate of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing is a specialist directorate that has witnessed upgradation from analogue workflows to fully digital systems. Its Mission is to ensure seamless integration of advanced Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and GIS technologies through a robust, technology-driven geospatial infrastructure, for delivering accurate and accessible 3D geospatial datasets. On Input side, it has transitioned from conventional aerial photography (1986–2006) to satellite imagery and recently to UAV-based platforms along with onboard imaging cameras, LiDAR sensors, professional-grade workstations and software suites. In the Processing domain, it has modernized from analogue optical stereo-plotters to state-of-the-art Digital Photogrammetric Workstations (DPWs). These capabilities allow the production of diverse geospatial products derived from imaging sensors, ensuring outputs that meet international industry standards in a fully digital environment thus vastly improving the precision, efficiency and versatility of our geospatial outputs.
Contribution to National Surveying & Mapping
With efficient and reliable resources, we contribute high-quality geospatial datasets directly usable for GIS analysis, urban planning, disaster management, climate monitoring and other development indicators. Some major projects undertaken by the Directorate are as follows: Stereo Mapping of strategic importance areas of KPK & Balochistan provinces besides mapping international borders of the country Mapping of key hydraulic structures including Tarbela, Kalabagh, Diamer Basha and Dasu dams, Ghazi Barotha and other irrigation projects  Large-scale mapping of Pakistan’s main cities for urban land management Cadastral Mapping Project for the identification of State Land and mapping of Islamabad & Lahore Contribution to Government’s Polio Eradication Programme through GIS mapping to generate Area Maps