Working with Raster and Imagery Data in FME

Liz Sanderson
Liz Sanderson
  • Updated

Introduction 

Rasters store image data. Raster data are a grid of pixels in columns and rows that display continuous data very well. The size of the pixels determines the spatial resolution of the image. This data type is essential for background maps, spatial analytics, and visualizing satellite data over time. For a high-level overview of how FME can help you with Raster and Imagery, see our website.
 

Content Overview 

 

Raster and Imagery Terminology 

Band: A raster dataset can contain a number of different “layers” known as bands. Another way of looking at this is to say each cell can consist of a number of values.

Palette: A palette represents each of the pixels in a raster and lists each of the RGB colors associated with each pixel.

Interpretation: A description of the type of data stored at each cell in the raster and the number of bits used for that type for a band.

Cell size: This is the rectangular area created in the x and y dimensions by the spacing of pixels from the raster origin.

Interleaving: Refers to the storage of multicomponent interpretations and the order in which the individual cell values are stored together (It is a technique that specifies how data is organized within a multi-band raster dataset). 

Pyramiding: Pyramids or overviews create lower-resolution views of an original dataset.

Mosaicking: Refers to combining spatially related rasters. Rasters that have overlapping parts can be mosaicked into a single raster. 


Tutorials 

Getting Started Articles 

Tutorial: Getting Started with Rasters

Raster Palette Manipulations Example
Raster Pathway Training
Raster Translation Basics: Converting Bands and Palettes


Intermediate Articles 

How Do I Do That in FME

Tutorial: Reading and Transforming Satellite Imagery in FME

Creating Point Clouds from 3D Models or Raster Data
​​​​​​​Creating Rasters and DEMs from Point Clouds
Coercing Rasters - Creating Points and Polygons from Rasters
​​​​​​​Data Distribution for Raster Data
​​​​​​​Draping Imagery Textures on Terrain Surfaces​​​​​​​
Edge Detection with the RasterConvolver
How To Optimize Your Raster Data Using the RasterInterpretationCoercer
Raster Mosaicking Scenario
​​​​​​​Raster Pyramiding Example
Tips for Mosaicking Large Raster Datasets
Using Conditions with the RasterExpressionEvaluator Transformer
​​​​​​​Workspace Showing Raster to 3D example
 

Advanced Articles

Before completing the following articles be sure to work through the Getting Started Articles first.
Advanced cell color manipulation with RasterCellValueReplacer and RasterExpressionEvaluator, dealing with color no data values
​​​​​​​Alpha Compositing: Blending Two Raster Images
​​​​​​​Alternative Mosaicking Method for Images with Fuzzy Edges
​​​​​​​Combining Rasters with the RasterExpressionEvaluator
​​​​​​​Convert Raster Images to CAD Using Potrace
​​​​​​​Creating World Files from Georeferenced Rasters
​​​​​​​DEM Raster to Vector with RasterExtentsCoercer
Raster Bit Masks: Making Sense of the Numbers
Raster Handling in KML
Raster Mask and LOD (Level of Detail) for KML Output
Raster Slope Calculations as a RasterConvolver Example
​​​​​​​Rasterization for Web Mapping Platforms
​​​​​​​Reprojecting Raster World Files

 

Format Documentation 

Featured Formats:
GeoTiff Reader/Writer
JPEG Reader/Writer
Planet Data Reader
PNG Reader/Writer
USGSDEM Reader/Writer
 

Top Questions and Answers 

Combine Raster Data Pixel Value
Intersect Two Rasters
Raster Clipping
Raster KMZ
Rasters: palette interpretation
 

Additional Resources

Blogs:

3 Ways to Convert Raster Images to Vector for CAD/GIS
8 Companies that Brilliantly Turn Satellite Imagery into Intelligence
17 Ways to Be a Raster Master
How To Build Computer Vision Workflows with Picterra + FME
Infographic: Remote Sensing Satellite Providers
Vector Data & Raster Data: Converting Between Different Geometry Models
FME Does Computer Vision ​​​​​​​
 

Templates:

BW Raster Extraction: Extracts features from a black and white raster image.
RasterCoercers: This workspace uses the RasterToPolygonCoercer transformer to take a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and extract the elevation values to create a vector image.
RasterReprojector: Raster reprojection (ECW to GeoTiff). This workspace illustrates raster dataset reprojection.
RasterTiler: This workspace illustrates raster dataset tiling - splitting a single source raster dataset into a series of uniform tiles.
 

Videos:

Beyond RGB: Raster Analytics with FME [24:40]
How to Calculate Raster Slope using Angle and Aspect [1:30]
 

Webinars:

13 Ways to Avoid a Raster Disaster  [1:00:45]

How to Master Raster (Faster) - Tips and Examples [1:01:34]
Integration for Planet Satellite Imagery [1:04:49]
Picnics and Processing Rasters from Satellites, UAVs, and More - FME Summer Camp [1:01:04]
 

Known Issues

For a list of Known Issues, see the following articles: 2021.x2020.x2019.x2018.x2017.x

 

Support

Can’t find what you are looking for? Search our Community for a related question or post your question in our Forums or contact Support.
 

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