Toronto, Canada, July 24, 2012 — Optech, the world leader in the development, manufacture and support of advanced lidar and camera survey instruments, is pleased to announce that Optech has been presented with two awards from the Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX): the Sebastian Sizgoric Technical Achievement Award, and the 532 Award.
The Sebastian Sizgoric Technical Achievement Award is presented annually by JALBTCX in recognition of a major scientific achievement in airborne lidar bathymetry, coastal mapping and charting. The award was conferred upon Optech for the successful development of the CZMIL (Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar), which has now commenced survey operations.

In addition, Optech was also presented with the JALBTCX 532 Award, which recognizes cumulative achievements in airborne lidar bathymetry and coastal mapping and charting. In fact, Optech actually won two of the 532 Awards. One recipient is Dr. Viktor Feygels, who has had a long and distinguished international career in airborne lidar and started collaborating with Optech in the mid-1990s before joining the company in 2004. Viktor is currently the Senior Scientist and a key member of the Optech CZMIL team. The second recipient is Dr. Paul LaRocque who joined Optech in 1985 and played a managing role in four generations of the SHOALS airborne lidar bathymeter. Paul is currently the Vice President of Advanced Technology.

Max Elbaz, President of Optech, Inc. said, "Optech is proud to have earned these awards. Recognition from JALBTCX is especially gratifying because they are the pre-eminent authority on airborne lidar bathymetry today. Their 532 award is special because it honors the dedication and commitment that key Optech personnel have demonstrated over the years to advance the field of bathymetry."

About Optech

Optech is the world leader in the development, manufacture and support of advanced lidar and camera survey instruments. With operations and staff worldwide, Optech offers both standalone and fully integrated lidar and camera solutions in airborne terrestrial mapping, airborne laser bathymetry, mobile mapping, terrestrial laser scanning, mine cavity monitoring, and industrial process control, as well as space-proven sensors.

About JALBTCX

The Joint Airborne Lidar Bathymetry Technical Center of Expertise (JALBTCX) is a partnership in airborne coastal mapping and charting among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The partnership began operations in 1994 and in 1998 formally established JALBTCX, located at Stennis International Airport in Kiln, MS. The mission of JALBTCX is to provide airborne coastal surveying capability to the Army and Navy to meet worldwide operational requirements, to provide technical expertise to NOAA, to evolve bathymetric light detection and ranging (lidar) and complementary technologies and to facilitate industry investment in the technology.

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