Though the ISPRS has had standardization on its agenda for a long time the progress was slow and the output of completed document is still limited. The reasons are manifold: lack of awareness of standardization, necessary alignment with the standardization of geographic information done by the ISO/TC 211, emerging of new sensors while standardization work was ongoing, and the lack of technical consensus on many details such as data formats. Initiated by EuroSDR and ISPRS the EuroCOW workshop in January 2006 brought experts together who represented the leading edge of the new generation of airborne imaging sensors. This article is intended to be a starting point for the necessary discussion about an orientation and calibration standard that fulfills modern requirements. Three authors give their views on the topic and point to essential components of a standard in the future.