Heipke has been active within the ISPRS for almost 40 years and served on the ISPRS Council from 2012 to mid-2026; from 2016 to 2022, he led the Society as President. This period saw a number of significant changes, including the strengthening of the ISPRS publication outlets, the restructuring of the ISPRS Commissions and the Council, and the introduction of an annual scientific congress.
The ISPRS is the world’s leading and oldest scientific society in the fields of photogrammetry, remote sensing and geoinformatics. According to the statutes, there are only 10 living honorary members. Alongside Heipke, Charles Toth of The Ohio State University, Columbus, was also elected an Honorary Member in Toronto.