scholarly journals A Low-Cost and Ultralight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Borne Multicamera Imaging System Based on Smartphones

2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Huachao Yang ◽  
Hefang Bian ◽  
Bin Li ◽  
Weihua Bi ◽  
Xingtao Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Imaging System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Typical Application ◽  
Textural Quality ◽  
Small Device ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Automatic Capture ◽  
Imaging Sensor

Newly developed oblique photogrammetry (OP) techniques based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with multicamera imaging systems are widely used in many fields. Smartphones cost less than the cameras commonly used in the existing UAV OP system, providing high-resolution images from a built-in imaging sensor. In this paper, we design and implement a novel low-cost and ultralight UAV OP system based on smartphones. Firstly, five digital cameras and their accessories detached from the smartphones are then fitted into a very small device to synchronously shoot images at five different perspective angles. An independent automatic capture control system is also developed to realize this function. The proposed smartphone-based multicamera imaging system is then mounted on a modified version of an existing lightweight UAV platform to form a UAV OP system. Three typical application examples are then considered to evaluate the performance of this system through practical experiments. Our results indicate that both horizontal and vertical location accuracy of the generated 3D models in all three test applications achieve centimeter-level accuracy with respect to different ground sampling distances (GSDs) of 1.2 cm, 2.3 cm, and 3.1 cm. The accuracy of the two types of vector maps derived from the corresponding 3D models also meet the requirements set by the surveying and mapping standards. The textural quality reflected by the 3D models and digital ortho maps (DOMs) are also distinguishable and clearly represent the actual color of different ground objects. Our experimental results confirm the quality and accuracy of our system. Although flight efficiency and the accuracy of our designed UAV OP system are lower than that of the commercial versions, it provides several unique features including very low-cost, ultralightweight, and significantly easier operation and maintenance.

scholarly journals Tracking the Evolution of Riverbed Morphology on the Basis of UAV Photogrammetry

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 829
Author(s):  
Teresa Gracchi ◽  
Guglielmo Rossi ◽  
Carlo Tacconi Stefanelli ◽  
Luca Tanteri ◽  
Rolando Pozzani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Detection Analysis ◽  
Digital Terrain ◽  
Fluvial Dynamics ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
One Year ◽  
Short Time

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry has recently become a widespread technique to investigate and monitor the evolution of different types of natural processes. Fluvial geomorphology is one of such fields of application where UAV potentially assumes a key role, since it allows for overcoming the intrinsic limits of satellite and airborne-based optical imagery on one side, and in situ traditional investigations on the other. The main purpose of this paper was to obtain extensive products (digital terrain models (DTMs), orthophotos, and 3D models) in a short time, with low costs and at a high resolution, in order to verify the capability of this technique to analyze the active geomorphic processes on a 12 km long stretch of the French–Italian Roia River at both large and small scales. Two surveys, one year apart from each other, were carried out over the study area and a change detection analysis was performed on the basis of the comparison of the obtained DTMs to point out and characterize both the possible morphologic variations related to fluvial dynamics and modifications in vegetation coverage. The results highlight how the understanding of different fluvial processes may be improved by appropriately exploiting UAV-based products, which can thus represent a low-cost and non-invasive tool to crucially support decisionmakers involved in land management practices.

scholarly journals Modelling and Visualization of Three Dimensional Objects Using Inexpensive Digital Cameras

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Elkhrachy
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Three Dimensional Objects ◽  
Spatial Positioning ◽  
And Control

This paper analyses and evaluate the precision and the accuracy the capability of low-cost terrestrial photogrammetry by using many digital cameras to construct a 3D model of an object. To obtain the goal, a building façade has imaged by two inexpensive digital cameras such as Canon and Pentax camera. Bundle adjustment and image processing calculated by using Agisoft PhotScan software. Several factors will be included during this study, different cameras, and control points. Many photogrammetric point clouds will be generated. Their accuracy will be compared with some natural control points which collected by the laser total station of the same building. The cloud to cloud distance will be computed for different comparison 3D models to investigate different variables. The practical field experiment showed a spatial positioning reported by the investigated technique was between 2-4cm in the 3D coordinates of a façade. This accuracy is optimistic since the captured images were processed without any control points.

Low-cost Photogrammetry for Culture Heritage

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Shults ◽  
Petro Krelshtein ◽  
Iulia Kravchenko ◽  
Olga Rogoza ◽  
Oleksandr Kyselov
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Culture Heritage ◽  
Practical Guidelines ◽  
Close Range

Culture heritage will always remain one of the priorities of any state. Taking a cultural or historical object under protection is impossible without inventory. The best technology, which allows getting high-quality inventory, is close-range photogrammetry. Unfortunately, the full capabilities of this technology is fully owned by professionals only. The situation changed significantly with the advent of mobile devices that are equipped with digital cameras and low-cost software that does not require any special knowledge in the theory and practice of photogrammetry. These developments have been called lowcost photogrammetry technologies. In the present study, we examined the use of smartphones and nano UAV and PhotoScan software for solve the problem fortifications II World War inventory near the city of Kiev. For qualitative data, the calibration of digital cameras in smartphones and ultra-light UAV was performed on calibration bench. One of the features of this project was the integration of the terrestrial photos and photos captured by nano UAVs. As a result of work performed were obtained 3D models of fortifications. Results showed high efficiency of the low-cost photogrammetry technologies. At the end of work some practical guidelines were provided, how to get high-quality data using low-cost photogrammetry technologies.

scholarly journals THE USE OF THE UAV IMAGES FOR THE BUILDING 3D MODEL GENERATION

2018 ◽  
Vol XLII-4/W8 ◽  
pp. 217-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Vacca ◽  
G. Furfaro ◽  
A. Dessì
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
3D Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Laser Scanner ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Dense Matching ◽  
Uav Images ◽  
The University

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The growing interest in recent years in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) by the scientific community, software developers, and geomatics professionals, has led these systems to be used more and more widely, in different fields of engineering and architecture. This is thanks, above all, to their flexibility of use and low cost compared to traditional photogrammetric flights using expensive metric digital cameras or LiDAR sensors. In recent years, UAVs have also been used in the field of monitoring and inspection of public or private buildings that are remarkable in terms of size and architecture. This is mainly due to the focus a sustainability and resource efficiency in the building and infrastructure sector, which aims to extend their lifetimes. Through the use of remote checking using UAVs, the monitoring and inspection of buildings can be brought to a new level of quality and saving.</p><p> This paper focuses on the processing and study of 3D models obtained from images captured by an UAV. In particular, the authors wanted to study the accuracy gains achieved in the building 3D model obtained with both nadir and oblique UAV flights. The images from the flights were processed using Structure-for Motion-based approach for point cloud generation using dense image-matching algorithms implemented in an open source software. We used the open source software VisualSfM, developed by Chanchang Wu in collaboration with the University of Washington and Google. The dense matching plug-in integrated in its interface, PMVS/CMVS, made by Yasutaka Furukawa, was employed to generate the dense cloud. The achieved results were compare with those gained by Photoscan software by Agisoft and with 3D model from the Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) survey.</p>

scholarly journals Accuracy Assessment of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Traffic Accident Photogrammetry in the Extreme Operating Conditions of Kuwait

Information ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 442
Author(s):  
Abdullah M. Almeshal ◽  
Mohammad R. Alenezi ◽  
Abdullah K. Alshatti
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Traffic Accident ◽  
Traffic Accidents ◽  
Mean Squared Error ◽  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

This study presents the first accuracy assessment of a low cost small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV) in reconstructing three dimensional (3D) models of traffic accidents at extreme operating environments. To date, previous studies have focused on the feasibility of adopting sUAVs in traffic accidents photogrammetry applications as well as the accuracy at normal operating conditions. In this study, 3D models of simulated accident scenes were reconstructed using a low-cost sUAV and cloud-based photogrammetry platform. Several experiments were carried out to evaluate the measurements accuracy at different flight altitudes during high temperature, low light, scattered rain and dusty high wind environments. Quantitative analyses are presented to highlight the precision range of the reconstructed traffic accident 3D model. Reported results range from highly accurate to fairly accurate represented by the root mean squared error (RMSE) range between 0.97 and 4.66 and a mean percentage absolute error (MAPE) between 1.03% and 20.2% at normal and extreme operating conditions, respectively. The findings offer an insight into the robustness and generalizability of UAV-based photogrammetry method for traffic accidents at extreme environments.

scholarly journals 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF AN UNDERWATER ARCHAELOGICAL SITE: COMPARISON BETWEEN LOW COST CAMERAS

2015 ◽  
Vol XL-5/W5 ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Capra ◽  
M. Dubbini ◽  
E. Bertacchini ◽  
C. Castagnetti ◽  
F. Mancini
Keyword(s):  
3D Reconstruction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Digital Cameras ◽  
Discussion Section ◽  
Sea Bottom ◽  
Digital Format ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Submerged Objects ◽  
Submerged Area

The 3D reconstruction with a metric content of a submerged area, where objects and structures of archaeological interest are found, could play an important role in the research and study activities and even in the digitization of the cultural heritage. The reconstruction of 3D object, of interest for archaeologists, constitutes a starting point in the classification and description of object in digital format and for successive fruition by user after delivering through several media. The starting point is a metric evaluation of the site obtained with photogrammetric surveying and appropriate 3D restitution. The authors have been applying the underwater photogrammetric technique since several years using underwater digital cameras and, in this paper, digital low cost cameras (off-the-shelf). Results of tests made on submerged objects with three cameras are presented: © Canon Power Shot G12, © Intova Sport HD e © GoPro HERO 2. The experimentation had the goal to evaluate the precision in self-calibration procedures, essential for multimedia underwater photogrammetry, and to analyze the quality of 3D restitution. Precisions obtained in the calibration and orientation procedures was assessed by using three cameras, and an homogeneous set control points. Data were processed with © Agisoft Photoscan. Successively, 3D models were created and the comparison of the models derived from the use of different cameras was performed. Different potentialities of the used cameras are reported in the discussion section. The 3D restitution of objects and structures was integrated with sea bottom floor morphology in order to achieve a comprehensive description of the site. A possible methodology of survey and representation of submerged objects is therefore illustrated, considering an automatic and a semi-automatic approach.

scholarly journals Tomographic Proximity Imaging Using Conductive Sheet for Object Tracking

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2736
Author(s):  
Zehao Li ◽  
Shunsuke Yoshimoto ◽  
Akio Yamamoto
Keyword(s):  
Inverse Problem ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Hand Tracking ◽  
Depth Camera ◽  
Capacitance Density ◽  
Evaluation Test ◽  
Density Problem ◽  
Imaging Sensor ◽  
Tomographic Approach

This paper proposes a proximity imaging sensor based on a tomographic approach with a low-cost conductive sheet. Particularly, by defining capacitance density, physical proximity information is transformed into electric potential. A novel theoretical model is developed to solve the capacitance density problem using the tomographic approach. Additionally, a prototype is built and tested based on the model, and the system solves an inverse problem for imaging the capacitance density change that indicates the object’s proximity change. In the evaluation test, the prototype reaches an error rate of 10.0–15.8% in horizontal localization at different heights. Finally, a hand-tracking demonstration is carried out, where a position difference of 33.8–46.7 mm between the proposed sensor and depth camera is achieved at 30 fps.

scholarly journals A Novel Electrically Small Ground-Penetrating Radar Patch Antenna with a Parasitic Ring for Respiration Detection

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1930
Author(s):  
Di Shi ◽  
Taimur Aftab ◽  
Gunnar Gidion ◽  
Fatma Sayed ◽  
Leonhard M. Reindl
Keyword(s):  
Ground Penetrating Radar ◽  
Patch Antenna ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Substrate Material ◽  
Geometric Parameters ◽  
Gas Explosions ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Electromagnetic Characteristics ◽  
Ground Penetrating ◽  
Quick Search

An electrically small patch antenna with a low-cost high-permittivity ceramic substrate material for use in a ground-penetrating radar is proposed in this work. The antenna is based on a commercial ceramic 915 MHz patch antenna with a size of 25 × 25 × 4 mm3 and a weight of 12.9 g. The influences of the main geometric parameters on the antenna’s electromagnetic characteristics were comprehensively studied. Three bandwidth improvement techniques were sequentially applied to optimize the antenna: tuning the key geometric parameters, adding cuts on the edges, and adding parasitic radiators. The designed antenna operates at around 1.3 GHz and has more than 40 MHz continuous −3 dB bandwidth. In comparison to the original antenna, the −3 and −6 dB fractional bandwidth is improved by 1.8 times and 4 times, respectively. Two antennas of the proposed design together with a customized radar were installed on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for a quick search for survivors after earthquakes or gas explosions without exposing the rescue staff to the uncertain dangers of moving on the debris.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Digital Models of Objects of Cultural Heritage Obtained by the “3D SLS” and “SfM” Methods

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5321
Author(s):  
Marcin Barszcz ◽  
Jerzy Montusiewicz ◽  
Magdalena Paśnikowska-Łukaszuk ◽  
Anna Sałamacha
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Silk Road ◽  
Digital Models ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Three Dimensional Models ◽  
3D Digitisation

In the era of the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, 3D digitisation of selected museum artefacts is becoming more and more frequent practice, but the vast majority is performed by specialised teams. The paper presents the results of comparative studies of 3D digital models of the same museum artefacts from the Silk Road area generated by two completely different technologies: Structure from Motion (SfM)—a method belonging to the so-called low-cost technologies—and by Structured-light 3D Scanning (3D SLS). Moreover, procedural differences in data acquisition and their processing to generate three-dimensional models are presented. Models built using a point cloud were created from data collected in the Afrasiyab museum in Samarkand (Uzbekistan) during “The 1st Scientific Expedition of the Lublin University of Technology to Central Asia” in 2017. Photos for creating 3D models in SfM technology were taken during a virtual expedition carried out under the “3D Digital Silk Road” program in 2021. The obtained results show that the quality of the 3D models generated with SfM differs from the models from the technology (3D SLS), but they may be placed in the galleries of the vitrual museum. The obtained models from SfM do not have information about their size, which means that they are not fully suitable for archiving purposes of cultural heritage, unlike the models from SLS.

Low-cost high-performance CMOS terahertz imaging system

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chung Hsing Li ◽  
Tzu-Chao Yan ◽  
Yuhsin Chang ◽  
Chyong Chen ◽  
Chien-Nan Kuo
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Terahertz Imaging
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