scholarly journals UAVs for Structure-From-Motion Coastal Monitoring: A Case Study to Assess the Evolution of Embryo Dunes over a Two-Year Time Frame in the Po River Delta, Italy

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 1717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Taddia ◽  
Corinne Corbau ◽  
Elena Zambello ◽  
Alberto Pellegrinelli

Coastal environments are usually characterized by a brittle balance, especially in terms of sediment transportation. The formation of dunes, as well as their sudden destruction as a result of violent storms, affects this balance in a significant way. Moreover, the growth of vegetation on the top of the dunes strongly influences the consequent growth of the dunes themselves. This work presents the results obtained through a long-term monitoring of a complex dune system by the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Six different surveys were carried out between November 2015 and December 2017 in the littoral of Rosolina Mare (Italy). Aerial photogrammetric data were acquired during flight repetitions by using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional with the camera in a nadiral arrangement. The processing of the captured images consisted of the reconstruction of a three-dimensional model using the Structure-from-Motion (SfM). Each model was framed in the European Terrestrial Reference System (ETRS) using GNSS geodetic receivers in Network Real Time Kinematic (NRTK). Specific data management was necessary due to the vegetation by filtering the dense cloud. This task was performed by both performing a slope detection and a removal of the residual outliers. The final products of this approach were thus represented by Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the sandy coastal section. In addition, DEMs of Difference (DoD) were also computed for the purpose of monitoring over time and detecting variations. The accuracy assessment of the DEMs was carried out by an elevation comparison through especially GNSS-surveyed points. Relevant cross sections were also extracted and compared. The use of the Structure-from-Motion approach by UAVs finally proved to be both reliable and time-saving thanks to quicker in situ operations for the data acquisition and an accurate reconstruction of high-resolution elevation models. The low cost of the system and its flexibility represent additional strengths, making this technique highly competitive with traditional ones.

Author(s):  
Y. Taddia ◽  
C. Corbau ◽  
E. Zambello ◽  
V. Russo ◽  
U. Simeoni ◽  
...  

The balance of a coastal environment is particularly complex: the continuous formation of dunes, their destruction as a result of violent storms, the growth of vegetation and the consequent growth of the dunes themselves are phenomena that significantly affect this balance. This work presents an approach to the long-term monitoring of a complex dune system by means of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Four different surveys were carried out between November 2015 and November 2016. Aerial photogrammetric data were acquired during flights by a DJI Phantom 2 and a DJI Phantom 3 with cameras in a nadiral arrangement. GNSS receivers in Network Real Time Kinematic (NRTK) mode were used to frame models in the European Terrestrial Reference System. Processing of the captured images consisted in reconstruction of a three-dimensional model using the principles of Structure from Motion (SfM). Particular care was necessary due to the vegetation: filtering of the dense cloud, mainly based on slope detection, was performed to minimize this issue. Final products of the SfM approach were represented by Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the sandy coastal environment. Each model was validated by comparison through specially surveyed points. Other analyses were also performed, such as cross sections and computing elevation variations over time. The use of digital photogrammetry by UAVs is particularly reliable: fast acquisition of the images, reconstruction of high-density point clouds, high resolution of final elevation models, as well as flexibility, low cost and accuracy comparable with other available techniques.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos H Grohmann ◽  
Camila D Viana ◽  
Mariana TS Busarello ◽  
Guilherme PB Garcia

This work presents the development of a three-dimensional model of an outcrop of the Corumbataí Formation using Structure from Motion and Multi-View Stereo (SfM-MVS) techniques in order to provide a structural analysis of clastic dikes cutting through siltstone layers. Composed mainly of fine sand and silt, these dikes are formed by sand intrusions when a wet sandy layer is affected by earthquakes of at least 6.5 magnitude, being used as a record of such events.While traditional photogrammetry requires the user to input a series of parameters related to the camera orientation and its characteristics (such as focal distance), in SfM-MVS the scene geometry, camera position and orientations are automatically determined by a bundle adjustment, an iterative procedure based on a set of overlapping images. It is considered a low-cost technique in both hardware and software, also being able to provide point density and accuracy on par to the ones obtained with terrestrial laser scanner.The results acquired on this research have a good agreement with previous works, yielding a NNW main orientation for the dikes measured in the field and on the 3D model. The development of this work showed that SfM-MVS use and practice on geosciences still needs more studies on the optimization of the involved parameters (such as camera orientation, image overlap and angle of illumination), which, when accomplished, will result in less processing time and more accurate models.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos H Grohmann ◽  
Camila D Viana ◽  
Mariana TS Busarello ◽  
Guilherme PB Garcia

This work presents the development of a three-dimensional model of an outcrop of the Corumbataí Formation using Structure from Motion and Multi-View Stereo (SfM-MVS) techniques in order to provide a structural analysis of clastic dikes cutting through siltstone layers. Composed mainly of fine sand and silt, these dikes are formed by sand intrusions when a wet sandy layer is affected by earthquakes of at least 6.5 magnitude, being used as a record of such events.While traditional photogrammetry requires the user to input a series of parameters related to the camera orientation and its characteristics (such as focal distance), in SfM-MVS the scene geometry, camera position and orientations are automatically determined by a bundle adjustment, an iterative procedure based on a set of overlapping images. It is considered a low-cost technique in both hardware and software, also being able to provide point density and accuracy on par to the ones obtained with terrestrial laser scanner.The results acquired on this research have a good agreement with previous works, yielding a NNW main orientation for the dikes measured in the field and on the 3D model. The development of this work showed that SfM-MVS use and practice on geosciences still needs more studies on the optimization of the involved parameters (such as camera orientation, image overlap and angle of illumination), which, when accomplished, will result in less processing time and more accurate models.


2020 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 55-61
Author(s):  
Ettore Potente ◽  
Cosimo Cagnazzo ◽  
Alessandro Deodati ◽  
Giuseppe Mastronuzzi

Robotica ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 733-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conghui Liang ◽  
Hao Gu ◽  
Marco Ceccarelli ◽  
Giuseppe Carbone

SUMMARYA mechanical design and dynamics walking simulation of a novel tripod walking robot are presented in this paper. The tripod walking robot consists of three 1-degree-of-freedom (DOF) Chebyshev–Pantograph leg mechanisms with linkage architecture. A balancing mechanism is mounted on the body of the tripod walking robot to adjust its center of gravity (COG) during walking for balancing purpose. A statically stable tripod walking gait is performed by synchronizing the motions of the three leg mechanisms and the balancing mechanism. A three-dimensional model has been elaborated in SolidWorks® engineering software environment for a characterization of a feasible mechanical design. Dynamics simulation has been carried out in the MSC.ADAMS® environment with the aim to characterize and to evaluate the dynamic walking performances of the proposed design with low-cost easy-operation features. Simulation results show that the proposed tripod walking robot with proper input torques, gives limited reaction forces at the linkage joints, and a practical feasible walking ability on a flatten ground.


2014 ◽  
Vol 587-589 ◽  
pp. 1091-1094
Author(s):  
Xi Sheng ◽  
Hua Peng Luo ◽  
Ping Wang

Belonging to the Bentley Microstation series which work as one of the BIM platforms, the Bentley Power Rail Track shows huge advantages in the railway design for its visibility, high efficiency, advance, reliability and so on. This paper introduces the way to build the digital terrain model, alignments, cross sections, turnouts and to display the three-dimensional model of the railway for the Bentley Power Rail Track 3D railway design software. It provides application preparation for the BIM railway design and achieves the preliminary exploration of BIM applications. Bentley Power Rail Track proves capable of the BIM railway design.


Author(s):  
L. Rossi ◽  
F. Ioli ◽  
E. Capizzi ◽  
L. Pinto ◽  
M. Reguzzoni

Abstract. A fundamental step of UAV photogrammetric processes is to collect Ground Control Points (GCPs) by means of geodetic-quality GNSS receivers or total stations, thus obtaining an absolutely oriented model with a centimetric accuracy. This procedure is usually time-consuming, expensive and potentially dangerous for operators who sometimes need to reach inaccessible areas. UAVs equipped with low-cost GNSS/IMU sensors can provide information about position and attitude of the images. This telemetry information is not enough for a photogrammetric restitution with a centimetric accuracy, but it can be usefully exploited when a lower accuracy is required. The algorithm proposed in this paper aims at improving the quality of this information, in order to introduce it into a direct-photogrammetric process, without collecting GCPs. In particular, the estimation of an optimal trajectory is obtained by combining the camera positions derived from UAV telemetry and from the relative orientation of the acquired images, by means of a least squares adjustment. Then, the resulting trajectory is used as a direct observation of the camera positions into a commercial software, thus replacing the information of GCPs. The algorithm has been tested on different datasets, comparing the classical photogrammetric solution (with GCPs) with the proposed one. These case-studies showed that using the improved trajectory as input to the commercial software (without GCPs) the reconstruction of the three-dimensional model can be improved with respect to the solution computed by using the UAV raw telemetry only.


Author(s):  
Ihor Palkov ◽  
Sergii Palkov ◽  
Oleh Ishchenko ◽  
Olena Avdieieva

The paper considers the main principles that are used to develop the flow paths (FP) of the high-pressure cylinders (HPC), intermediate-pressure cylinders (IPC), and low-pressure cylinders (LPC) for the K-1250-6.9/25 turbine unit. It describes approaches to the numerical experiment when designing flow paths, the advantage of which is lower labor, time and financial costs and higher informativeness compared to the physical experiment on flow paths. When designing the flow paths of high- and intermediate-pressure cylinders (HIPC), the numerical experiment is performed using the three-dimensional viscous-flow method. For this purpose, a three-dimensional model of the blade system in the flow path is built, which consists of a large number of finite volumes (elements) in the shape of hexagons, in each of which the integration of the equations of gas dynamics is performed. When developing LPC, the method of parameterization and analytical profiling of the blade crown sections is used, where the profiles are described by the curves of the fourth and fifth orders with the condition of providing the minimum value of the maximum curvature and monotonicity of variation of the three-dimensional blade geometry along height. This method allows obtaining the optimal profiles of the cross sections of the blades, which correspond to the current flow lines to the fullest extent, and minimizing the profile energy losses when the flow flows around the blades.


Author(s):  
T. Guo ◽  
A. Capra ◽  
M. Troyer ◽  
A. Gruen ◽  
A. J. Brooks ◽  
...  

Recent advances in automation of photogrammetric 3D modelling software packages have stimulated interest in reconstructing highly accurate 3D object geometry in unconventional environments such as underwater utilizing simple and low-cost camera systems. The accuracy of underwater 3D modelling is affected by more parameters than in single media cases. This study is part of a larger project on 3D measurements of temporal change of coral cover in tropical waters. It compares the accuracies of 3D point clouds generated by using images acquired from a system camera mounted in an underwater housing and the popular GoPro cameras respectively. A precisely measured calibration frame was placed in the target scene in order to provide accurate control information and also quantify the errors of the modelling procedure. In addition, several objects (cinder blocks) with various shapes were arranged in the air and underwater and 3D point clouds were generated by automated image matching. These were further used to examine the relative accuracy of the point cloud generation by comparing the point clouds of the individual objects with the objects measured by the system camera in air (the best possible values). Given a working distance of about 1.5 m, the GoPro camera can achieve a relative accuracy of 1.3 mm in air and 2.0 mm in water. The system camera achieved an accuracy of 1.8 mm in water, which meets our requirements for coral measurement in this system.


Author(s):  
G. Caroti ◽  
I. Martínez-Espejo Zaragoza ◽  
A. Piemonte

The evolution of Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques and their integration with the established procedures of classic stereoscopic photogrammetric survey have provided a very effective tool for the production of three-dimensional textured models. Such models are not only aesthetically pleasing but can also contain metric information, the quality of which depends on both survey type and applied processing methodologies. An open research topic in this area refers to checking attainable accuracy levels. The knowledge of such accuracy is essential, especially in the integration of models obtained through SfM with other models derived from different sensors or methods (laser scanning, classic photogrammetry ...). Accuracy checks may be conducted by either comparing SfM models against a reference one or measuring the deviation of control points identified on models and measured with classic topographic instrumentation and methodologies. This paper presents an analysis of attainable accuracy levels, according to different approaches of survey and data processing. For this purpose, a survey of the Church of San Miniato in Marcianella (Pisa, Italy), has been used. The dataset is an integration of laser scanning with terrestrial and UAV-borne photogrammetric surveys; in addition, a high precision topographic network was established for the specific purpose. In particular, laser scanning has been used for the interior and the exterior of the church, with the exclusion of the roof, while UAVs have been used for the photogrammetric survey of both roof, with horizontal strips, and façade, with vertical strips.


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