scholarly journals Evaluation of the Georeferencing Accuracy of a Photogrammetric Model Using a Quadrocopter with Onboard GNSS RTK

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 2318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Štroner ◽  
Rudolf Urban ◽  
Tomáš Reindl ◽  
Jan Seidl ◽  
Josef Brouček
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Component ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Sample ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite ◽  
Orientation Parameters

Using a GNSS RTK (Global Navigation Satellite System Real Time Kinematic) -equipped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could greatly simplify the construction of highly accurate digital models through SfM (Structure from Motion) photogrammetry, possibly even avoiding the need for ground control points (GCPs). As previous studies on this topic were mostly performed using fixed-wing UAVs, this study aimed to investigate the results achievable by a quadrocopter (DJI Phantom 4 RTK). Three image acquisition flights were performed for two sites of a different character (urban and rural) along with three calculation variants for each flight: georeferencing using ground-surveyed GCPs only, onboard GNSS RTK only, and a combination thereof. The combined and GNSS RTK methods provided the best results (at the expected level of accuracy of 1–2 GSD (Ground Sample Distance)) for both the vertical and horizontal components. The horizontal positioning was also accurate when georeferencing directly based on the onboard GNSS RTK; the vertical component, however, can be (especially where the terrain is difficult for SfM evaluation) burdened with relatively high systematic errors. This problem was caused by the incorrect identification of the interior orientation parameters calculated, as is customary for non-metric cameras, together with bundle adjustment. This problem could be resolved by using a small number of GCPs (at least one) or quality camera pre-calibration.

scholarly journals Accuracy of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and SfM Photogrammetry Survey as a Function of the Number and Location of Ground Control Points Used

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enoc Sanz-Ablanedo ◽  
Jim Chandler ◽  
José Rodríguez-Pérez ◽  
Celestino Ordóñez
Keyword(s):  
Critical Role ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Sample ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Check Points ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

The geometrical accuracy of georeferenced digital surface models (DTM) obtained from images captured by micro-UAVs and processed by using structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry depends on several factors, including flight design, camera quality, camera calibration, SfM algorithms and georeferencing strategy. This paper focusses on the critical role of the number and location of ground control points (GCP) used during the georeferencing stage. A challenging case study involving an area of 1200+ ha, 100+ GCP and 2500+ photos was used. Three thousand, four hundred and sixty-five different combinations of control points were introduced in the bundle adjustment, whilst the accuracy of the model was evaluated using both control points and independent check points. The analysis demonstrates how much the accuracy improves as the number of GCP points increases, as well as the importance of an even distribution, how much the accuracy is overestimated when it is quantified only using control points rather than independent check points, and how the ground sample distance (GSD) of a project relates to the maximum accuracy that can be achieved.

scholarly journals THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF POSITIONAL UNCERTAINTY IN DIRECT GEOREFERENCING

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B1 ◽  
pp. 1221-1226
Author(s):  
Ali Coskun Kiraci ◽  
Gonul Toz
Keyword(s):  
Graphical User Interface ◽  
Inertial Navigation System ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Positional Uncertainty ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Field Works ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite ◽  
Orientation Parameters

GNSS/INS system composed of Global Navigation Satellite System and Inertial Navigation System together can provide orientation parameters directly by the observations collected during the flight. Thus orientation parameters can be obtained by GNSS/INS integration process without any need for aero triangulation after the flight. In general, positional uncertainty can be estimated with known coordinates of Ground Control Points (GCP) which require field works such as marker construction and GNSS measurement leading additional cost to the project. Here the question arises what should be the theoretical uncertainty of point coordinates depending on the uncertainties of orientation parameters. In this study the contribution of each orientation parameter on positional uncertainty is examined and theoretical positional uncertainty is computed without GCP measurement for direct georeferencing using a graphical user interface developed in MATLAB.

scholarly journals AUTOMATIC KAPPA ANGLE ESTIMATION FOR AIR PHOTOS BASED ON PHASE ONLY CORRELATION

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B3 ◽  
pp. 131-135
Author(s):  
Z. Xiong ◽  
D. Stanley ◽  
Y. Xin
Keyword(s):  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Correlation Technique ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Initial Value ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Attitude Angle ◽  
Camera Position ◽  
Air Photo ◽  
Orientation Parameters

The approximate value of exterior orientation parameters is needed for air photo bundle adjustment. Usually the air borne GPS/IMU can provide the initial value for the camera position and attitude angle. However, in some cases, the camera’s attitude angle is not available due to lack of IMU or other reasons. In this case, the kappa angle needs to be estimated for each photo before bundle adjustment. The kappa angle can be obtained from the Ground Control Points (GCPs) in the photo. Unfortunately it is not the case that enough GCPs are always available. In order to overcome this problem, an algorithm is developed to automatically estimate the kappa angle for air photos based on phase only correlation technique. This function has been embedded in PCI software. Extensive experiments show that this algorithm is fast, reliable, and stable.

scholarly journals ARE MEASURED GROUND CONTROL POINTS STILL REQUIRED IN UAV BASED LARGE SCALE MAPPING? ASSESSING THE POSITIONAL ACCURACY OF AN RTK MULTI-ROTOR PLATFORM

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B1-2020 ◽  
pp. 507-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Teppati Losè ◽  
F. Chiabrando ◽  
F. Giulio Tonolo
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Control Point ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Positional Accuracy ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The estimate of External Orientation (E.O.) parameters for a block of images is a crucial step in the photogrammetric pipeline and the most demanding in terms of required time and human effort, both during the fieldwork and post-processing phases. Different researchers developed strategies to minimize the impact of this phase. Despite the achievement of good results, it was not possible until now to completely cancel the effect of this step. However, the efforts of the researchers in these years have also been devoted to the implementation of direct photogrammetry strategies, in order to almost completely automate the E.O. of the photogrammetric block. These new approaches were made possible also thanks to the latest developments of commercial UAVs, especially in terms of the installed GPS/GNSS (Global Positioning System/Global Navigation Satellite System) hardware. The aim of this manuscript is to evaluate the different perspectives and issues connected with the deployment of a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) equipped with a multi-frequency GPS/GNSS receiver. Starting from the considerations mentioned above and leveraging previous works based on a fixed-wing platform, the focus of this contribution is the assessment of the real performances of an RTK multi-rotor platform addressing several questions. Is it possible to generate added-value products with centimetre 3D accuracies without measuring any ground control point? Which are the operational requirements to be taken into account in the planning phase? Are consolidated UAV mapping operational workflows already available to enable a robust direct georeferencing approach?

scholarly journals Geometric Accuracy of 3D Reality Mesh Utilization for BIM-Based Earthwork Quantity Estimation Workflows

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 399
Author(s):  
Paulius Kavaliauskas ◽  
Daumantas Židanavičius ◽  
Andrius Jurelionis
Keyword(s):  
Process Management ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Sample ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Volume Measurements ◽  
Efficient Construction ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Efficiency And Reliability

Current surveying techniques are typically applied to survey the as-is condition of buildings, brownfield sites and infrastructure prior to design. However, within the past decade, these techniques evolved significantly, and their applications can be enhanced by adopting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for data acquisition, up-to-date software for creating 3D reality mesh, which in turn opens new possibilities for much more efficient construction site surveying and constant updating and process management. In this study the workflows of three UAV-based photogrammetry techniques: Real Time Kinematic (RTK), Post-Processing Kinematic (PPK) and Global Positioning System (GPS) based on control points were analyzed, described, and compared to conventional surveying method with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver. Tests were performed under realistic conditions in 36 ha quarry in Lithuania. The results of the relationship between ground sample distance (GSD) and the comparison of volume measurements under each technique, including conventional method were analyzed. The deviation of data collected on field vs. generated in reality mesh, including ground control points (GCPs) and check points (CHPs) with different configurations, was investigated. The research provides observations on each workflow in the terms of efficiency and reliability for earthwork quantity estimations and explains processing schemes with advanced commercial software tools.

scholarly journals UAV Photogrammetry Accuracy Assessment for Corridor Mapping Based on the Number and Distribution of Ground Control Points

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 2447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezequiel Ferrer-González ◽  
Francisco Agüera-Vega ◽  
Fernando Carvajal-Ramírez ◽  
Patricio Martínez-Carricondo
Keyword(s):  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Multiscale Model ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
The Road ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Model Cloud

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry has recently emerged as a popular solution to obtain certain products necessary in linear projects, such as orthoimages or digital surface models. This is mainly due to its ability to provide these topographic products in a fast and economical way. In order to guarantee a certain degree of accuracy, it is important to know how many ground control points (GCPs) are necessary and how to distribute them across the study site. The purpose of this work consists of determining the number of GCPs and how to distribute them in a way that yields higher accuracy for a corridor-shaped study area. To do so, several photogrammetric projects have been carried out in which the number of GCPs used in the bundle adjustment and their distribution vary. The different projects were assessed taking into account two different parameters: the root mean square error (RMSE) and the Multiscale Model to Model Cloud Comparison (M3C2). From the different configurations tested, the projects using 9 and 11 GCPs (4.3 and 5.2 GCPs km−1, respectively) distributed alternatively on both sides of the road in an offset or zigzagging pattern, with a pair of GCPs at each end of the road, yielded optimal results regarding fieldwork cost, compared to projects using similar or more GCPs placed according to other distributions.

scholarly journals AUTOMATIC KAPPA ANGLE ESTIMATION FOR AIR PHOTOS BASED ON PHASE ONLY CORRELATION

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B3 ◽  
pp. 131-135
Author(s):  
Z. Xiong ◽  
D. Stanley ◽  
Y. Xin
Keyword(s):  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Correlation Technique ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Initial Value ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Attitude Angle ◽  
Camera Position ◽  
Air Photo ◽  
Orientation Parameters

The approximate value of exterior orientation parameters is needed for air photo bundle adjustment. Usually the air borne GPS/IMU can provide the initial value for the camera position and attitude angle. However, in some cases, the camera’s attitude angle is not available due to lack of IMU or other reasons. In this case, the kappa angle needs to be estimated for each photo before bundle adjustment. The kappa angle can be obtained from the Ground Control Points (GCPs) in the photo. Unfortunately it is not the case that enough GCPs are always available. In order to overcome this problem, an algorithm is developed to automatically estimate the kappa angle for air photos based on phase only correlation technique. This function has been embedded in PCI software. Extensive experiments show that this algorithm is fast, reliable, and stable.

scholarly journals Performance of UAV-Based Digital Orthophoto Generation for Emergency Response Applications

TEM Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1721-1727
Author(s):  
Burak Akpınar
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Response ◽  
Satellite System ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Earthquake Hazards ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Digital Orthophoto ◽  
Global Navigation Satellite ◽  
Gnss Observations

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been used for accurate orthophoto generation based on advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) techniques. In recent years, the UAV systems have become an effective tool for fast monitoring of damages caused by disasters such as the earthquake hazards. The conventional orthophoto generation based on ground control points takes too much time during emergency situations. In the study, different methodologies for the processing of the acquired GNSS Positioning data for direct georeferencing of UAVs were investigated in terms of various orbit products. Evaluating the fitness for emergency response applications, the ground control points (GCPs) also used for validation of the generated orthophoto without using GCPs and based on Precise Point Positioning (PPP) approach. In this study, Ultra-Rapid, Rapid and Final PPP methods based on GNSS observations were used for direct geo-referencing. Thirteen GCPs were located at the study area for the validation of the orthophoto accuracy generated by direct geo-referencing.

scholarly journals ACCURACY ASSESSMENT OF A UAV-BASED LANDSLIDE MONITORING SYSTEM

2016 ◽  
Vol XLI-B5 ◽  
pp. 895-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. V. Peppa ◽  
J. P. Mills ◽  
P. Moore ◽  
P. E. Miller ◽  
J. E. Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Image Matching ◽  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Landslide Monitoring ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Error Assessment ◽  
Ground Sample ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Pixel Image ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Landslides are hazardous events with often disastrous consequences. Monitoring landslides with observations of high spatio-temporal resolution can help mitigate such hazards. Mini unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) complemented by structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry and modern per-pixel image matching algorithms can deliver a time-series of landslide elevation models in an automated and inexpensive way. This research investigates the potential of a mini UAV, equipped with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 compact camera, to provide surface deformations at acceptable levels of accuracy for landslide assessment. The study adopts a self-calibrating bundle adjustment-SfM pipeline using ground control points (GCPs). It evaluates misalignment biases and unresolved systematic errors that are transferred through the SfM process into the derived elevation models. To cross-validate the research outputs, results are compared to benchmark observations obtained by standard surveying techniques. The data is collected with 6 cm ground sample distance (GSD) and is shown to achieve planimetric and vertical accuracy of a few centimetres at independent check points (ICPs). The co-registration error of the generated elevation models is also examined in areas of stable terrain. Through this error assessment, the study estimates that the vertical sensitivity to real terrain change of the tested landslide is equal to 9 cm.

scholarly journals PRECISION OF VISUAL LOCALIZATION USING DYNAMIC GROUND CONTROL POINTS

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B1-2020 ◽  
pp. 363-370
Author(s):  
P. Trusheim ◽  
C. Heipke
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Development ◽  
Sliding Window ◽  
Bundle Adjustment ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Visual Localization ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Automated Driving ◽  
Sliding Windows ◽  
Ground Control Points

Abstract. Localization is one of the first steps in navigation. Especially due to the rapid development in automated driving, a precise and reliable localization becomes essential. In this paper, we report an investigation of the usage of dynamic ground control points (GCP) in visual localization in an automotive environment. Instead of having fixed positions, dynamic GCPs move together with the camera. As a measure of quality, we employ the precision of the bundle adjustment results. In our experiments, we simulate and investigate different realistic traffic scenarios. After investigating the role of tie points, we compare an approach using dynamic GCPs to an approach with static GCPs to answer the question how a comparable precision can be reached for visual localization. We show, that in our scenario, where two dynamic GCPs move together with a camera, similar results are indeed obtained to using a number of static GCPs distributed over the whole trajectory. In another experiment, we take a closer look at sliding window bundle adjustments. Sliding windows make it possible to work with an arbitrarily large number of images and to still obtain near real-time results. We investigate this approach in combination with dynamic GCPs and vary the no. of images per window.

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