scholarly journals Determining the Optimal Number of Ground Control Points for Varying Study Sites through Accuracy Evaluation of Unmanned Aerial System-Based 3D Point Clouds and Digital Surface Models

Drones ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Jin Yu ◽  
Dong Woo Kim ◽  
Eun Jung Lee ◽  
Seung Woo Son
Keyword(s):  
Image Processing ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Widespread Application ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Study Sites

The rapid development of drone technologies, such as unmanned aerial systems (UASs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has led to the widespread application of three-dimensional (3D) point clouds and digital surface models (DSMs). Due to the number of UAS technology applications across many fields, studies on the verification of the accuracy of image processing results have increased. In previous studies, the optimal number of ground control points (GCPs) was determined for a specific area of a study site by increasing or decreasing the amount of GCPs. However, these studies were mainly conducted in a single study site, and the results were not compared with those from various study sites. In this study, to determine the optimal number of GCPs for modeling multiple areas, the accuracy of 3D point clouds and DSMs were analyzed in three study sites with different areas according to the number of GCPs. The results showed that the optimal number of GCPs was 12 for small and medium sites (7 and 39 ha) and 18 for the large sites (342 ha) based on the overall accuracy. If these results are used for UAV image processing in the future, accurate modeling will be possible with minimal effort in GCPs.

scholarly journals Reconstructing 3D coastal cliffs from airborne oblique photographs without ground control points

2014 ◽  
Vol II-5 ◽  
pp. 113-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. B. Dewez
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanner ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Open Door ◽  
View Point ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
Coastal Cliff ◽  
Coastal Cliffs

Coastal cliff collapse hazard assessment requires measuring cliff face topography at regular intervals. Terrestrial laser scanner techniques have proven useful so far but are expensive to use either through purchasing the equipment or through survey subcontracting. In addition, terrestrial laser surveys take time which is sometimes incompatible with the time during with the beach is accessible at low-tide. By comparison, structure from motion techniques (SFM) are much less costly to implement, and if airborne, acquisition of several kilometers of coastline can be done in a matter of minutes. In this paper, the potential of GPS-tagged oblique airborne photographs and SFM techniques is examined to reconstruct chalk cliff dense 3D point clouds without Ground Control Points (GCP). The focus is put on comparing the relative 3D point of views reconstructed by Visual SFM with their synchronous Solmeta Geotagger Pro2 GPS locations using robust estimators. With a set of 568 oblique photos, shot from the open door of an airplane with a triplet of synchronized Nikon D7000, GPS and SFM-determined view point coordinates converge to X: ±31.5 m; Y: ±39.7 m; Z: ±13.0 m (LE66). Uncertainty in GPS position affects the model scale, angular attitude of the reference frame (the shoreline ends up tilted by 2°) and absolute positioning. Ground Control Points cannot be avoided to orient such models.

scholarly journals Short Communication: A simple workflow for robust low-cost UAV-derived change detection without ground control points

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen L. Cook ◽  
Michael Dietze
Keyword(s):  
Change Detection ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Standard Approach ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
Tectonically Active ◽  
Comparative Accuracy

Abstract. High quality 3D point clouds generated from repeat camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys are increasingly being used to investigate landscape changes and geomorphic processes. Point cloud quality can be expressed as accuracy in a comparative (i.e., from survey to survey) and absolute (between survey and an external reference system) sense. Here we present a simple workflow for calculating pairs or sets of point clouds with a high comparative accuracy, without the need for ground control points or a dGPS equipped UAV. We demonstrate the efficacy of the new approach using a consumer-grade UAV in two contrasting landscapes: the coastal cliffs on the Island of Rügen, Germany, and the tectonically active Daan River gorge in Taiwan. Compared to a standard approach using ground control points, our workflow results in a nearly identical distribution of measured changes. Compared to a standard approach without ground control, our workflow reduces the level of change detection from several meters to 10–15 cm. This approach enables robust change detection using UAVs in settings where ground control is not possible.

scholarly journals Discrete and Distributed Error Assessment of UAS-SfM Point Clouds of Roadways

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Yijun Liao ◽  
Richard L. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Site Investigation ◽  
Optimal Number ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Elevation Range ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Site Access ◽  
The Impact

Perishable surveying, mapping, and post-disaster damage data typically require efficient and rapid field collection techniques. Such datasets permit highly detailed site investigation and characterization of civil infrastructure systems. One of the more common methods to collect, preserve, and reconstruct three-dimensional scenes digitally, is the use of an unpiloted aerial system (UAS), commonly known as a drone. Onboard photographic payloads permit scene reconstruction via structure-from-motion (SfM); however, such approaches often require direct site access and survey points for accurate and verified results, which may limit its efficiency. In this paper, the impact of the number and distribution of ground control points within a UAS SfM point cloud is evaluated in terms of error. This study is primarily motivated by the need to understand how the accuracy would vary if site access is not possible or limited. In this paper, the focus is on two remote sensing case studies, including a 0.75 by 0.50-km region of interest that contains a bridge structure, paved and gravel roadways, vegetation with a moderate elevation range of 24 m, and a low-volume gravel road of 1.0 km in length with a modest elevation range of 9 m, which represent two different site geometries. While other studies have focused primarily on the accuracy at discrete locations via checkpoints, this study examines the distributed errors throughout the region of interest via complementary light detection and ranging (lidar) datasets collected at the same time. Moreover, the international roughness index (IRI), a professional roadway surface standard, is quantified to demonstrate the impact of errors on roadway quality parameters. Via quantification and comparison of the differences, guidance is provided on the optimal number of ground control points required for a time-efficient remote UAS survey.

scholarly journals Can 3D Point Clouds Replace GCPs?

2014 ◽  
Vol II-5 ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Stavropoulou ◽  
G. Tzovla ◽  
A. Georgopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Point Cloud ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Control Points ◽  
3D Point Clouds ◽  
Surface Models

Over the past decade, large-scale photogrammetric products have been extensively used for the geometric documentation of cultural heritage monuments, as they combine metric information with the qualities of an image document. Additionally, the rising technology of terrestrial laser scanning has enabled the easier and faster production of accurate digital surface models (DSM), which have in turn contributed to the documentation of heavily textured monuments. However, due to the required accuracy of control points, the photogrammetric methods are always applied in combination with surveying measurements and hence are dependent on them. Along this line of thought, this paper explores the possibility of limiting the surveying measurements and the field work necessary for the production of large-scale photogrammetric products and proposes an alternative method on the basis of which the necessary control points instead of being measured with surveying procedures are chosen from a dense and accurate point cloud. Using this point cloud also as a surface model, the only field work necessary is the scanning of the object and image acquisition, which need not be subject to strict planning. To evaluate the proposed method an algorithm and the complementary interface were produced that allow the parallel manipulation of 3D point clouds and images and through which single image procedures take place. The paper concludes by presenting the results of a case study in the ancient temple of Hephaestus in Athens and by providing a set of guidelines for implementing effectively the method.

scholarly journals IMPROVING VERTICAL ACCURACY OF UAV DIGITAL SURFACE MODELS BY INTRODUCING TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANS ON A POINT-CLOUD LEVEL

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B1-2020 ◽  
pp. 457-463
Author(s):  
T. Ivelja ◽  
B. Bechor ◽  
O. Hasan ◽  
S. Miko ◽  
D. Sivan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Scene Reconstruction ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Vertical Accuracy ◽  
3D Scene ◽  
3D Scene Reconstruction

Abstract. Digital Surface Models (DSM) generated by image-based scene reconstruction from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS)point clouds are highly distinguished in terms of resolution and accuracy. This leads to a situation where users have to choose the most beneficial product to fulfill their needs. In the current study, these techniques no longer compete but complement each other. Experiments were implemented to verify the improvement of vertical accuracy by introducing different amounts and configurations of Terrestrial Laser scans in the photogrammetric Structure from Motion (SfM) workflow for high-resolution 3D-scene reconstruction. Results show that it is possible to significantly improve (∼ 49% ) the vertical accuracy of DSMs by introducing a TLS point clouds. However, accuracy improvement is highly associated with the number of introduced Ground Control Points (GCP) in the SfM workflow procedure.

scholarly journals Accuracy assessment of open - pit mine’s digital surface models generated using photos captured by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the post - processing kinematic mode

2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
Long Quoc Nguyen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Post Processing ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Satellite Positioning ◽  
Surface Models ◽  
Aerial Vehicle

To evaluate the accuracy of the digital surface model (DSM) of an open-pit mine produced using photos captured by the unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with the post-processing dynamic satellite positioning technology (UAV/PPK), a DSM model of the Deo Nai open-pit coal mine was built in two cases: (1) only using images taken from UAV/PPK and (2) using images taken from UAV/PPK and ground control points (GCPs). These DSMs are evaluated in two ways: using checkpoints (CPs) and comparing the entire generated DSM with the DSM established by the electronic total station. The obtained results show that if using CPs, in case 1, the errors in horizontal and vertical dimension were 6.8 and 34.3 cm, respectively. When using two or more GCPs (case 2), the horizontal and vertical errors are at the centimetre-level (4.5 cm and 4.7 cm); if using the DSM comparison, the same accuracy as case 2 was also obtained.

scholarly journals Impact of UAV Surveying Parameters on Mixed Urban Landuse Surface Modelling

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 656
Author(s):  
Muhammad Hamid Chaudhry ◽  
Anuar Ahmad ◽  
Qudsia Gulzar
Keyword(s):  
Point Cloud ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
High Computational Cost

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as a surveying tool are mainly characterized by a large amount of data and high computational cost. This research investigates the use of a small amount of data with less computational cost for more accurate three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetric products by manipulating UAV surveying parameters such as flight lines pattern and image overlap percentages. Sixteen photogrammetric projects with perpendicular flight plans and a variation of 55% to 85% side and forward overlap were processed in Pix4DMapper. For UAV data georeferencing and accuracy assessment, 10 Ground Control Points (GCPs) and 18 Check Points (CPs) were used. Comparative analysis was done by incorporating the median of tie points, the number of 3D point cloud, horizontal/vertical Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and large-scale topographic variations. The results show that an increased forward overlap also increases the median of the tie points, and an increase in both side and forward overlap results in the increased number of point clouds. The horizontal accuracy of 16 projects varies from ±0.13m to ±0.17m whereas the vertical accuracy varies from ± 0.09 m to ± 0.32 m. However, the lowest vertical RMSE value was not for highest overlap percentage. The tradeoff among UAV surveying parameters can result in high accuracy products with less computational cost.

scholarly journals Geocoding Error Correction for InSAR Point Clouds

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Montazeri ◽  
Fernando Rodríguez González ◽  
Xiao Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Point Cloud ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Persistent Scatterer Interferometry ◽  
Sar Images ◽  
Localization Accuracy ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Persistent Scatterer ◽  
The City

Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) is an advanced multitemporal InSAR technique that is capable of retrieving the 3D coordinates and the underlying deformation of time-coherent scatterers. Various factors degrade the localization accuracy of PSI point clouds in the geocoding process, which causes problems for interpretation of deformation results and also making it difficult for the point clouds to be compared with or integrated into data from other sensors. In this study, we employ the SAR imaging geodesy method to perform geodetic corrections on SAR timing observations and thus improve the positioning accuracy in the horizontal components. We further utilize geodetic stereo SAR to extract large number of highly precise ground control points (GCP) from SAR images, in order to compensate for the unknown height offset of the PSI point cloud. We demonstrate the applicability of the approach using TerraSAR-X high resolution spotlight images over the city of Berlin, Germany. The corrected results are compared with a reference LiDAR point cloud of Berlin, which confirms the improvement in the geocoding accuracy.

scholarly journals Methodology of Processing Single-Strip Blocks of Imagery with Reduction and Optimization Number of Ground Control Points in UAV Photogrammetry

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 3336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Lalak ◽  
Damian Wierzbicki ◽  
Michał Kędzierski
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Number ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
High Resolution Imagery ◽  
Levenberg Marquardt ◽  
Aerial Vehicle ◽  
Mean Square Errors ◽  
Powell Method ◽  
Single Strip

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems are often used to collect high-resolution imagery. Data obtained from UAVs are now widely used for both military and civilian purposes. This article discusses the issues related to the use of UAVs for the imaging of restricted areas. Two methods of developing single-strip blocks with the optimal number of ground control points are presented. The proposed methodology is based on a modified linear regression model and an empirically modified Levenberg–Marquardt–Powell algorithm. The effectiveness of the proposed methods of adjusting a single-strip block were verified based on several test sets. For method I, the mean square errors (RMSE) values for the X, Y, Z coordinates of the control points were within the range of 0.03–0.13 m/0.08–0.09 m, and for the second method, 0.03–0.04 m/0.06–0.07 m. For independent control points, the RMSE values were 0.07–0.12 m/0.06–0.07 m for the first method and 0.07–0.12 m/0.07–0.09 m for the second method. The results of the single-strip block adjustment showed that the use of the modified Levenberg–Marquardt–Powell method improved the adjustment accuracy by 13% and 16%, respectively.

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