Aerial Photogrammetry: Session-2

Flight planning
Success of photogrammetric project depends on acquisition of good quality pictures Due to weather and ground conditions, time frame for photography is limited Reflights are expensive and causes long delays on project Mission must be carefully planned and executed according to flight plan Consists of flight map, (where photos should be taken) and specifications

Stereophotography
Adjacent but overlapping aerial photos are called stereo-pairs and are needed to determine parallax and stereo/3D viewing

Overlapping Stereophotography
Endlap - ~60% Common area covered by two successive photos of the same flight line Sidelap - ~20-30% Common area covered by two adjacent flight lines

Required Data for Flight planning

Project area boundary Camera focal length 3.5, 6, or 12 Photoformat size standard is 9 or 23 cm Photoscale Overlap requirements (in percentage) percentage of endlap or sidelap Least number of flight lines (To be more Economical) Least number of exposures

Flight planning computations

Flying height Distance between exposures or Airbase Distance between flight lines Total number of exposures Flying height above mean sea level of each flight line Total time needed for photography

Flying height
H=f*s Where: f = focal length s = scale of photograph (i.e. 1cm = s metres)

Distance between exposures

L = (1 Pl) s l
Where: L = actual ground length covered by each photograph Pl = percentage longitudinal lap s = scale of photograph l = length of photograph in the direction of flight

Distance between flight lines

W = (1 Pw) s w
Where: W = actual ground width covered by each photograph Pw = percentage side lap s = scale of photograph w = width of photograph normal to the direction of flight

Number of photographs
N = A/a
Where: A = total area to be photographed a=L*W L = actual ground length covered by each photograph W = actual ground width covered by each photograph

Interval between exposures

T = 3600 L/V
Where: T = total interval between the exposures L = actual ground length covered by each photograph V = ground speed of the airplane (km/hour)

Map vs. Photo Projection Systems

Maps have a orthographic or planimetric projection, where all features are located in their correct horizontal positions and are depicted as though they were each being viewed from directly overhead. Vertical aerial photos have a central or perspective projection, where all objects are positioned as though they were viewed from the same point.

Maps vs. Aerial Photos

Maps: Scale is constant No relief displacement
Photos: Scale varies with elevation Relief displacement

Stereoscopic Parallax
The displacement of an object caused by a change in the point of observation is called parallax. Stereoscopic parallax is caused by taking photographs of the same object but from different points of observation.

Mirror Stereoscope
Stereoscope is an instrument used for viewing stereopairs. To assist in presenting the eyes the images of a pair of photographs so that the relationship between convergence and accommodation is the same as would be in natural vision. To magnify the perception of depth

1.

Preparing the Photographs a. Two photographs of the same area taken from slightly different positions are required for stereo viewing in a stereoscope. b. Vertical aerial photographs are best with at least 60% overlap. 2. Arranging the Photographs a. Ensure that the photographs are arranged in the same sequence in which they were taken. The overlap area should be towards the inside. b. Using the stereoscope, mark the principle points of adjoining photographs on each photo. c. Set up the Mirror Stereoscope so that the vertical displacement between the left and right string images is eliminated.

3.

Viewing the Stereo-Pairs a. To view different areas of the image. b. You may also use the binocular viewer to magnify the image. 4. Using the Vegetation Graticule a. Place the relevant part of the graticule (that corresponds to the scale of the photograph) over the area you wish to measure. The graticule only needs to be placed over one of the photos. b. Determine whether there is Tree, Grass or Shrub at each point on the graticule and record it on the recording sheet.

Stereoscopic parallax
Note the displacement between the top and base of the storage towers in this photo stereo-pair

Line of Flight

top

bottom

Absolute stereoscopic parallax

PP = Principal point = center of photo CPP = Conjugate principal point = adjacent photos PP Absolute stereoscopic parallax the average photo base length = average distance between PP and CPP Photo base

PP

CPP

PP

Differential parallax
Differential parallax - the difference between the stereoscopic parallax at the top and base of the object.
15.2 mm 13.5 mm

dP = 15.2mm 13.5mm = 1.7 mm

Stereoscopic Instruments
Parallax wedge - simplest device for determining differential parallax Parallax bar - movable floating mark can placed at base and tops of objects to measure differential parallax

Computing height using stereoscopic parallax

h = (H) * dP / (P + dP) where h = object height H = flying height dP = differential parallax P = average photo base length

Stereoscopic Plotting Instruments

Stereoplotters - precision instruments designed to duplicate the exact relative position and orientation of the aerial camera at the time of photo acquisition to recreate the stereomodel. A floating mark can be used trace specific elevations. Relief displacement is removed creating a planimetric map.

Mosaics
An aerial mosaic is an assemblage of two or more individual over lapping photographs to form a single continuous picture of an area . The assembly is made by cutting and piecing to gather part s of photographs , being careful to make common images coincide as closely as possible at the match lines between adjacent photos .

Photographic coverage

Mosaic advantages
Show relative planimetric qualities , whereas objects on maps which are shown with symbols must be limited in number . Mosaic of large areas can be prepared in much less time and at considerably lower cost than maps it is easy to understand and interpreted by people without photogrammetry or engineering back ground .

Uses of Mosaic
Mosaic are widely used . Their value is perhaps most appreciated in the field of planning , both in land-use planning and in planning for engineering project . Use to study geologic features

Photo interpretation
1. Examine and identify the characteristics of the photographic images. 2. Make measurements to get dimensions of the object using scale of the photographs. 3. Analyse and evaluate the interpreted item. 4. Verify the interpreted item in the field 5. Tabulate the results.