Accuracy analysis of digital orthophotos from very high resolution imagery

Abstract

The generation of digital Orthophotos now days can be done with aerial, but also very high resolution space imagery. For a real competition the geometric and radiometric quality has to be on the same level. Different QuickBird images have been used for the generation of orthophotos with 1m pixel size. The whole procedure from the orientation up to the final step has been analyzed in detail. Rational polynomial coefficients (RPC) and bundle orientation using orbit information was used for the handling of QuickBird Basic and Standard Imagery. The special problems of individual and combined scenes are analyzed. QuickBird Images covering quite different areas were used. The effect of varying control point distributions on the accuracy, determined with independent check points was studied. Different sources of ground control like digital orthophoto quads, existing information from airborne photo flights and GPS-control points have been used. The required height information came from different digital elevation models (DEM) and ground survey. Satisfying results have been achieved. © 2004 International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. All rights reserved.