SOME MAPPING TASKS Conference paper

and absolute elevation accuracy based on the design parameters of the camera and the assumed parallax accuracy of 0.5 pixels. camera relative accuracy σ h h [‰ of flying height] absolute accuracy σ h [GSD] TAC 80MP f=50mm 0.16 1.55 RCD30 f=50mm 0.19 1.55 DMC 0.16 1.63 DMCII-250 0.09 1.71 Table 3. Elevation accuracy of digital aerial frame cameras at 60 forward overlap and parallax accuracy of σ px’ =0.5 pixels From Table 3 it can be read that both medium-format cameras may automatically derive elevations with an accuracy of σ h =1.55∙GSD corresponding to 15.5 cm at GSD=10 cm. This is a better absolute elevation accuracy than with the large-format cameras. If the elevation accuracy is related to the flying height then the relative accuracy of the new DMCII-250 camera ex- ceeds both medium-format cameras. This theoretical considera- tion on the basis of the design parameters of the cameras has to be proven in practical tests of DEM generation. The quality of the images will have influence on the parallax accuracy. 3.3 Image quality Good image quality requires first of all a good lens. Several pa- rameters have to be considered. The resolving power R of the lens, measured in line pairs per millimetre lpmm, has to be as high as R=10002∙pel 3 where pel=distance between two pixels, in [µm]. This value is also known as Nyquist frequency. The camera should therefore be equipped with a lens that has such a resolv- ing power DIN, 2007. In the case of the investigated cameras the required resolution is 83 lpmm RCD30 and 96 lpmm TAC 80MP, respectively. The lenses of digital cameras are checked by the producers in the laboratory by determining the Modulation Transfer Function MTF. For different radii the modulation contrast of different input frequency lpmm is determined in percent cf. Figure 3. A typical requirement for lenses used in aerial photography is a contrast in excess of 40 at half of the Nyquist frequency and contrast values below 40 at frequencies twice the Nyquist frequency Doering et al., 2009. Changes in temperature and pressure may change the performance of the lens if no precautions are carried out by the manufacturer. Other influences on the image quality are the condition of the atmosphere and the proper exposure. Both me- dium-format cameras can be equipped with different lenses in order to meet the requirements of different applications. The in- terchanging of the lenses should maintain the interior orienta- tion. Lenses of the two cameras are for example the Leica NAG- D 50 and the Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 50, respectively. Both lenses have a focal length of f=50mm, a maximum aperture of f4 and 11000 of a second as shortest exposure time. The Leica lens is thermal stabilized. In addition, lens distortion, displace- ment of the principal point, and light fall-off of the lens are compensated in post processing. Both cameras use Bayer arrays for generation of color images and compensate mechanically for image motion. The Leica RCD 30 is able to correct in two di- rections. This may be of advantage at strong lateral wind result- ing in deviation of the airplane axis from the flying direction. Figure 3. MTF of Rodenstock HR Digaron-W 50mm f4 lens for aperture 5.6. The curves represent the 80, 40, 20 and 10 lpmm frequencies. Source: Rodenstock, 2011 3.4 Other features of the two medium-format cameras Both cameras are compact and of low weight. Such features en- able the use in small airplanes, helicopters and high-end Un- manned Aerial Vehicles UAVs. Installation in an external pod avoids expensive modifications of the vehicle. An overview on UAVs is given by Everaerts, 2009. Furthermore, these camer- as are prepared to meet the environmental conditions in higher altitudes. Other features are high frame rates, a gyro-stabilized mount, and position and attitude measuring devices GNSSIMU. The combination with a laser scanner opens up for other applications and performances. In comparison with the large-format cameras the price is much lower. The operational costs, however, become higher when large areas have to be mapped. The number of strips to be flown and thereby the length of flight will increase. In the example of Figure 2 the flight with the medium-format camera TAC-80 is 1.94 times longer than with the large-format camera UltraCam-Eagle. The costs of flying will increase about by the same factor.

4. SOME MAPPING TASKS

Topographic mapping comprises the production of line maps, orthoimages, and digital elevation models. These standard tasks, which national mapping organizations and private companies have to accomplish, may also be carried out by medium-format cameras. But the areas to be mapped by means of these cameras should not be very large. The production of line maps and topo- graphic data bases requires extensive manual work and is often outsourced. Updating of maps and topographic data bases may become tasks for medium-format cameras. Mapping of narrow corridors is certainly an application for the medium-format cameras. The production of orthoimages of small areas e.g. street crossings, railway stations, gravel pits requires high im- age quality, small GSDs and digital terrain models. Mosaicking of several orthoimages is necessary and requires good colour balancing. If orthomosaics are combined with line maps the production of true orthoimages may become necessary. They are produced from very dense digital surface models DSMs and highly overlapping imagery. The automatic generation of elevations by means of images requires imagery of high geomet- XXII ISPRS Congress, 25 August – 01 September 2012, Melbourne, Australia 79 ric and radiometric resolution. The generation of digital terrain models DTMs needs also efficient filtering of the matched points. All processing should be carried out with a high degree of automation and reliability. Medium-format cameras may also find application in remote sensing tasks like classification of land cover. There will also be new mapping tasks, e.g. the gen- eration of digital surface models, 3D city models, true or- thoimages, false-colour orthoimages, slope and erosivity maps, and flood risk maps. Also the updating of 2D topographic data bases and DTMs can take advantage of medium-format cameras because the areas to be mapped are often small. The involved processes matching, filtering and change detection require fea- tures which the new generation of medium-format cameras and new software tools can fulfil. Figure 4 depicts a generalized flow chart how such products could be produced. Figure 4. New mapping products and their generation

5. PRACTICAL INVESTIGATIONS