Publication detail

Assessing the Accuracy of Digital Surface Models Derived from Optical Imagery Acquired with Unmanned Aerial Systems

Manfreda, Salvatore Dvorak, Petr Mullerova, Jana Herban, Sorin Vuono, Pietro Justel, Jose Perks, Matthew

Original Title

Assessing the Accuracy of Digital Surface Models Derived from Optical Imagery Acquired with Unmanned Aerial Systems

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) equipped with an optical camera are a cost-effective strategy for topographic surveys. These low-cost UASs can provide useful information for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction even if they are equipped with a low-quality navigation system. To ensure the production of high-quality topographic models, careful consideration of the flight mode and proper distribution of ground control points are required. To this end, a commercial UAS was adopted to monitor a small earthen dam using different combinations of flight configurations and by adopting a variable number of ground control points (GCPs). The results highlight that optimization of both the choice and combination of flight plans can reduce the relative error of the 3D model to within two meters without the need to include GCPs. However, the use of GCPs greatly improved the quality of the topographic survey, reducing error to the order of a few centimeters. The combined use of images extracted from two flights, one with a camera mounted at nadir and the second with a 20° angle, was found to be beneficial for increasing the overall accuracy of the 3D model and especially the vertical precision.

Keywords

topographic surveys; planar and vertical precision; unmanned aerial systems (UASs); digital surface models (DSMs)

Authors

Manfreda, Salvatore; Dvorak, Petr; Mullerova, Jana; Herban, Sorin; Vuono, Pietro; Justel, Jose; Perks, Matthew

Released

30. 1. 2019

Publisher

MDPI

Location

Basel, Switzerland

ISBN

2504-446X

Periodical

Drones

Year of study

3

Number

1

State

Swiss Confederation

Pages from

1

Pages to

14

Pages count

14

URL

https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/3/1/15

BibTex

@article{BUT156192,
  author="Manfreda, Salvatore and Dvorak, Petr and Mullerova, Jana and Herban, Sorin and Vuono, Pietro and Justel, Jose and Perks, Matthew",
  title="Assessing the Accuracy of Digital Surface Models Derived from Optical Imagery Acquired with Unmanned Aerial Systems",
  journal="Drones",
  year="2019",
  volume="3",
  number="1",
  pages="1--14",
  doi="10.3390/drones3010015",
  issn="2504-446X",
  url="https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/3/1/15"
}