The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
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Articles | Volume XLIII-B1-2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B1-2020-259-2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B1-2020-259-2020
06 Aug 2020
 | 06 Aug 2020

QUICK 3D WITH UAV AND TOF CAMERA FOR GEOMORPHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT

A. Masiero, G. Sofia, and P. Tarolli

Keywords: Time-of-Flight camera, UAV, Mobile Mapping, Geomorphometry

Abstract. Most of the high resolution topographic models are currently obtained either by means of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) or photogrammetry: the former is usually preferred for producing very accurate models, whereas the latter is much more frequently used in low cost applications. In particular, the availability of more affordable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with high resolution cameras led to a dramatic worldwide increase of UAV photogrammetry-based 3D reconstructions. Nevertheless, accurate high resolution photogrammetric reconstructions typically require quite long data processing procedures, which make them less suitable for real-time applications.

This work aims at investigating the use of a low cost Time of Flight (ToF) camera, combined with an Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) positioning system, mounted on a drone, in order to enable quasi real time 3D reconstructions of small to mid-size areas, even in locations where Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) are not available.

The proposed system, tested on a small area on the Italian Alps, provided high resolution mapping results, with an error of few centimeters with respect to a terrestrial close-range photogrammetry survey conducted on the same day.