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Dynamic 3D network design for UAV-based photogrammetry in mountainous terrain

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Abstract

Topographic mapping in mountainous areas encounters many challenges due to the potential impasse and lack of access to all locations. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are an effective alternative to traditional field mapping in different environmental conditions. However, problems, such as large-scale differences, gaps, and errors due to extreme elevation differences in these areas, hinder the use of UAV-based photogrammetry, thus reducing the quality and accuracy of the photogrammetric products and the final extracted map in mountainous areas. By designing an optimal flight network before UAV acquisition, the effect of these problems can be reduced. This paper proposes a method for planning the dynamic three-dimensional imaging network UAV in mountainous terrain based on digital elevation model (DEM) to ensure the uniformity of the scale in the photogrammetric blocks, and avoid collision with obstacles, also gaps or data redundancy. The proposed method was implemented in a semi-mountainous area and was compared to two approaches of 3D network with static overlap and normal 2D flight plan. The results showed that the large-scale changes among the images were reduced and the ground sample distance (GSD) was maintained as constant as possible. Also, planning UAV flight program based on the proposed algorithm increases the accuracy of the photogrammetric products.

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Availability of data and materials

To receive the data used in this article, you should contact Ali Mahdinezhad’s email.

Notes

  1. Accessed on http://www.flightlitchi.com.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mohammad Ali Bahavar (Geomatic Department of K. N. Toosi University), MScEng Taha Ahmadi, Amir Shishegar, and Mehrdad Asgari (Aseman Negar TIN company) for the basic implementations (Step-Wise flights) performed in different cities of Iran also for the final implementation of the developed algorithm in one of the plains in Varamin city.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Department, Faculty of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Ali Mahdinezhad Gargari, Hamid Ebadi & Sahar Latifzadeh

  2. Surveying Engineering Department, Faculty of Technical and Engineering and Sciences, Zanjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran

    Farid Esmaeili

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  1. Ali Mahdinezhad Gargari
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  2. Hamid Ebadi
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  3. Farid Esmaeili
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  4. Sahar Latifzadeh
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Contributions

In this paper, AM collected the required data and had the main role in writing the article. HE provided the equipment and UAV required for data acquisition and was responsible for editing the article. FE proposed the main idea of the research and was in charge of editing and writing a part of the article. SL edited part of the article. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Farid Esmaeili.

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Gargari, A.M., Ebadi, H., Esmaeili, F. et al. Dynamic 3D network design for UAV-based photogrammetry in mountainous terrain. Environ Earth Sci 82, 188 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-023-10864-9

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