Principles of Remote Sensing

Chapter-4

Photogrammetry and
Airphoto Interpretation
Dr. Vanum Govindu
Associate Professor
Arba Minch University
 IV. Photogrammetry and Airphoto
Interpretation
Chapter content
 Introduction
 Internal camera geometry
 Types of aerial photographs
 Taking vertical aerial photographs
 Photographic scale
 Relief displacement
 Image parallax
 Airphoto interpretation
 Elements of airphoto interpretation

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 Introduction
•Photogrammetry: is the art, science or technology of
obtaining reliable information about physical objects
and the environment through processes of:
 recording,
 measuring, and
 interpreting photographic images.
• The imagery can be acquired by:
 special aerial photo cameras
 video cameras
 digital cameras
 radiation sensors
• The imagery could be stored as
 conventional photographs in paper form
 digital images on tape or СD
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 Introduction

• Two types of photogrammetry :

a) Metric Photogrammetry: making precise
measurements from photos to determine the relative
locations of points.
 this enables finding distances, angles, areas, elevations,
and the sizes and shapes of objects.

b) Interpretive Photogrammetry: deals principally in

recognizing & identifying objects.
 identifying what we see on the photographs and
communicate this information to others.

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 Internal camera geometry
• Lens: used for projecting an optical image onto the
film.
• Focal length (principal distance) together with the
flying height, it determines the photo scale.
 also determines the angle of view of the camera and
determines the area "seen" by the camera.
• Position of principal point is defined by fiducial
marks, mounted on the frame of the camera.
 Fiducial marks are also required to
align photos for stereoviewing.

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 Types of aerial photographs

• Two types:
 Vertical aerial photographs
 Oblique aerial photographs

• Vertical aerial photographs:

 Lens axis is perpendicular to the surface.
 It covers a relatively small area.
 Relief is not readily apparent.
 Distances and directions
vary across the photograph
unless the ground is flat.

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 Types of aerial ...
• Oblique photographs:
 low oblique if the horizon is not visible
 high oblique if the horizon is visible.

• Low oblique photographs:

 The camera lens system is inclined by usually 30°.
 The ground area covered is trapezoidal.
 Since scale varies over the photograph.
 Distances and directions are not true.
 Relief can be seen but it is distorted.
Objects have a more familiar view.

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 Types of aerial ...

• High oblique photographs:

 The camera is tilted about 60° from the vertical.
 The horizon is always visible.
 It covers a very large area.
 The ground view is trapezoidal.
 Scale is variable
 Distance and directions on the
photograph are not true.
 Relief can be seen but it is sometimes distorted.

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 Taking vertical aerial photographs

• The aircraft flies in a series of lines, each called a

flight run (A).
•Photos are taken in rapid succession looking straight
down at the ground, often with a 60% overlap
between next photos.
• The overlap ensures total coverage along a flight line
and also facilitates stereoscopic viewing.
• The distance the camera moves
between exposures is called the
air base.

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 Photographic scale
• The scale of the photograph affects the amount of
detail shown in an aerial photograph.
•Photograph scale: one unit/any unit/ of distance on a
photograph represents a specific number of units of
actual ground distance.
•Scales may be expressed as unit equivalents,
representative fractions, or ratios.
1mm = 25m (Unit equivalent), or
1/25,000 (Representative Fraction), or
1:25,000 (Ratio)
• Thescale is the ratio of the focal length of the
camera lens and the flying height above the ground.
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 Photographic scale
• For a vertical photograph taken over flat terrain, scale
is a function
 focal length (f)
 flying height above the ground (H)
f
S 
H
• If the terrain varies in elevation,
photo scale will like wise vary.
• Photo scale increases with
increasing terrain elevation and
decreases with decreasing terrain
elevation. f
S ave 
H  have
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 Relief Displacement

•Relief displacement: is the shift or displacement in

the photographic position of an image.
 caused by the relief of the object, i.e., its elevation above
or below a selected datum.
• Thisdisplacement is outward for objects above the
datum and inward for objects below the datum.
rh
d 
H
d = relief displacement (mm)
r = radial distance from nadir (mm)
h = height of the terrain above reference plane (m)
H = flight altitude above reference plane (m)

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 Image Parallax
•Parallax: the apparent change in relative positions of
stationary objects.
 caused by a change in viewing position.
•or it is change in position of an image from one
photograph to the next caused by the aircraft’s motion.
•Parallax of any point is directly related to the
elevation of the point, and that parallax is greater for
high points than low points.
• Variationof parallax with elevation provides the
fundamental basis for determining elevations of points
from photographic measurements (3D view).
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 Airphoto Interpretation
• Aerial photographs contain a detailed record of
features on the ground at the time of data acquisition.
•Photographic interpretation is the art of examining
photographic images for the purpose of identifying
objects and judging their significance.
• Success in photo interpretation varies with:
 training and experience of the interpreter,
 nature of the objects or phenomena being interpreted,
quality of the photographs being utilized.
•A photo interpreter systematically examines the photos
and, frequently, other supporting materials such as maps
and reports of field observations.

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 Elements of Airphoto Interpretation
•A systematic study of aerial photographs usually
involves several basic characteristics of features shown
on a photograph.
• Theexact characteristics useful for any specific task
depend on the field of application.
•Most applications consider the following basic
characteristics, or variation of them:
 Shape
 Size
 Pattern
 Tone
 Texture
 Shadow
 Site
 Association
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 Elements of …
Shape: refers to the general form, configuration, or outline
of individual objects.

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 Elements of …
Size: of objects on photographs must be considered in the
context of the photo scale.

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 Elements of …
Pattern: relates to the spatial arrangement of objects.

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 Elements of …
Tone (colour): refers to colour or relative brightness of
objects on photographs.

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 Elements of …
Texture: is the frequency of tonal change on the
photographic image.

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 Elements of …
Shadows: shape or outline of a shadow affords an
impression of the profile view of objects.

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 Elements of …
Association: refers to the occurrence of certain features
in relation to others.

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Airphoto Interpretation Equipment
Mirror stereoscope

Lens stereoscope

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