Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

PHOTOGRAMMETRY

Photogrammetry is the process of measuring images on a photograph whichfurther

results in accurate measurements. It includes:

a) Photographing an object.
b) Measuring the image of the object on the processed photographs, and
c) Reducing the measurements to some useful form such as a topographic map.

Introduction to Photogrammetry:

• Photogrammetry as a science is among the earliest techniques of remote sensing.

• The word photogrammetry is the combination of three distinct Greek words: ‘Photos’ -
light; ‘Gramma’ -to draw; and ‘Metron’ –to measure. The root words originally signify
"measuring graphically by means of light."
• The fundamental goal of photogrammetry is to rigorously establish the geometric
relationship between an object and an image and derive information about the object
from the image.
• For the laymen, photogrammetry is the technological ability of determining themeasurement of
any object by means of photography.

Object of photogrammetry:
The main object of photographic survey is to prepare a map of thetopographical
features of the ground.

The aerial photographic surveys are used for various purposes such as classification of
soils, the construction of planimetric and topographic maps, interpretation of geology, the
preparation of composite pictures of ground and acquisition of military intelligence, in
accessible regions, forbidden properties unhealthy material regions, reconnaissance and
preliminary survey of railways, roads, transmission lines, survey of buildings, town and
harbours, etc. terrestrial surveying is suitable only for small scale mapping of hilly or
mountainous country.

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Types of Photographic surveying:

The Photographic surveys may be mainly of two types, i.e.,

Aerial photographic surveying

Terrestrial photographic surveying.

Aerial Photogrammetry:
Aerial photogrammetry is the scienceofdeducing the physical
dimensions of objectson orabove the surface of the Earth
from camera stations in the air (aeroplane for the purpose of
photography) with the axis of camera vertical or nearly
vertical.
These are the best mapping procedure developed for large
objects and are useful formilitaryintelligence.
.

y
x

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Aerial photogrammetry is often used for the following:

1. Highway reconnaissance
2. Environmental
3. Preliminary design
4. Geographic Information System (GIS) The information produced from aerial
photographs of the existing terrain allows both designers and environmental personnel to
explore alternate routes without having to collect additional fieldinformation.
The photographs can be used to layout possible alignments for a moredetailed study.
Photogrammetry has evolved into a limited substitution for topographic ground surveying. It
can relieve survey crews of the most tedious time- consuming tasks required to produce
topographic maps and DTMs. However, ground surveys will always remain anindispensable
part of aerial surveys as a basis for accuracy refinement, quality control and a source of
supplemental informationunavailable to aerial data acquisition.

Photogrammetric Advantages / Disadvantages Surveys collected by aerial photogrammetry

methods have both advantages and disadvantages when comparedwith ground survey methods
as follows:

Advantages:
1) Photos provide a permanent record of the existing terrain conditions at thetime the
photograph was taken.
2) Photos can be used to convey information to the general public, and otherfederal,
state, or local agencies.
3) Covers large area.
4) Less time consuming and very fast.
5) Photogrammetry can be used in locations that are difficult or impossible toaccess
from the ground.
6) Cheap and effective for large area and in a long run.
7) Easy to interpret and understand.

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Disadvantages:
1) Seasonal conditions, including weather, vegetation, and shadows can affect both the
taking of photographs and the resulting measurement quality.If the ground is not visible
in the photograph it cannot be mapped.
2) Overall accuracy is relative to camera quality and flying height. Elevations derived from
photogrammetry are less accurate than ground surveys (when compared toconventional
or GPS ground survey methods using appropriate elevation procedures).
3) Identification of planimetric features can be difficult or impossible (e.g. typeof curb and
gutter, size of culverts, type of fences, and information on signs).
4) Underground utilities cannot be located, measured, or identified.
5) Right of Way and property boundary monuments cannot be located,measured, or
identified.
6) Complex system, highly trained human resource needed.
7) Lengthy administrative procedure for getting permission to fly.
8) Weather dependent.

Why Digital Photogrammetry?

With the advent of computing and imaging technology, photogrammetry has evolved from analogue
to analytical to digital (softcopy) photogrammetry.

The main difference between digital photogrammetry and its predecessors (analogue and analytical) is
that it deals with digital imagery directly rather than (analogue) photographs.

Digital photogrammetry invovles processing of imagery of all types, including passive (e.g., optical
sensing) or active (e.g., radar imaging), and taken from any platform (e.g., airborne, satellite, close
range, etc.).

The unique advantages of Digital Photogrammetry in terms of precision and accuracy offers
opportunities for automation of DEM/DTM and integration of images acquired ona multi-platform and
multi-sensor basis.

Techniques of photogrammetry:

1. Depending on the lenses setting:

A. Far range photogrammetry (with camera distance setting to indefinite).

B. Close range photogrammetry (with camera distance settings to finite values).

2. on the basis of type of surveying:

A. Terrestrial or ground photogrammetry.

B. Aerial photogrammetry.

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

A. Terrestrial or Ground Photogrammetry:

In terrestrial photogrammetry maps are prepared from terrestrial (or ground) photographs or
terrestrial photogrammetry employees take photographs from different points on the earth
surface for measurement purposes.

The terrestrial photographic surveying considered as the further development of plane table
surveying.

B. Aerial Photogrammetry:

In aerial photogrammetry maps are produced from air photographs (photographs taken
from the air).

Fig 1: Aerial Photography

Aerial Photogrammetry encompasses two major areas of specialization:

▪ Metrical

▪ Interpretive

The first area is of principal interest to surveyors since it is applied to determine distances,
elevations, areas, volumes, cross-sections and to compile topographic maps from measurement
made on photographs.

Interpretive photogrammetry involves objects from there photographic images and judging their
significances. Critical factors considered in identifying objects of shape, sizes, patterns,
shadow.

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Advantages over Ground Survey Methods

Comparison between the topographic map (Ground Survey) and an aerial Photograph:

SL No Item Aerial photograph Topographic map

1 Cultivated land Short grass or crops light in tone. Tall Not shown
crops darks different crops by tone
variation.
Ploughed field have regular tone.
2 Canals Uniform width Named locked shown
3 Water Clear water dark, muddy water Symbols, words
light. coloured.
4 Streams Irregular out line ground relief Direction of flow by
an indicates fall. arrow
drivers
5 Orchards Regular pattern Symbols
6 Wood land Trees can be counted if Symbols, density and
photographed in winter. Heightof heights are not
tress may be judged indicated.
7 Uncultivate Varying tone according to Colors or symbols
dland nature and relief
8 Foot paths Show clearly on grass Symbols
9 Roads Light tone, culvert and bridges Symbols show class
visible. route
10 Railways Long straight rails can be Symbols
counted
11 Boundaries Hedges and fences visible legal Places dimension
boundaries not shown scaled. Elevations not
possible symbols orwords
12 Building Size and relative height can be Single line only
estimated. Functions are not administrative
indicated but can be buildings may
judged from surroundings. beshown by
symbols

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Definition of Basic terms:

1) Vertical photograph: An aerial photograph made with camera axis or optical axis
coinciding with direction of gravity.
2) Tilted photograph: An aerial photograph made with camera having its optical axis
tilted usually less than 30 from the vertical, is known as tilted photograph.
3) Oblique photograph: An aerial photograph taken with the camera axis directly
intentionally between the horizontal and vertical.
4) Perspective centre: The real or imaginary point of the origin of bundles of
perspective rays. In an aerial camera, there are two perspective points – one
perspective centre which relates to point on the photograph and the other which
relates to the objects photographed.
5) Principal distance: The distance between the principal point of thephotograph and
the point through which all rays of light are assumed to pass. In a properly adjusted
camera, the principal distance is about equal

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 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

to the focal length of the lens. But the principal distance of camera
and focal length of lens are different.
6) Principal axis: The line joining the principal point of the photograph and the point
through which all rays of light are assumed to pass.
7) Homologous Points: In perspective projections, rays originating from theone plane
pass through a point before projecting on another plane. The pairs representing
ground points and their photo points, are called homologous points.
8) Plate parallel: A line in the negative plane and perpendicular to the principal line is
horizontal.
9) Isometric parallel (Axis of tilt): The plate parallel which passes through the
isocentre. It is sometimes called axis of tilt.
10) Perspective projection: A perspective projection is the one produced by straight
lines radiating from a common (or selected) point and passing through point on the
sphere to the plane of projection. A Photograph is a perspective projection.
11) Exposure station: Exposure station is a point in space, in the air, occupied by the
camera lens at the instant of exposure. Precisely, it is the space position of the front
nodal point at the instant of exposure
12) Flying height: Flying height is the elevation of the exposure station abovesea level
or any other selected datum.
13) Flight line: It is a line drawn on a map to represent the track of the aircraft.
14) Focal length: The distance from the front nodal point of the lens to the plane of the
photograph or the distance of the image plane from the rare nodal point is known as
the focal length.
15) Principal point (PP): Principal point is a point where a perpendicular drop from the
front nodal point of the camera lens strikes the photographit is also known as photo
principal point.
16) Nadir point or plumb point (N): The point where a plumb line drop from the front
nodal point strikes the photograph is called nadir point.
17) Principal plane (ONK): The plane passing through O, N, and K is called principal
plane.
18) Principal line: The principal line is the line (NK) of intersection of the principal
plane with the plane of photograph. It is thus the line on a photograph obtained by
joining the principle point and the photo nadir point.

Remote Sensing and GIS 21CV651 VVIT, Bengaluru

 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Remote Sensing and GIS 21CV651 VVIT, Bengaluru

 Module 2-PHOTOGRAMMETRY Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Derive the relation for the scale of a vertical photograph

Solution:
Scale of a vertical photograph for flat terrain: Since a
photograph is the perspective projection, the images of
ground points are displaced where there are variations in
the ground elevation. The images of two points ‘A’ and
‘A0’, vertically above each other are displaced on a
vertical photograph and are represented by ‘a’ and ‘a0’
respectively. Due to this displacement, there is no
uniform scale between the points on such a photograph,
except when the ground points have same elevation.
Map distance ka
S = scale = =
Ground distance K
A

From similar triangles, Oka and OKA

ka KA ka Ok f
=  = =
Ok KA H− h
O O
K K

f
 S=
H- h
Where, H= Height of exposure station (or the air plane) above the mean sea level.f = focal
length of the camera
h = Height of the ground above mean sea level.

Scale of a vertical photograph for varing terrain:

Let, A and B be two ground points having
elevations ha and hb respectively above mean sea
level. They are represented by ‘a’ and ‘b’
respectively on the map, k is the principal point of
the vertical photograph taken at height ‘H’ above
mean sea level.
The scale of the photograph at the A0

elevation ha ,

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 Module 5-Geo- Tools and Techniques for Civil Engineering Applicaion Prepared By: Dhanashree N Nerlikar

Datum scale (Sd):

The datum scale of a photograph is thatscale which
would be effective over the entire photograph if all the
ground points were projected vertically downward onthe
mean sea level before photographed.
ka Ok f
Datum scale = Sd = = =
K0 OK0
A0
H

Average scale (Sd):

The average scale of a vertical photograph is that scale which would be effectiveover the entire
photograph if all the ground points were projected vertically downward or upward on a plane
representing the average elevation of the terrain before being photographed.

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Ground control for photogrammetry:

The ground control survey consists in locating the ground positions of points which can
be identified on arieal photographs. The ground control is essential for establishing the position
and orientation of each photograph in space relative to the ground. The extent of the ground
control required is determined by
(a) The Scale of the map, (b) The Navigational control and (c) The cartographical process by
which the maps will be produced.
The ground survey for establishing the control can be divided into two parts:
(a) Basic Control (b) Photo control

The basic control consists in establishing the basic net work of triangulation stations,
traverse stations, azimuth marks, bench marks etc.
The photo control consists in establishing the horizontal
positions or elevations of the images of some of the identified points on the photograph,
with respect to the basic control.
The photo control can be established by two methods:
i) Post marking method and (ii) Pre marking method
In the post marking method, the photo control points are selected after the aerial
photography. The distinct advantage of this method is in positive identificationand favourable
location of points.
In the pre marking method, the photo control points are selected on the ground first, and
then included in the photograph. The marked points on the ground can be identified on the
subsequent photograph. If the control transverse or triangulation station or bench marks are to
be incorporated in the photo control network, they are marked with paint, flags etc, in such a
way that identification on the photographs becomes easier. The selected control points should
be sharp and clear in plan.

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