Deriving 3D coordinates of the earth’s surface using aerial imagery
Magnasoft provides multiple aerial triangulation services that are necessary for improving the spatial orientation aerial imagery, enabling positioning of all latitude, altitude and height points on a surface, which is required for the creation of highly accurate 3D surface and height data products. Aerial triangulation has its origins in photogrammetry and forms a standard procedure as part of processing large datasets of imagery. Magnasoft has all the tools and expertise that is required to carry out aerial triangulation in photogrammetry, by realizing photogrammetric projects for more than twenty years. Over time, the tools to do image processing have improved significantly, enabling quicker data processing of vastly growing quantities of image. However, aerial triangulation is not complete with the aid of experienced inhouse photogrammetry specialists for manual quality control.
Magnasoft offers comprehensive softcopy aerial triangulation services that provide highly accurate control for digital map production. The workflow includes uploading digital aerial images into softcopy workstations. Using the airborne GPS coordinates and the ground survey control points, the triangulation solution is controlled. Magnasoft’s aerial triangulation involves the following steps:
Block triangulation and Block adjustment, Automatic and Manual Aerial Triangulation with high precision, Aerial Triangulation for Historical Aerial Images, Exporting Aerial Triangulation Results in various formats
Block triangulation involves using special aerotriangulation software algorithms for computing the adjustment or transformation based on internal relationship between multiple factors such as overlapping images, ground control points (GCPs) and more, and applying the adjustment to the images within a block (area or project).
Aerial triangulation is a way to turn data into information: it transforms large sets of aerial imagery into a spatial context, bringing the terrain they represent to life in 3D. Imagine stitching together many individual images that together represent a large area, such as a city, region or even an entire country. Using stereo imagery, which are images with on overlap between them, it becomes possible to derive height information from what is basically a 2D source. By using a set of fixed ground control points that do not change position during the image capture process, it is possible to deduct the location of basically every point value of that surface, which is stored in the image metadata containing height, latitude and longitude. Although this may sound as a straightforward process, it is anything but. Even though aerial triangulation can be carried out by specialized software, manual intervention is needed for quality control and making sure no data is missing.
Aerial triangulation is carried out by photogrammetry specialists who use aerotriangulation software to perform aerial triangulation. They oversee the entire workflow consisting of multiple steps to improve image orientation and spatial accuracy. Such specialist tasks are carried out by experts with years of domain knowledge and experience. By relying on such expertise, you are guaranteed of generating imagery datasets with the mapping-accuracy results and meeting industry standards when it comes to 3D mapping deliverables. Magnasoft utilizes the most relevant and updated suite of aerial triangulation software to perform aerial triangulation computations and analysis.
Digital mapping products should always have the highest accuracy: spatial data acquisition today enables millimeter accuracy which increases their reliability, so that it’s possible to use them for sophisticated 3D models and city plans. When creating 3D digital mapping products, it’s necessary to perform some sort of quality control to make sure that the data that is used for creating the mapping products is correctly located in space. Aerial triangulation is an important process that guarantees the locational accuracy of the aerial imagery.
Magnasoft offers comprehensive softcopy aerial triangulation services, providing highly accurate control for the map production. The aerial triangulation process involves the following steps: Block Triangulation and Bundle Adjustment; Automatic and Manual Aerial Triangulation with high precision. Exporting Aerial Triangulation Results into multiple formats. Block triangulation involves using special software algorithms for computing the adjustment or transformation based on internal relationship between multiple factors such as overlapping images, ground control points (GCPs) and more, and applying it to the images within a block. We utilize the most relevant and updated suite of aerial triangulation software to perform aerial triangulation computations and analysis.
Traditionally, aerial triangulation has been used mostly in photogrammetric workflows supporting land administration with 3D elevation and surface models. Today, aerial triangulation services are used in urban mapping for producing realistic 3D city models. Such models are no longer isolated 3D images lacking a spatial context, but now use high-accuracy representations of the 3D surface which greatly improves their credibility. Additionally, aerial triangulation is used for producing precise and accurate 3D surface and elevation models for precise urban planning and modeling.