Title: From Imagery to Point Clouds – A new technique for DEM generation

Authors: Rob Clout, Dr Dipak Paudyal, Neil Woodhouse

This paper discusses one of the new techniques available for high density terrain
production. With sensors achieving increasingly higher resolutions, there is demand to
maximize its potential to generate high-density accurate terrain products. Experience
shows that elevation data is now required in a wide variety of terrain conditions requiring
different densities and output formats. Currently available satellite and airborne ( both
frame and pushbroom sensor technologies) provide the data but there is a requirement
for better terrain extraction solution that can meet the most demanding of project
requirements.

This paper will discuss a new software called ERDAS LPS eATE ( from ERDAS Inc) that
has options to simultaneously produce TINs, grids or point cloud surfaces. An Increased
reliability and accuracy with multi-ray matching, including blunder removal and
simultaneous utilization of multiple image bands at full radiometric depth will be
discussed at length.

The paper will also focus on output requirements of extracted dems with a vieew that
these output need to be highly interoperable, make use of industry standards, and enable
creation multiple output products with minimal effort. These include output into LAS point
cloud format that can be RGB encoded to yield a photorealistic 3D model.

The paper will also discuss the ability of ERDAS LPS eATE to utilize modern hardware
environments to take advantage of multi-core computer systems, and support of parallel
processing across a networked group of computers