Photogrammetry

Dr. Mohammed Ali Ghareeb

Photogrammetry
the term photogrammetry is composed of three Greek roots :
‘Photo’, ‘Gram’ and ‘Metry’.
• Photos: which means ‘Light’.
• Gramma : which means ‘Write’ (or ‘Draw’)
• Metron : which means ‘Measure’

Hence, we can deduce that the meaning of photogrammetry

is ‘the science of measuring from photographs ’
Photogrammetry
• The science, art and techniques
of obtaining reliable information
about physical objects and the
environment through a process
of recording, measuring, and
interpreting aerial and terrestrial
photographs.
 History

Nadar, 1858 taken above Paris Boston, 1860 panoramas of San Francisco after the earthquake and fire
Nadar, 1866

Aerial photographs taken on pigeon photo flights

Uses of Photogrammetry
• Aerial photos can be used as rough base maps for engineering
projects:
✓Relocating existing property boundaries.
✓Planning ground surveys.
✓Prepare a map of an area without setting a foot on the ground.
✓Highway planning and design.
• Non engineering applications of photogrammetry include: The
preparation of tax maps, soil maps, forest maps, geologic maps, and
maps for city and regional planning and zoning.
Map and Photograph
 Map and Photograph
MAP
• Orthogonal projection.
• Uniform scale.
• Terrain relief without
distortion (contour lines).
• All objects are represented
also the non-visible i.e.,
Country boundary
• An abstract representation
• Representation geometrically
correct
PHOTOGRAPH
• Central perspective
projection
• Variable scales.
• Relief displacement in the
image
• Only objects that are visible.
• Is a real representation of the
earth surface, no legend
needed
• Representation geometrically
not correct
Classification of photographs
• A number of systems have been Photographs
used to classify photographs.
• The most common system is one
that classify photographs into Terrestrial Aerial
terrestrial and aerial.

Vertical Oblique

True Tilted Low High

Terrestrial photograph
• photographs are taken from
elevated ground stations.
• Method is very similar that the
camera is in stationary position.
• Terrestrial photos are usually
oblique or horizontal
Aerial Photographs

Vertical Oblique
Aerial Photographs

Vertical Oblique
The vertical photograph can be • Are the photographs taken with
truly vertical or slightly tilted (less angle 3o and 90o
than 3o from vertical)
Sources of tilt
• A truly vertical photograph is
rarely obtained because of
unavoidable angular rotations or
tilts, caused by:
▪ The atmospheric conditions (air
pockets or currents). (b) Pitch
(a) Roll
▪ Human error of the pilot fails to
maintain a steady flight.
▪ Imperfections in the camera
mounting.

(c) Yaw
Aerial Cameras

The format of most aerial photographs is square and sometimes rectangular depending on the camera,
but the most common photo format is 23 by 23 centimeters (9 by 9 inches).
Focal Plane and Fiducial Marks
• The focal plane of an aerial camera is the
plane in which all incident light rays are
brought to focus. the focal plane is set, as
exactly as possible, at a distance equal to
the focal length behind the rear nodal
point of the camera lens.
• Fiducial marks small registration marks
exposed on the edges of a photograph.
• The distances between fiducial marks are
precisely measured when a camera is
calibrated.
Focal Plane and Fiducial Marks
Camera-Ground Relationships
Principle Point
The geometric center of Air-
photo, it has no displacement.
This position on earth called
“Plumb Point” or “Nadir”
Geometry of Vertical Photographs

• The negative, which is a reversal in

both tone and geometry of the
object space
• Geometrically the plane of the
positive is situated a distance equal
to the focal length.
Scale
Over Flat Terrain
l

𝑎𝑏 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡 𝑓
𝑆= = = ′
𝐴𝐵 𝐺𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐻

Ground Coverage (G)

Scale
Over Variable Terrain

𝑓 𝑓
𝑆1 = ′ =
𝐻1 𝐻 − ℎ1
𝑓 𝑓
𝑆2 = ′ =
𝐻2 𝐻 − ℎ2
𝑓
𝑆=
𝐻−ℎ
𝑓
𝑆𝑎𝑣𝑔 =
𝐻 − ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑔
Example (2)
• Suppose that highest terrain h1, average terrain havg, and lowest
terrain h2 are 610, 460, and 310 m above mean sea level, respectively.
Calculate the maximum scale, minimum scale, and average scale if the
flying height above mean sea level is 3000 m and the camera focal
length is 152.4 mm.
Solution
Given:
hmax=610 m, havg=460 m, hmin=310 m
flying height (H)=3000 m
Focal length (f)=152.4 mm
Required: Calculate the maximum scale, minimum scale, and average scale
𝑓 152.4 𝑚𝑚 0.1524 𝑚 1
𝑀𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 = = = =
𝐻 − ℎ𝑚𝑎𝑥 3000 − 610 𝑚 2390 𝑚 15682.41

𝑓 152.4 𝑚𝑚 0.1524 𝑚 1
𝑀𝑖𝑛 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 = = = =
𝐻 − ℎ𝑚𝑖𝑛 3000 − 310 𝑚 2690 𝑚 17650.92

𝑓 152.4 𝑚𝑚 0.1524 𝑚 1
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒 = = = =
𝐻 − ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑔 3000 − 460 𝑚 2540 𝑚 16666.667
Coordinate Systems for Image Measurements
• To identify the location of the Principal
Point on an air-photo, Fiducial Marks are
photographed each time an image is
recorded
Coordinate Systems for Image Measurements
• The position of any image on a
photograph, is given by its rectangular
coordinates xa and ya, and the
photographic position of image point b is
given by its rectangular coordinates xb
and yb.
• Both distances of oa and ob is called
radial distances

𝑎𝑏 = 𝑥𝑎 − 𝑥𝑏 2 + 𝑦𝑎 − 𝑦𝑏 2

𝑦𝑎 𝑦𝑏
𝜃 = tan−1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜙 = tan−1
𝑥𝑎 𝑥𝑏
Angle aob equal to the sum of 𝜃 and 𝜙
Ground Coordinates from a Vertical Photograph
From similar triangles La′o and LA′Ao,
𝑜𝑎′ 𝑓 𝑥𝑎 𝐻 − ℎ𝐴
= = → 𝑋𝐴 = 𝑥𝑎
𝐴𝑜 𝐴′ 𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 𝑋𝐴 𝑓

Also, from similar triangles La″o and LA″Ao,

𝑎𝑎′′ 𝑓 𝑦𝑎 𝐻 − ℎ𝐴
= = → 𝑌𝐴 = 𝑦𝑎
𝐴𝑜 𝐴′′ 𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 𝑌𝐴 𝑓

Similarly, the ground coordinates of point B are

𝐻 − ℎ𝐵 𝐻 − ℎ𝐵
𝑋𝐵 = 𝑥𝑏 𝑌𝐵 = 𝑦𝑏
𝑓 𝑓
𝐴𝐵 = 𝑋𝐵 − 𝑋𝐴 2 + 𝑌𝐵 − 𝑌𝐴 2

𝑋𝐵 𝑌𝐴
𝐴𝑃𝐵 = 90𝑜 + tan−1 + tan −1
𝑌𝐵 𝑋𝐴
Example
• A vertical aerial photograph was taken with a 152.4-mm-focal-length
camera from a flying height of 1385 m above datum. Images a and b
of two ground points A and B appear on the photograph, and their
measured photo coordinates (corrected for shrinkage and distortions)
are xa = –52.35 mm, ya = – 48.27 mm, xb = 40.64 mm, and yb = 43.88
mm. Determine the horizontal length of line AB if the elevations of
points A and B are 204 m and 148 m above datum, respectively.
Solution
f = 152.4 mm, 𝐻 = 1385 m, 𝑥𝑎 = −52.35 mm, 𝑦𝑎 = −48.27 mm, 𝑥𝑏 = 40.64 mm, 𝑦𝑏 = 43.88 mm

𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 1385 − 204
𝑋𝐴 = 𝑥𝑎 = × −52.35 = −405.7 𝑚
𝑓 152.4

𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 1385 − 204
𝑌𝐴 = 𝑦𝑎 = × −48.27 = −374.1 𝑚
𝑓 152.4

𝐻 − ℎ𝐵 1385 − 148
𝑋𝐵 = 𝑥𝑏 = × 40.64 = 329.9 𝑚
𝑓 152.4

𝐻 − ℎ𝐵 1385 − 148
𝑌𝐵 = 𝑦𝑏 = × 43.88 = 356.2 𝑚
𝑓 152.4

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵 = 𝑥𝑎 − 𝑥𝑏 2 + 𝑦𝑎 − 𝑦𝑏 2

= −405.7 − 329.9 2 + −374.1 − 356.2 2 = 1036.55 𝑚

Flying Height of a Vertical Photograph
• It can be obtained from scale
equation
𝑎𝑏 𝑓
𝑆= = ′
𝐴𝐵 𝐻
• It gives accurate flying heights
for truly vertical photographs if
the endpoints of the ground line
lie at equal elevations.
Flying Height of a Vertical Photograph
• Accurate flying heights can be
determined even though the
endpoints of the ground line lie
at different elevations.
• Length the ground line (AB) may
be expressed in terms of ground
coordinates, by the Pythagorean
theorem, as follows:
𝐴𝐵 2 = 𝑋𝐴 − 𝑋𝐵 2 + 𝑌𝐴 − 𝑌𝐵 2
Example
A vertical photograph was taken with a camera having a focal length of
152.3 mm. Ground points A and B have elevations 437.4 m and 445.3
m above sea level, respectively, and the horizontal length of line AB is
584.9 m. The images of A and B appear at a and b, and their measured
photo coordinates are xa = 18.21 mm, ya = –61.32 mm, xb = 109.65
mm, and yb = –21.21 mm. Calculate the flying height of the photograph
above sea level.
Solution
Given:
Focal Length (f) = 152.3 mm
ℎ𝐴 = 437.4 𝑚, ℎ𝐵 = 445.3 𝑚,
𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵 = 584.9 𝑚,
𝑥𝑎 =18.21 mm, 𝑦𝑎 =-61.32 mm, 𝑥𝑏 =109.65 mm, 𝑦𝑏 =-21.21 mm
Required: Calculate the flying height of the photograph above sea level

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝐴𝐵 = 𝑋𝐴 − 𝑋𝐵 2 + 𝑌𝐴 − 𝑌𝐵 2

𝐴𝐵2 = 𝑋𝐴 − 𝑋𝐵 2
+ 𝑌𝐴 − 𝑌𝐵 2

𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 𝐻 − 437.4
𝑋𝐴 = 𝑥𝑎 = × 18.21 = 0.1196 𝐻 − 437.4 = 0.1196 𝐻 − 52.313
𝑓 152.3
𝐻 − ℎ𝐴 𝐻 − 437.4
𝑌𝐴 = 𝑦𝑎 = × −61.32 = −0.4026 𝐻 − 437.4 = −0.4026 𝐻 + 176.0972
𝑓 152.3
𝐻 − ℎ𝐵 𝐻 − 445.3
𝑋𝐵 = 𝑥𝑏 = × 109.65 = 0.72 𝐻 − 445.3 = 0.72 𝐻 − 320.616
𝑓 152.3
𝐻 − ℎ𝐵 𝐻 − 445.3
𝑌𝐵 = 𝑦𝑏 = × −21.21 = −0.1393 𝐻 − 445.3 = −0.1393 𝐻 + 62.03
𝑓 152.3
Solution
𝑋𝐴 − 𝑋𝐵 = 0.1196 𝐻 − 52.313 − 0.72 𝐻 + 320.616 = −0.6004 𝐻 + 268.303
𝑌𝐴 − 𝑌𝐵 = −0.4026 𝐻 + 176.0972 + 0.1393 𝐻 − 62.03 = −0.2633 𝐻 + 114.0672
2 2 2
584.9 = −0.6004 𝐻 + 268.303 + −0.2633 𝐻 + 114.0672
2 2 2
584.9 = 268.303 − 0.6004 𝐻 + 114.0672 − 0.2633𝐻
2
584.9 = 268.3032 − 2 × 268.303 × 0.6004𝐻 + (0.6004)2 𝐻2
+ 114.06722 − 2 × 0.2633 × 114.0672 𝐻 + (0.2633) 2 𝐻 2

After reducing it will be resulted in 2nd degree equation:

0.4298 𝐻2 − 382.246 𝐻 − 257110.184 = 0

−𝑏 ± 𝑏2 − 4𝑎𝑐 382.246 ± −382.246 2 − 4 × 0.4298 × −257110.184

𝐻= =
2𝑎 2 × 0.4298
382.246 ± 766.9
𝐻= = 1337.1
2 × 0.4298
Relief Displacement on a Vertical Photograph
• 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.
Relief Displacement on a Vertical Photograph
• 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.
Relief Displacement on a Vertical Photograph
Negative
• consider planes Lao and LTAo
𝑟 𝑓
= → 𝑟 𝐻′ − ℎ = 𝑓𝑅 L
𝑅 𝐻′ − ℎ
• from similar triangles Lbo and LBP, a b o
Photo
d r’
𝑟′ 𝑓 r
= → 𝑟′𝐻 = 𝑓𝑅
𝑅 𝐻′
𝑟 𝐻′ − ℎ = 𝑟 ′ 𝐻 ′ → 𝑟𝐻 ′ − 𝑟ℎ = 𝑟 ′ 𝐻′ H H’
T Ao
𝐻′ 𝑟 − 𝑟′ = 𝑟ℎ h
𝑑 = 𝑟 − 𝑟′ P
B R
𝐻 ′ 𝑑 = 𝑟ℎ

Lens
Axis
𝑟ℎ
𝑑=
𝐻′
Relief Displacement on a Vertical Photograph
• Vertical heights of objects such as buildings, Negative
poles, etc., appearing on aerial photographs
can be calculated from relief displacements as L
follows:
o
Photo
d r’
𝑑𝐻′ r
ℎ=
𝑟
H H’
𝑟 = 𝑟′ + 𝑑
𝑟: is the radial distance of building top h

𝑟′: is the radial distance of building base P

Lens
Axis
Example (3)
The relief displacement for the summit (s) of the tower is 5.3 mm and
the radial distance measured from the photo center to the base (b) of
the tower is 59 mm. If the scale of the photograph is 1:10,000, as
printed on the photograph, and the focal length used to take this
photograph is 152.4 mm, how tall is the tower?
Solution
Given:
d=5.3 mm, r’=59 mm
S= 1:10,000
f= 152.4 mm
Required: how tall is the tower?
𝑑𝐻′
ℎ=
𝑟
𝑓 1 152.4 𝑚𝑚 0.1524 𝑚
𝑆= → = = → 𝐻 = 1524 𝑚
𝐻′ 10000 𝐻′ 𝐻′
𝑑𝐻′ 5.3 𝑚𝑚 × 1524 𝑚
ℎ= ′ = = 125.62 𝑚
𝑟 +𝑑 59 + 5.3 𝑚𝑚