GLS290/GEO 290 :

FUNDAMENTALS OF
PHOTOGRAMMETRY

TOPIC 1:
INTRODUCTION &
PRINCIPLES OF
PHOTOGRAMMETRY
By:
M ADAM NAZIRAH MD. TARMIZI
Lecturer
Department of Surveying Science and Geomatic
Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying
LESSON OUTCOMES
• At the end of the lesson, students should be able:
• To define the definition of Photogrammetry.
• To understand the role of photogrammetry in surveying and
mapping.
• To understand the developments of photogrammetry.
• To differentiate the types of aerial photographs.
• To understands the terminology in Photogrammetry.
 LECTURE CONTENTS
1. Definition

2. Historical Development of Photogrammetry

3. Terminology

4. Types of Photogrammetry
i. Application of Photogrammetry

ii. Advantages & Disadvantages of Photogrammetry

5. Aerial Photograph
 1.0 DEFINITION
• Art, science and technology of obtaining reliable
information about physical objects and the environment
through process of recording, measuring and interpreting
photographic images and patterns of recorded radiant
electromagnetic energy and other phenomenon.

• Satu kajian sains, seni dan teknologi dalam pengumpulan

maklumat sebenar tentang objek fizikal dan amal sekitar
melalui proses perekodan, pengukuran, dan
penterjemahan imej fotografi, pola perekodan tenaga
sinaran elektromagnet dan lain-lain perwujudan.
 2.0 TERMINOLOGY
• From the Greek Word : Photo Gram Metry??

• Photo : Light
• Gramm : Drawing
• Metry : Measurement
• Recording : Capturing physical
object on the ground surface
using specific camera.

• Measuring : Use the aerial

photograph to measure the
object to determine the scale,
coordinate and height.

Interpreting photographic
images:
• Interpret the aerial photo to
obtain reliable information and
produce a Topographic Map.
3.0 Historical development of
photogrammetry
 Stages of Photogrammetric Development
- Base on technological advances in two basic
elements:
- Concepts of image geometry
- Availability of a sensor system

 Plane Table Photogrammetry (1850 – 1900)

- Technology : invention of photographic process (camera)
- 1839 Daguerre (Fr): Photographic Process
- 1849 Laussedat (Fr) :used photos to make
maps; designed photothedolite; used
triangulation method,
- similar to plane tabling in ground surveying
 PLANE TABLE PHOTOGRAMMETRY
(1850 – 1900)
• 1858 Nadar (Fr.) first to use hot air balloons for photography
(of Paris)
• 1860 Boston (US) was photographed from a balloon-military
use during Civil War
• 1890’s Adams (US): radial line triangulation
• 1890’s Scheimpflug (Ger): optical rectification
 ANALOG PHOTOGRAMMETRY
1900-1960
1919Hugershoff (Ger): Autokartograph
1923Bauersfeld (Ger): Stereoplanigraph
1923 Poivilliers (Fr.) and 1926 Wild (Swiz.): all
optical-mechanical stereoplotters
1924 Von Gruber (Ger): Theory of analog restitution and
orientation; spatial aerial triangulation
1929 Lacmann and 1933 Ferber: Differential Rectification
1950’s Russell Bean (USA): Orthophotoscope
Two World Wars promoted growth of photogrammetry:
Notable development: wide-angle lens, precise camera
(Wild in Switzerland)Manufacture of very precise
mechanical stereoplotters (Wild) U.S.A. : Bausch and
Lomb (Balplex); Kelsh (Kelsh Plotter)—optical
stereoplotters
 ANALYTICALPHOTOGRAMMETRY
1960-1990?
 Technology: electronic computers
 1941 Zuse (Ger) invented electronic computers
 1943 Aitken (USA) further developed the computers with military
support
 1899 Finsterwalder (Ger)--analytical restitution of aerial
photographs
 1945 Earl Church (USA) --space resection
 1953H. Schmid and Duane Brown (USA):applied analytical
photogrammetry for practical purposes; bundle block adjustment
(in aerial triangulation)Instrument required:
 Stereocomparator (being built by European photogrammetry
manufacturers)
 1973 Ackermann (Ger): aerial triangulation adjustment with
 independent models
 1957 Helava (Finn, later US citizen): invented the Analytical
Plotter (AP)
 DIGITAL SOFTCOPY - CURRENT
• Technology: availability of digital satellite images (Landsat
MSS launched July 1972; followed by Landsat TM in
1982; most recently Landsat 7 with 15 m panchromatic
band; SPOT images; MOMS--20 meters; high resolution
satellite images now available: IKONOS--1 meter;
QuickBird--0.61 meters)

• Digital Aerial Photograph with specific software for

processing purposes (Photo-Mod)
DIGITAL SOFTCOPY – remote sensing
LANDSAT SATELLITE IMAGE : 30m IKONOS SATELLITE IMAGE
: 10m
IKONOS SATELLITE IMAGES : 1 m
 4.0 TYPES OF Photogrammetry
i. Metric Photogrammetry
• Surveying applications.
• Applications used to determine distances, elevations,
areas, volumes, and cross-sections to compile
topographical maps from photographic measurements.
• Primarily uses aerial photos; sometimes uses terrestrial
photos.

Three basic applications;

i. Aerial (Foto Udara)
ii. Terrestrial (Foto bumi)
iii. Extra-Terrestrial (Foto angkasalepas)
iv. Close Range (Foto jarak dekat)
Metric Photogrammetry

Making a precise
measurements from
photos and other
image media to
determine relative
locations of a points,
distances, scales,
angles, areas,
Volume, elevations,
size and shapes of
objects .
 TYPES OF PHOTOGRAPHS

Aerial Photographs Terrestrial Photographs

 Acquired from aircraft From camera based on the
Other Alternatives: come from ground
satellites, hot air balloons or Generally are used in different
kites. applications from aerial
cameras based on the ground
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
 TERRESTRIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
• Taken with ground based camera.
• Position and orientation often measured.

Glacier at Nevado
TERRESTRIAL cont…
 Extra-Terrestrial (Foto angkasalepas)
• Extra terrestrial – pictures taken from space-based cameras
(eg: Appolo Saturn 4)
 Photographing the objects
on the earth surface

Aerial Photograph

The capturing process

Topographic Map
ii. Interpretative Photogrammetry

• Involves recognizing and identifying objects and

judging their significance through careful and
systematic analysis.
• Uses images created from satellite imagery which senses
energy wavelengths.

• Two main applications;

a. Photographic Interpretation
b. Remote Sensing
REMOTE SENSING : SATELLITE
IMAGES
Product from photogrammetric surveying

Topographic Map
Planimetric Maps

Digital Orthophotos
 5.0 Aerial Photograph
1. Vertical Aerial Photograph
• produce when optical axis of aerial camera is in vertical position.
• parallel with the direction of gravity
• tilt less than 30° is considered as vertical aerial photograph.
• Used for large scale mapping (great precision)
Aerial Photograph cont…
2. Tilt / Oblique Aerial Photograph
• aircraft is in tilt position whether tilted download, tilted upward
or rotated and crabbing.
• tilt greater than 30°
• Used when:
i. Flying time is limited
ii. More pictorial than vertical
iii. Publicity purposes
iv. Small scale mapping
 Map vs aerial photogrammetry
MAP AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
Map is a two dimensional (2D) scale -A photo is a map for all points that are
representation of portion of the earths on the datum plane.
surface.
All points appear as if they are viewed Is a perspective or central projection.
from above, straight down: orthogonal
projection.
The scale is constant across the entire The scale is not constant across the
map and all points have been located, entire photo.
orthogonally on the datum plane.
ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
Light rays are projected vertically direct, from the
projection plane to datum plane, while the ray is
parallel to each other.

Representations of the earth’s surface

They are directionally and geometrically

accurate (at least within the limitations imposed
by projecting a 3 dimensional object onto 2
dimensions)

Uniform scale

No relief displacement

Map is examples of product come from

perspective projection.
PERSPECTIVE PROJECTION
Light rays are projected through a point, which call
perspective center to create perspective projection.

Display a high degree of radial distortion.

Things farther from the camera appear smaller than

things close to the camera.

The topography is distorted and until corrections

are made for the distortion, measurements made
from a photograph are not accurate.

Non uniform scale

Have relief displacement

Cannot place a ruler on the photo and

accurately measure the distance between 2
point even if you know the scale.
 6.0 Application of photogrammetry
Topographic  Astronomy
mapping  Mapping (tax
Orthophotography maps, soil, maps,
etc)
 Equivalent to
 Architecture
planimetric map
 Archeology
Digital elevation
model (DEM)  Traffic accident
investigation
 Numerical
 Medicine /
representation of
dentistry
topography
 GIS
 USES of photogrammetry
• Department of Transport
Preparing special-purpose Topographic Map from large to small scale to be
used in planning and designing highways, rails road, bridges, pipelines,
transmission lines, hydroelectric dams, flood control structures, river and
harbor improvement and urban renewal projects.

• Orthophotos & DEM (Product of Photogrammetry)

Often used in combination to replace traditional topographic map.
Orthophoto : Shows the actual images of features. More easily to interpret.
DEM : Consist of an arrayof points in an area that have had their X,Y and Z
coordinates determined.
-Provide numerical representation of the topography in the area.
-Can be used to calculate the contour, cross section and profiles.
 USES of photogrammetry
• Land Surveying
• Can be used as rough base maps for relocating existing property
boundaries.
• Most commonly used in planning ground surveys. (the area to be survey
can be viewed 3D, access route to remote area can be identified and
surveying lines of least resistance through difficult terrain or forest can be
found)

• Traffic Management & Traffic Accident Investigations

• Photos captured in the accident scene overlook nothing that may be
needed later to reconstruct the accident. Possible to restore normal traffic
flow quickly.

• Medicine & Denstistry

• Measurement from X-Ray and other photographs and images have been
useful in diagnosis and treatment.
 7.0 ADVANTAGES of photogrammetry
 Cover large areas quickly
 Effective costs
 Easy to obtain/access information from air
 Illustrates great detail
 Photogrammetry picks up a level of detail that cannot be
obtained through any other surveying technique.
 Field time is costly.
 Drawing production is fast, accurate and easy because
pictures of the object are always available to identify
features accurately and completely.
 Drawings are in 3 dimensions (i.e. height of cliff)
 Photogrammetry provides a flexible level of accuracy to
suit user needs.
 7.0 DISADVANTAGES of
photogrammetry

• Some features cannot be picked up with

Photogrammetry. For example on sites with underground
infrastructure (i.e, sewer lines) the pipe elevations cannot
be obtained through Photogrammetry.
• Ironically, sites with no detail (i.e, open fields) can be
more difficult to survey than sites with extensive detail.
• Control points, referencing requires texture (contrast),
• Evaluation generally a posteriori.
• Sectional view formation can be difficult in certain
circumstances, good lighting may required.