Systems and methods of capturing large area images in detail including cascaded cameras and/or calibration features
First Claim
1. A method of creating a photomap of a survey area, the method comprising:
- (a) flying an aircraft above the survey area along a set of substantially parallel flight lines;
(b) capturing, during flight and via at least one overview camera carried by the aircraft, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a first overlap proportion, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally;
(c) capturing, during flight and via a first array of detail cameras carried by the aircraft, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip comprising at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a second overlap proportion, the second overlap proportion being smaller than the first overlap proportion, adjacent detail image strips associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally, adjacent detail images within each strip overlapping laterally;
(d) identifying, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points;
(e) generating, via bundle adjustment and from the identified ground points, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image; and
(f) merging, based on at least some of the generated exterior orientations, at least some of the detail images to create the photomap.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed relating to acquisition of images regarding large area objects or large areas. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method of obtaining or capturing, via a first system that includes one or more first image capturing devices, overview images, wherein the overview images depict first areas, as well as obtaining or capturing, via a second system that includes a plurality of image capturing devices, detail images characterized as being related to each other along an image axis. Moreover, the detail images may depict second areas that are subsets of the first areas, they may be arranged in strips parallel to the image axis, and they may have a higher resolution than corresponding portions of the first images.
121 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of creating a photomap of a survey area, the method comprising:
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(a) flying an aircraft above the survey area along a set of substantially parallel flight lines; (b) capturing, during flight and via at least one overview camera carried by the aircraft, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a first overlap proportion, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally; (c) capturing, during flight and via a first array of detail cameras carried by the aircraft, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip comprising at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a second overlap proportion, the second overlap proportion being smaller than the first overlap proportion, adjacent detail image strips associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally, adjacent detail images within each strip overlapping laterally; (d) identifying, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points; (e) generating, via bundle adjustment and from the identified ground points, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image; and (f) merging, based on at least some of the generated exterior orientations, at least some of the detail images to create the photomap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for creating a photomap of a survey area, the system comprising:
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(a) an aircraft; (b) at least one overview camera carried by the aircraft; (c) a first array of detail cameras carried by the aircraft; and (d) a computer system, wherein the aircraft is operable to be flown above the survey area along a set of substantially parallel flight lines; the at least one overview camera is configured to capture, during flight, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a first overlap proportion, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally; the first array of detail cameras is configured to capture, during flight, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip comprising at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each flight line overlapping longitudinally by a second overlap proportion, the second overlap proportion being smaller than the first overlap proportion, adjacent detail image area strips associated with adjacent flight lines overlapping laterally, adjacent detail image second areas within each strip overlapping laterally, and the computer system is configured to; (i) identify, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points, (ii) generate, via bundle adjustment and from the identified ground points, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image; and (iii) merge, based on at least some of the generated exterior orientations, at least some of the detail images to create the photomap. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification