Monitoring of beaches and sand dunes using digital aerial photography with direct georeferencing

Abstract

This paper presents an efficient methodology for coastal monitoring based on digital aerial photography acquired periodically, using a Zeiss-Intergraph DMC camera, with a spatial resolution of 10 cm. Images are delivered with exterior orientation given by the direct georeferencing system used by the company providing the images. An assessment of those exterior orientation parameters was done using field check points. It could be concluded that the positional accuracy of 3D coordinates determined by photogrammetric means using the exterior orientation elements has root mean square errors better than 30 cm, which can be accepted for the purposes of this type of work. This level of accuracy was achieved for four different flights. It was decided not to do an aerial triangulation. DSMs were obtained by stereo-matching (least-squares with region growing) using program DPCOR of the software package BLUH. Sand areas are normally very bright and difficult for the matching. Since images were acquired with relatively small sun elevation the automatic extraction of a DSM was very successful. Using check points the vertical accuracy of the DSMs was found to be 30 cm or better. Orthoimages were created using the extracted DSM. The resulting datasets for the four different dates were integrated in a GIS and the method proved to be a very useful tool for the detection of areas where significant volumetric changes occurs and for the quantification of those beach changes.