Optimization of UAV flight missions in steep terrain

Kozmus Trajkovski, Klemen (author), Grigillo, Dejan (author), Petrovič, Dušan (author)

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry is one of the most effective methods for capturing a terrain in smaller areas. Capturing a steep terrain is more complex than capturing a flat terrain. To fly a mission in steep rugged terrain, a ground control station with a terrain following mode is required, and a quality digital elevation model (DEM) of the terrain is needed. The methods and results of capturing such terrain were analyzed as part of the Belca rockfall surveys. In addition to the national digital terrain model (NDTM), two customized DEMs were developed to optimize the photogrammetric survey of the steep terrain with oblique images. Flight heights and slant distances between camera projection centers and terrain are analyzed in the article. Some issues were identified and discussed, namely the vertical images in steep slopes and the steady decrease of UAV heights above ground level (AGL) with the increase of height above take-off (ATO) at 6%-8% rate. To compensate for the latter issue, the custom DEMs and NDTM were tilted. Based on our experience, the proposed optimal method for capturing the steep terrain is a combination of vertical and oblique UAV images.

• Language: English
• Keywords: UAV, vertical images, oblique images, steep terrain, rockfall, DTM, custom DEM, tilted DEM, flight mission
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 12, iss. 8, art. 1293
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133398
• UDC: 528.9
• ISSN on article: 2072-4292
• DOI: 10.3390/rs12081293
• COBISS.SI-ID: 9113953
• Publication date in RUL: 25.11.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Remote sensing
• Shortened title: Remote sens.
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-4292
• COBISS.SI-ID: 32345133

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 19.04.2020

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: UAV, nadirne slike, poševne slike, strm teren, skalni podor, DMR, lasten DMV, nagnjen DMV, letalska misija

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0227
• Name: Geoinformacijska infrastruktura in trajnostni prostorski razvoj Slovenije

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0406
• Name: Opazovanje Zemlje in geoinformatika