The Operational Comparison of SPOT GCP Acquisition and Accuracy Evaluation

This paper presents an investigation into the operational comparison of SPOT triangulation to build GCP library by analytical plotter and DPW (digital photogrammetric workstation). GCP database derived from current SPOT images can be used to other image sensors of satellite, if any reasons, such as lack of topographic maps or GCPs. But, general formulation of a photogrammetric process for GCP measurement has to take care of the scene interpretation problem. There are two classical methods depending on whether an analytical plotter or DPW is being used. Regardless of the method used, the measurement of GCPs is the weakest point in the automation of photogrammetric orientation procedures. To make an operational comparison, five models of SPOT panchromatic images (level 1A) and negative films (level 1AP) were used. Ten images and film products were used for the five GRS areas. Photogrammetric measurements were carried out in a manual mode on P2 analytical plotter and LH Systems DPW770. We presented an approach for exterior orientation of SPOT images, which was based on the use of approximately eighty national geodetic control points as GCPs which located on the summit of the mountain. Using sixteen well-spaced geodetic control points per model, all segments consistently showed RMS error just below the pixel at the check points in analytical instrument. In the case of DPW, half of the ground controls could not found or distinguished exactly when we displayed the image on the computer monitor. Experiment results showed that the RMS errors with DPW test was fluctuated case by case. And the magnitudes of the errors were reached more than three pixels due to the lack of image interpretation capability. It showed that the geodetic control points is not suitable as the ground control points in DPW for modeling the SPOT image.