Creating a project using the Aerial Photography math model

Aerial Photography is a rigorous math model that compensates for known distortions to calculate the position and orientation of the camera at the time when the image was taken.

Important: Do not use Aerial Photography when you are using only a portion of the original image, when the image has been processed, or when you do not have (or cannot estimate) the camera-calibration information.

For more information about the Aerial Photography math model, see Understanding the Aerial Photography math model.

To create a project using the Aerial Photography math model

On the File menu, click New.
In the Project Information window, type a file name for your project in the Filename box.
This will be the file name of your project after you click OK.
In the Name box, type a name for the project.
The name you enter will appear on the title bar of the OrthoEngine window
In the Description box, type a brief description of the project.
A good description helps you—and most importantly, others—to identify the subject and contents of the project.
Under Math Modeling Method, click Aerial Photography.
In the Options area, under Camera type, click the type of camera that corresponds to the images that you are using in your project:
- Scanned-film for images that are scanned from film or paper prints.
- Digital / UAV for frame images that are generated from charge-coupled device (CCD) arrays.
- ADS to orthorectify imagery collected by using the Leica airborne digital sensor (ADS).
Under Exterior orientation, click the source of the exterior orientation (EO) for your project:
- Compute from GCPs and tie points to use known points, coordinates on the ground, such as DGPS applanix data, or both to establish the position of the camera when the image was acquired.
- User Input to import the EO calculated in a previous project or by using other triangulation software.
- Automatically determined is available only when you select ADS as the camera type. When you select this option, you cannot make changes to the model, because ADS data is distributed with its own camera-geometric model.
Tip: Most aircraft are equipped with an onboard Global Positioning System (GPS), inertial navigation system (INS), or both. These systems collect the exterior orientation of the camera directly on the aircraft. To use the GPS and INS readings (navigation solution) alone and accept them as correct, click User Input. To use ground control points (GCP), tie points (TP), or both to refine the GPS and INS results, click Compute from GCPs and tie points.