Kite-borne photogrammetry for decimetric 3D mapping of several square kilometres areas

This paper presents a new methodology for the calculation of a digital elevation model (DEM) and the corresponding orthophotography at very high resolution (20 cm for the DEM, 10 cm for the orthophotography) on a large surface (more than 3 km²). Image acquisition was done with an off-the-shelf camera (Sony NEX-5N) attached to a delta kite. Developing the most accessible methodology being one of the goals of this study, the overall cost of the apparatus is limited to less than 1500 euros. This method has been developed to form an alternative with acquisitions from small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). In particular, kite as payload carrier is seen as being complementary to lightweight multicopters, which are increasingly used for remote sensing applications [1, 2]. Kite is of a strong interest when the use of radio-controlled and motorized systems is hampered by local regulation and/or when too strong winds keep these lightweight devices on ground.