Block Adjustment for Satellite Imagery Based on the Strip Constraint

Given that long strip satellite images have the same error distribution characteristics, we propose a block adjustment method for satellite images based on the strip constraint. First, the image point coordinates are calculated in the strip image coordinate system based on the offset value of the adjacent image. Second, the rational function model (RFM) of the strip image is regenerated using the RFM of single images, and the compensation grid is also generated. Third, block adjustment of the strip image is implemented based on the RFM with an affine transformation parameter. Finally, the affine transformation parameters of single images are recalculated using the affine transformation parameters of the strip image. Experiments using ZY-3 satellite images showed that block adjustment of satellite images based on a strip constraint (strip adjustment) can produce better results than block adjustment of satellite images based on a single image in sparse control conditions. The test results demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.