Leica Photogrammetry Suite
Encyclopedia
Leica Photogrammetry Suite (name officially and legally changed to LPS) is a software application for performing photogrammetric operations
on imagery and extracting information from imagery. LPS is significant because it is a leading commercial photogrammetry application that is used by numerous national mapping agencies
, regional mapping authorities, various DOT
s, as well as commercial mapping firms. Aside from commercial and government applications, LPS is widely used in academic research. Research areas include landslide monitoring, cultural heritage studies, and more.
, 3D features, and digital orthophotos
. There are a number of approaches for photogrammetric applications. Imagery may come from remote sensing satellites, airborne cameras (film or digital), or ground-based cameras. In the context of airborne film cameras, the workflow would involve scanning the imagery (creating a digital version of the film imagery), solving the interior orientation parameters, and triangulating the images. Once the images are triangulated
, image pairs may be viewed in stereo and 3D measurements can be made. The system can automatically generate digital terrain models
, which can be reviewed and edited in stereo. Once an accurate 3D surface has been derived, triangulated images may be orthorectified. In addition to this workflow, LPS supports 3D feature extraction, radiometric adjustment, and a number of additional digital image processing capabilities available from ERDAS IMAGINE
, which is included with LPS.
in 2003). The product evolution is as follows:
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the practice of determining the geometric properties of objects from photographic images. Photogrammetry is as old as modern photography and can be dated to the mid-nineteenth century....
on imagery and extracting information from imagery. LPS is significant because it is a leading commercial photogrammetry application that is used by numerous national mapping agencies
National mapping agency
A national mapping agency is an organisation, usually publicly owned, that produces topographic maps and geographic information of a country. Some national mapping agencies also deal with cadastral matters.-List of national mapping agencies:...
, regional mapping authorities, various DOT
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
s, as well as commercial mapping firms. Aside from commercial and government applications, LPS is widely used in academic research. Research areas include landslide monitoring, cultural heritage studies, and more.
Capabilities
LPS is generally used for the processing of raw imagery through to the creation of geospatial data products such as digital terrain modelsDigital elevation model
A digital elevation model is a digital model or 3-D representation of a terrain's surface — commonly for a planet , moon, or asteroid — created from terrain elevation data....
, 3D features, and digital orthophotos
Orthophoto
An orthophoto, orthophotograph or orthoimage is an aerial photograph geometrically corrected such that the scale is uniform: the photo has the same lack of distortion as a map...
. There are a number of approaches for photogrammetric applications. Imagery may come from remote sensing satellites, airborne cameras (film or digital), or ground-based cameras. In the context of airborne film cameras, the workflow would involve scanning the imagery (creating a digital version of the film imagery), solving the interior orientation parameters, and triangulating the images. Once the images are triangulated
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
, image pairs may be viewed in stereo and 3D measurements can be made. The system can automatically generate digital terrain models
Digital elevation model
A digital elevation model is a digital model or 3-D representation of a terrain's surface — commonly for a planet , moon, or asteroid — created from terrain elevation data....
, which can be reviewed and edited in stereo. Once an accurate 3D surface has been derived, triangulated images may be orthorectified. In addition to this workflow, LPS supports 3D feature extraction, radiometric adjustment, and a number of additional digital image processing capabilities available from ERDAS IMAGINE
ERDAS IMAGINE
ERDAS IMAGINE is a remote sensing application with raster graphics editor capabilities designed by ERDAS for geospatial applications. The latest version is 2010, version 10.1. ERDAS IMAGINE is aimed primarily at geospatial raster data processing and allows the user to prepare, display and enhance...
, which is included with LPS.
Other workflows
In addition to the workflows above, LPS also supports the following applications:- Satellite Photogrammetry
- Direct Georeferencing: ground control points (GCPs) are not used because the aircraft is equipped with Airborne GPS and IMU systems. This is an emerging workflow that is suitable for remote area mapping.
- Close-Range Photogrammetry
History
While the initial release of LPS (called "Leica Photogrammetry Suite 8.7") was in late 2003, it was a combination of new technology as well as software previously developed by ERDAS (which was acquired by Leica GeosystemsLeica Geosystems
Leica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement...
in 2003). The product evolution is as follows:
- 1991 - "Digital Ortho" in ERDAS 7.5
- 1993 - OrthoMAX
- 1994 - Warptool & Mosaictool in IMAGINE 8.2
- 1999 - OrthoBASE first release in IMAGINE 8.3.1
- 2000 - Stereo Analyst 1.0 (module for stereo feature extraction)
- 2001 - OrthoBASE Pro (module for automated terrain extraction)
- 2003 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 8.7",
- 2004 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 8.7 Service Pack 1 (incorporates add-on modules of ORIMA and PRO600, which were initially developed for use with SOCET SETSOCET SETSOCET SET is a software application that performs functions related to photogrammetry. It is developed and published by BAE Systems. SOCET SET was the first commercial digital photogrammetry software program...
) - 2005 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 8.7 Service Packs 2 and 3 ([Leica Geosystems] ADS40 sensor support, automated point measurement improvements)
- 2005 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 9.0 (new module for image mosaicking, called MosaicPro)
- 2006 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 9.1 (new TIN format: LTF, terrain split and merge improvements)
- 2008 - Leica Photogrammetry Suite 9.2 (ATE improvements, new sensor models, enhanced mosaicking)
- 2008 - With the re-branding of "Leica Geosystems Geospatial Imaging" to "ERDAS", the "Leica Photogrammetry Suite" name was converted to an acronym, "LPS".
- 2008 - LPS 9.3 (PRO600 Fundamentals released)
- 2010 - LPS 2010 released
- 2010 - LPS 2010 v10.1 released (new algorithm eATE release, as follow up to ATE)
- 2010 - LPS 2011 released (improvements to MosaicPro, Terrain Prep Tool and more)
See also
- Aerial PhotographyAerial photographyAerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
- Digital Surface Model
- ERDAS IMAGINEERDAS IMAGINEERDAS IMAGINE is a remote sensing application with raster graphics editor capabilities designed by ERDAS for geospatial applications. The latest version is 2010, version 10.1. ERDAS IMAGINE is aimed primarily at geospatial raster data processing and allows the user to prepare, display and enhance...
- Leica GeosystemsLeica GeosystemsLeica Geosystems based in eastern Switzerland produces products and systems for surveying and geographical measurement...
- OrthophotoOrthophotoAn orthophoto, orthophotograph or orthoimage is an aerial photograph geometrically corrected such that the scale is uniform: the photo has the same lack of distortion as a map...
- PhotogrammetryPhotogrammetryPhotogrammetry is the practice of determining the geometric properties of objects from photographic images. Photogrammetry is as old as modern photography and can be dated to the mid-nineteenth century....
- Remote SensingRemote sensingRemote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
- Satellite imagerySatellite imagerySatellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
- StereoscopyStereoscopyStereoscopy refers to a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by presenting two offset images separately to the left and right eye of the viewer. Both of these 2-D offset images are then combined in the brain to give the perception of 3-D depth...
- TriangulationTriangulationIn trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...