Kite Aerial Photography

Exploitation of Small Format KAP for Geospatial Data Acquisition

Introduction

KAP has been used as a method of remote sensing for well over a century, however in the last 20 years there has been renewed interest in this method of data acquisition as it relatively cheap, quick to perform and easily implemented. In particular, the last decade has seen the growth of specialised leisure and environmental applications of KAP as a result of:

  • emergence of low cost digital cameras
  • application of model aircraft technology (RC components)
  • design of stable, high lift, soft (fabric) and framed kites

A good quality rig, camera and kite setup, designed for environmental applications, costs ~US$1000. Photographic output from such a system can be imported directly in to a GIS for digital geospatial manipulation. Equivalent survey grade photography would typically be flown from fixed wing aircraft or helicopters; such techniques are clearly expensive. KAP enables low-cost data acquisition and can particularly leverage the following characteristics:

  • high spatial resolution (0.5 - 10 cm)
  • high temporal resolution
  • potential for multi-spectral data collection

Objectives

This project aims to explore some of the aspects of KAP outlined above, with a particular emphasis on photogrammetric ouput. Based within the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Kingston University, this research brings together expertise in GIS and remote sensing within the Centre for GIS. Project members include Dr Jim Chandler, who has extensive experience in photogrammetry, and Scott Haefner, who is an experienced KAPper and has worked on rig design optimisation.

We have initially focussed upon the development and construction of a remote controlled rig, based upon the design of Scott Haefner. Subsequent work will test:

  • the ability to obtain high resolution (~2cm) vertical aerial photography
  • fully georeferenced aerial imagery within a GIS
  • use of self-calibration techniques for input of photography into a digital photogrammetric workstation
  • integration of rapid KAP data collection into undergraduate fieldwork programmes

Project Members

Dr Mike Smith
Role: Project Lead
Research interests include glacial geomorphology, interpretation of palaeo-glaciological information and remote sensing, with particular focus on digital elevation models (DEMs). He has experience in remotely sensed geomorphological mapping, visualisation of DEMs and recently launched the Journal of Maps.

Dr Jim Chandler
Role: Photogrammetric Experimental Design and Calibration
Primary research aims to develop and exploit automated methods of digital photogrammetry. He has worked on recording aboriginal rock art, morphological quantification of terrain, quantifying sediment transport in fluvial systems and assessing accuracy of automated DEM generation methods.

Scott Haefner
Role: Rig Design
A professional photographer and web designer who primarily shoots outdoor landscapes and scenics, using both film and digital cameras. More recently he has gained extensive experience in kite aerial photography and the design of remote controlled camera rigs.

Dr Ken Field
Role: Integration within undergraduate field programme
Research interests include GIS and cartographic visualisation, conventional and computer assisted cartography,GIS modelling and applications of GIS for epidemiology. He is the editor of The Cartographic Journal.

Contact

You can contact us here. If you have specific interests or queries related to any of the project team members them please go via their own web pages (above).

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