CAMERA CALIBRATION ACCURACY AT DIFFERENT UAV FLYING HEIGHTS

Abstract. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be used to acquire highly accurate data in deformation survey, whereby low-cost digital cameras are commonly used in the UAV mapping. Thus, camera calibration is considered important in obtaining high-accuracy UAV mapping using low-cost digital cameras. The main focus of this study was to calibrate the UAV camera at different camera distances and check the measurement accuracy. The scope of this study included camera calibration in the laboratory and on the field, and the UAV image mapping accuracy assessment used calibration parameters of different camera distances. The camera distances used for the image calibration acquisition and mapping accuracy assessment were 1.5 metres in the laboratory, and 15 and 25 metres on the field using a Sony NEX6 digital camera. A large calibration field and a portable calibration frame were used as the tools for the camera calibration and for checking the accuracy of the measurement at different camera distances. Bundle adjustment concept was applied in Australis software to perform the camera calibration and accuracy assessment. The results showed that the camera distance at 25 metres is the optimum object distance as this is the best accuracy obtained from the laboratory as well as outdoor mapping. In conclusion, the camera calibration at several camera distances should be applied to acquire better accuracy in mapping and the best camera parameter for the UAV image mapping should be selected for highly accurate mapping measurement.