<p>This thesis has two aims. The first one is the investigation and analysis of the errors occurring in the measurements with pulsed time-of-flight (TOF) terrestrial laser scanners (TLS). A good understanding of the error sources and the relationships between them is necessary to secure the data accuracy. We subdivide these errors into four groups: instrumental, object-related, environmental and methodological. Based on our studies and the results obtained by other researchers, we have compiled an error model for TLS, which is used to estimate the single-point coordinate accuracy of a point in the point cloud, transformed to the specified coordinate system.</p><p>The second aim is to investigate systematic instrumental errors and performance of three pulsed TOF laser scanners – Callidus 1.1, Leica HDS 3000 and Leica HDS 2500 – and to develop calibration procedures that can be applied by the users to determine and correct the systematic errors in these instruments. The investigations have been performed at the indoor 3D calibration field established at KTH and outdoors. The systematic instrumental errors, or calibration parameters, have been estimated in a self-calibration according to the parametric least-squares adjustment in MATLAB®. The initial assumption was that the scanner instrumental errors are similar to those in a total station. The results have shown that the total station error model is applicable for TLS as a first approximation, but additional errors, specific to the scanner design, may appear. For example, we revealed a significant vertical scale error in the scanner Callidus 1.1, caused by the faults of the angular position sensor. The coordinate precision and accuracy of the scanners, estimated during the self-calibration, is at the level of several millimetres for Callidus 1.1 and Leica HDS 3000, and at the submillimetre level for Leica HDS 2500.</p><p>In other investigations, we revealed a range drift of up to 3 mm during the first few hours of scanning, presumably due to the changes in the temperature inside the scanners. The angular precision depends on the scanner design (“panoramic” or “camera-like”), and the angular accuracy depends on the significant calibration parameters in the scanner. Investigations of the influence of surface reflectance on the range measurements have shown that the indoor illumination and surface wetness have no tangible influence on the results. The type of the material does not affect, in general, the ranging precision for Callidus 1.1, but it affects the ranging precision and accuracy of the scanners Leica HDS 3000 and Leica HDS 2500. The reason may be different wavelength and, possibly, different design of the electronics in the laser rangefinders. Materials with high reflectance and those painted with bright “warning” colours may introduce significant offsets into the measured ranges (5 – 15 cm), when scanned from close ranges at normal incidence with the scanner Leica HDS 3000. “Mixed pixels” at the object edge may introduce a range error of several centimetres, on the average, depending on the type of the material. This phenomenon leads also to the distortions of the object size, which may be reduced by the removal of the “mixed pixels” based on their intensity. The laser beam intensity recorded by the scanner tends to decrease with an increased incidence angle, although not as assumed by the popular Lambertian reflectance model. Investigations of the scanner Leica HDS 2500 outdoors have revealed no significant influence of the “normal” atmospheric conditions on the range measurements at the ranges of up to 50 m.</p><p>Finally, we have developed and tested two simple procedures for the calibration of the vertical scale (and vertical index) error and zero error in laser scanners. We have also proposed an approach for the evaluation of the coordinate precision and accuracy in TLS based on the experiences from airborne laser scanning (ALS).</p>

Remotely sensing recent growth, herbivory, or disturbance of herbaceous and woody vegetation in dryland ecosystems requires high spatial resolution and multi-temporal depth. Three dimensional (3D) remote sensing technologies like lidar, and techniques like structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry, each have strengths and weaknesses at detecting vegetation volume and extent, given the instrument's ground sample distance and ease of acquisition. Yet, a combination of platforms and techniques might provide solutions that overcome the weakness of a single platform. To explore the potential for combining platforms, we compared detection bias amongst two 3D remote sensing techniques (lidar and SfM) using three different platforms [ground-based, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), and manned aircraft]. We found aerial lidar to be more accurate for characterizing the bare earth (ground) in dense herbaceous vegetation than either terrestrial lidar or aerial SfM photogrammetry. Conversely, the manned aerial lidar did not detect grass and fine woody vegetation while the terrestrial lidar and high resolution near-distance (ground and sUAS) SfM photogrammetry detected these and were accurate. UAS SfM photogrammetry at lower spatial resolution under-estimated maximum heights in grass and shrubs. UAS and handheld SfM photogrammetry in near-distance high resolution collections had similar accuracy to terrestrial lidar for vegetation, but difficulty at measuring bare earth elevation beneath dense herbaceous cover. Combining point cloud data and derivatives (i.e., meshes and rasters) from two or more platforms allowed for more accurate measurement of herbaceous and woody vegetation (height and canopy cover) than any single technique alone. Availability and costs of manned aircraft lidar collection preclude high frequency repeatability but this is less limiting for terrestrial lidar, sUAS and handheld SfM. The post-processing of SfM photogrammetry data became the limiting factor at larger spatial scale and temporal repetition. Despite the utility of sUAS and handheld SfM for monitoring vegetation phenology and structure, their spatial extents are small relative to manned aircraft.

This thesis has two aims. The first one is the investigation and analysis of the errors occurring in the measurements with pulsed time-of-flight (TOF) terrestrial laser scanners (TLS). A good understanding of the error sources and the relationships between them is necessary to secure the data accuracy. We subdivide these errors into four groups: instrumental, object-related, environmental and methodological. Based on our studies and the results obtained by other researchers, we have compiled an error model for TLS, which is used to estimate the single-point coordinate accuracy of a point in the point cloud, transformed to the specified coordinate system. The second aim is to investigate systematic instrumental errors and performance of three pulsed TOF laser scanners – Callidus 1.1, Leica HDS 3000 and Leica HDS 2500 – and to develop calibration procedures that can be applied by the users to determine and correct the systematic errors in these instruments. The investigations have been performed at the indoor 3D calibration field established at KTH and outdoors. The systematic instrumental errors, or calibration parameters, have been estimated in a self-calibration according to the parametric least-squares adjustment in MATLAB®. The initial assumption was that the scanner instrumental errors are similar to those in a total station. The results have shown that the total station error model is applicable for TLS as a first approximation, but additional errors, specific to the scanner design, may appear. For example, we revealed a significant vertical scale error in the scanner Callidus 1.1, caused by the faults of the angular position sensor. The coordinate precision and accuracy of the scanners, estimated during the self-calibration, is at the level of several millimetres for Callidus 1.1 and Leica HDS 3000, and at the submillimetre level for Leica HDS 2500. In other investigations, we revealed a range drift of up to 3 mm during the first few hours of scanning, presumably due to the changes in the temperature inside the scanners. The angular precision depends on the scanner design (“panoramic” or “camera-like”), and the angular accuracy depends on the significant calibration parameters in the scanner. Investigations of the influence of surface reflectance on the range measurements have shown that the indoor illumination and surface wetness have no tangible influence on the results. The type of the material does not affect, in general, the ranging precision for Callidus 1.1, but it affects the ranging precision and accuracy of the scanners Leica HDS 3000 and Leica HDS 2500. The reason may be different wavelength and, possibly, different design of the electronics in the laser rangefinders. Materials with high reflectance and those painted with bright “warning” colours may introduce significant offsets into the measured ranges (5 – 15 cm), when scanned from close ranges at normal incidence with the scanner Leica HDS 3000. “Mixed pixels” at the object edge may introduce a range error of several centimetres, on the average, depending on the type of the material. This phenomenon leads also to the distortions of the object size, which may be reduced by the removal of the “mixed pixels” based on their intensity. The laser beam intensity recorded by the scanner tends to decrease with an increased incidence angle, although not as assumed by the popular Lambertian reflectance model. Investigations of the scanner Leica HDS 2500 outdoors have revealed no significant influence of the “normal” atmospheric conditions on the range measurements at the ranges of up to 50 m. Finally, we have developed and tested two simple procedures for the calibration of the vertical scale (and vertical index) error and zero error in laser scanners. We have also proposed an approach for the evaluation of the coordinate precision and accuracy in TLS based on the experiences from airborne laser scanning (ALS). / QC 20101123

On souhaite détecter puis modéliser les façades de bâtiments à partir des données acquises par le véhicule de numérisation mobile de l'ign, le Stéréopolis. Il s'agit de trouver une représentation géométrique des façades adapté aux données (signal lidar/laser et images optiques).La méthode doit être automatique et rendre possible la modélisation d'un grand nombre de façades afin de contribuer à la production de maquettes numériques de villes. Les verrous techniques proviennent de l'acquisition mobile en environnement urbain non contrôlé (géo référencement du véhicule, densité variable de points lidar...), ils proviennent du signal lidar, issu d'une technologie relativement récente et pour lequel le processus de traitement n'est pas encore consensuel : faut-il exploiter ou non la géométrie capteur ? Enfin, la quantité de données pose le problème du passage à l'échelle. Afin d'analyser la géométrie des nuages de points 3D lidar, nous avons proposé des attributs décrivant pour chaque point la forme de l'environnement local (linéaire-1D, planaire-2D ou volumique-3D).Les plans principaux des façades sont extraits automatiquement des données lidar grâce à un algorithme streamé de détection de rectangles verticaux. Nous avons développé deux modèles qui sont initialisés par ces rectangles. Une grille irrégulière dont chaque case, parallèle au plan principal peut avancer ou reculer. Une grille déformable qui est ''poussée par les rayons lasers jusqu’aux points lasers’ ‘Enfin, nous avons montré comment la grille déformable peut être rendue cohérente avec les images optiques en alignant les discontinuités géométriques de la grille avec des discontinuités radiométriques des images / One wishes to detect and model building façades from data acquired by the ign mobile scanning vehicle, the Stereopolis. It is a question of finding a geometric representation of facades appropriate to the data (lidar/laser signal and optical images).The method should be automatic and enable the modeling of a large number of facade to help the production of digital city models. Technical obstacles come from the mobile acquisition in uncontrolled urban environment (vehicle georeferencing, variable lidar point density...), they come from the lidar signal, retrieved from a relatively new technology for which the process is not yet consensus :does one operates into sensor geometry or not ? Finally, the amount of data raises the problem of scaling up. To analyze the geometry of lidar 3D point clouds, we proposed attributes describing for each point the shape of the local surroundings (linear-1D, planar-2D or volume-3D).The facade main planes are automatically extracted from lidar data through a streamed detection algorithm of vertical rectangles. We developed two models that are initialized by these rectangles. An irregular grid in which each cell, parallel to the main plane can move forward or backward. A deformable grid which is ''pushed by the laser beams toward the laser points''. Finally, we showed how the deformable grid can be made consistent with the optical images aligning the geometric discontinuities of the grid with radiometric discontinuities of the images

A calibração de instrumento é reconhecida como um importante processo para a garantia de qualidade de dados obtidos a partir de um laser scanner terrestre (TLS). Um aspecto importante na garantia da qualidade de nuvem de pontos tridimensionais capturadas com instrumentos TLS é a calibração geométrica. Erros sistemáticos inerentes aos instrumentos, se não corrigidos, podem degradar a acurácia da nuvem de pontos obtida pelo scanner. A modelagem destes erros sistemáticos e o uso de metodologias de calibração para estimativa dos coeficientes do modelo permitem quantificar e avaliar a qualidade e a acurácia dos sistemas lasers scanners terrestres. Identificar os diferentes erros inerentes ao equipamento ou ao processo de medição é um fator de grande importância para certificá-los, comprovando sua conformidade com a precisão nominal definida pelos fabricantes. Esta dissertação apresenta propostas de diferentes metodologias para aferição e calibração de laser scanners terrestres. A primeira metodologia refere-se à auto-calibração de TLS que permite obter os parâmetros de calibração referentes aos erros sistemáticos de distância (??), colimação (?C), direção horizontal (??) e o erro de índice vertical (??). Dois equipamentos foram submetidos à auto-calibração, um equipamento novo, recém-fabricado, modelo Faro Focus 3D X330, que foi utilizado como referência, e um equipamento antigo, modelo Faro Photon 80, que devido ao tempo de constante uso foi submetido à aferição. Os resultados comprovaram a eficiência da metodologia de auto-calibração na determinação dos parâmetros de correção sistemática adicional, indicando que o scanner novo apresentou resultados dentro das especificações e o modelo antigo, resultados acima dos valores de precisão definidos pelo fabricante. Visando facilitar os procedimentos de campo e escritório para fins de calibração de TLS foram propostas duas metodologias com a utilização de peças fabricadas para uso no presente trabalho, visando a obtenção da acurácia tridimensional de um TLS. A primeira consiste na utilização de uma placa de aço com nove furos sobre os quais são alojadas nove esferas de poliacetal. A segunda consiste na utilização de um sistema tridimensional de planos perpendiculares, através do qual pode-se obter a acurácia 3D do TLS. Os resultados obtidos comprovam a eficiência das duas metodologias propostas, aplicadas em procedimentos de calibração em laboratório utilizando varreduras em equipamentos de curto alcance. Por fim foram realizados testes para determinação dos parâmetros de calibração relativos ao erro de zero ou constante aditiva, o erro de escala e o erro cíclico em linhas bases de calibração EDM, utilizando-se a rede de pilares da USP. Os resultados comprovam a necessidade de contar com distâncias entre pilares menores para utilização em TLS de curto alcance, porém, para laser scanners com maior autonomia de distância se mostrou um método eficiente. / Instrument calibration is recognized as an important process for quality assurance of data obtained from a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS). An important aspect in ensuring the quality of three-dimensional point cloud captured with TLS instruments is geometric calibration. Systematic errors inherent in the instruments, if not corrected, can degrade the accuracy of the cloud of points obtained by the scanner. The modeling of these systematic errors and the use of calibration methodologies to estimate the coefficients of the model allow quantifying and evaluating the quality and accuracy of the laser systems. Identifying the different errors inherent in the equipment or the measurement process is a factor of great importance to certify them, proving their conformity with the nominal precision defined by the manufacturers. This dissertation presents proposals of different methodologies for calibration of terrestrial laser scanners. The first methodology refers to TLS self-calibration, which allows to obtain the calibration parameters for systematic errors of distance (??), collimation (?C), horizontal direction (??) and vertical index error (??). Two devices were submitted to self-calibration, a new, newly manufactured Faro Focus 3D X330 model, which was used as reference, and an old equipment, Faro Photon 80 model, which due to the time of constant use was subjected to the calibration . The results proved the efficiency of the self-calibration methodology in determining the additional systematic correction parameters, indicating that the new scanner presented results within the specifications and the old model, values above the precision values defined by the manufacturer. In order to facilitate the field and office procedures for TLS calibration purposes, two methodologies were proposed with the use of prefabricated parts to obtain the three-dimensional accuracy of a TLS. The first proposes the use of a steel plate with nine holes on which are housed nine spheres of polyacetal. The second refers to the use of a three-dimensional system of perpendicular planes, where from the point cloud of the different planes the 3D accuracy of the TLS can be obtained. The results obtained prove the efficiency of the two proposed methodologies, applied in laboratory calibration procedures using short-range scans. Finally, tests were carried out to determine the calibration parameters related to the error of zero or additive constant, the scale error and the cyclic error in EDM calibration baselines, using the USP\'s network of columns. The results confirm the need for adequacy of the distance between columns for use in short-range TLS, but for laser scanners with greater distance autonomy an efficient method was shown.

The use of digital three-dimensional (3D) data has increased over the last two decades as private and public firms have begun to realize its utility. Mobile Terrestrial Laser Scanning (MTLS) or Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS), which utilizes LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data collection from a moving platform along with advances in positioning systems—e.g., Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and Distance Measurement Instruments (DMIs)—have paved the way for efficient, abundant, and accurate 3D data collection. Validation and control targets are vital to ensure relative and/or absolute accuracy for MTLS projects. The focus of this dissertation is to evaluate several types of targets and the positional spacing of said targets for MTLS.<div><br></div><div>A mostly planar two-dimensional (2D) targeting system (painted target on ground) is commonly used to constrain, register, and validate the 3D point clouds from MTLS. In this dissertation, 3D objects—a sphere and a cube—were evaluated with varied angles of incidence and point densities as more appropriate alternatives to constrain and validate the 3D MTLS point clouds. Next, a planar circular 2D target—with the use of the raw intensity of the LiDAR pulse as another measured dimension—was evaluated as a proof of concept to also constrain and validate 3D LiDAR data. A third and final component of this dissertation explored analyses of INS data to determine the positional spacing of control and validation targets in MTLS projects to provide maximum accuracy for all data points.<br></div>

A quantificação de recursos florestais é usada para fins diversos nas ciências naturais, e depende da obtenção de dados de campo de forma precisa e rápida, e o inventário florestal tem se valido principalmente de trabalho humano manual para este fim. A tecnologia LiDAR, baseada em sistemas a laser, permite a coleta desses dados por meio da representação tridimensional do ambiente e a geração de informações espacialmente precisas dos objetos que o compõe. O sistema de varredura laser terrestre (terrestrial laser scanning - TLS) aplica essa tecnologia sob abordagem terrestre, e assim pode ser usada na representação 3D de florestas e ambientes naturais. Devido a crescente número de estudos nesse tópico atualmente o sistema TLS é capaz de fornecer métricas florestais básicas com elevada exatidão, como densidade de plantio e diâmetro à altura do peito, além de informações não obtidas pelo inventário florestal padrão, como estimativa da biomassa e índice de área foliar, entre outros. Este trabalho tem por objetivo a avalição da capacidade do sistema TLS em fornecer com exatidão métricas de árvores individuais selecionadas em dois povoamentos florestais localizados no sudeste do Brasil. Árvores de Eucalyptus sp. (n = 6) e Pinus elliottii var. elliottii (n = 5) foram submetidas à varredura e os valores obtidos pelo mapeamento 3D foram comparados com dados medidos em campo manualmente. Os resultados encontrados mostram que o algoritmo empregado na filtragem dos troncos foi eficiente no isolamento dos fustes de árvores individuais até a altura total das árvores amostradas, enquanto que o algoritmo para modelagem do tronco filtrado foi capaz de fornecer medidas de diâmetro até 50% da altura total das amostras. A exatidão das medidas de DAP pelos dados TLS foi de 0,91 cm e 2,77 cm (REQM) para Eucalyptus e Pinus, respectivamente. Os diâmetros ao longo do fuste tiveram mais exatidão no Eucalyptus (REQM = 2,75 cm e r = 0,77) do que no Pinus (REQM = 3,62 cm e r = 0,86), resultados condizentes com os encontrados em literatura. A exatidão da estimativa dos diâmetros diminuiu ao longo do fuste. O autor sugere que a influência de vento forte no momento da varredura pode ter interferido na qualidade das nuvens de pontos em relação a ruídos e na exatidão dos modelos de obtenção de diâmetros. A partir destes resultados conclui-se que, para as características ambientais e parâmetros de varreduras apresentados, o sistema TLS foi capaz de fornecer dados com exatidão aceitável, e mais estudos devem ser conduzidos buscando o entendimento e mitigação de efeitos que podem dificultar a obtenção de dados precisos nos estratos superiores do dossel florestal. / Forest resources assessment is used for diverse purposes on natural sciences, and relies on field data acquisition in fast and precise ways, and forest inventory has been relying mainly on manual human labor for that. LiDAR technology, which is based on a laser system, allows for these data acquisition through 3D representation of surroundings and the generation of espacially precise information about the objetcs within. Terrestrial laser scanning - TLS - applies this technology in a land approach, thus it can be used on the 3D representation of forests and natural scenes. Due to increasing number of studies on this subject nowadays TLS system is capable of giving basic forest metrics with high precision, as for plant density and diameter at breast height, besides information not obtained by standard inventory procedures, as biomass estimation and leaf área index, among others. This work aims the assessment of TLS capability on giving precise metrics of individual trees located at two forest stands in southeastern Brazil. Trees of Eucalyptus sp. (n = 6) and Pinus elliottii var. elliottii (n = 5) were scanned and the numbers obtained by 3D mapping were compared to manually measured field data. The results found show that the algorithms used on trunk filtration were efficient on individual trees stem isolation until total height of measured trees, while the trunk modelling algorithm was capable of giving diameters until 50% of samples total height. The precision of DBH measurements by TLS data was 0,91 cm and 2,77 cm (RMSE) for Eucalyptus and Pinus, respectivelly. Diameters along the stem were more preciselly estimated for Eucalytus trees (RMSE = 2,75 cm and r = 0,77) than for Pinus trees (RMSE = 3,62 cm and r = 0,86), results consistente with literature. The precision of diameters estimation diminished along the stem. The author suggests that the influence of intense wind by the time of scanning can have interfered on cloud point quality in the terms of noises and thus on the precision of diameter estimation modelling. From these results one can conclude that, considering the environmental aspects and scanning parameters presented, TLS system was capable on giving data with acceptable precision, and more studies must be carried searching for understanding and mitigation of effects that can difficult precise data acquisition on upper forest strata.

Accelerated soil erosion and the subsequent decline in soil depth has negative environmental, and consequently financial, impacts that have implications across all land cover classifications and scales of land management. Ironically, although attempts to quantify soil erosion nationally have illustrated that soil erosion can occur in the UK, understanding whether or not the UK has a soil erosion problem still remains a question to be answered. Accurately quantifying rates of soil erosion requires capturing both the volumetric nature of the visible, fluvial pathways and the subtle nature of the less-visible, diffuse pathways, across varying spatial and temporal scales. Accordingly, as we move towards a national-scale understanding of soil erosion in the UK, this thesis aims to explore some of the multiple techniques available for developing an understanding of soil erosion in the UK. The thesis first explored the information content of existing UK-based soil erosion studies, ascertaining the extent to which these existing data and methodological approaches can be used to develop an empirically derived understanding of soil erosion in the UK. The second research chapter then assessed which of two proximal sensing technologies, Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Structure-from-Motion Multi-view Stereo (SfM-MVS), is best suited to a cost-effective, replicable and robust assessment of soil erosion within a laboratory environment. The final research chapter built on these findings, using both Rare Earth Oxide tracers and SfM-MVS to elucidate retrospective information about sediment sources under changing soil erosion conditions, also within a laboratory environment Given the biased nature of the soil erosion story presented within the existing soil erosion research in the UK, it is impossible to ascertain if the frequency and magnitude of soil erosion events in the UK are problematic. However, this study has also identified that without ‘true’ observations of soil loss i.e. collection of sediment leaving known plot areas, proxies, such as the novel techniques presented in the experimental work herein and the methods used in the existing landscape scale assessments of soil erosion as included in the database chapter, are not capable of providing a complete assessment of soil erosion rates. However, this work has indicated that despite this limitation, each technique can present valuable information on the complex and spatially variable nature of soil erosion and associated processes, across different observational environments and scales.

Since the texture of surfaces plays a key role in the shaping of many environmental processes, high resolution measurements are important to study these phenomena. Specifically, 3-D point cloud data is desirable to document river shape and evolution, surface roughness, and erosion-sedimentation processes. The best method of obtaining these measurements is using a terrestrial laser scanner. However, these are too expensive for limited-use experiments. Therefore, I developed a simple, affordable, and robust system used to acquire high resolution data relating to hydraulic and fluvial environments.

Laser scanners provide a three-dimensional sampled representation of the surfaces of objects. The spatial resolution of the data is much higher than that of conventional surveying methods. The data collected from different locations of a laser scanner must be transformed into a common coordinate system. If good a priori alignment is provided and the point clouds share a large overlapping region, existing registration methods, such as the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) or Chen and Medioni’s method, work well. In practical applications of laser scanners, partially overlapping and unorganised point clouds are provided without good initial alignment. In these cases, the existing registration methods are not appropriate since it becomes very difficult to find the correspondence of the point clouds. A registration method, the Geometric Primitive ICP with the RANSAC (GPICPR), using geometric primitives, neighbourhood search, the positional uncertainty of laser scanners, and an outlier removal procedure is proposed in this thesis. The change of geometric curvature and approximate normal vector of the surface formed by a point and its neighbourhood are used for selecting the possible correspondences of point clouds. In addition, an explicit expression of the position uncertainty of measurement by laser scanners is presented in this dissertation and this position uncertainty is utilised to estimate the precision and accuracy of the estimated relative transformation parameters between point clouds. The GP-ICPR was tested with both simulated data and datasets from close range and terrestrial laser scanners in terms of its precision, accuracy, and convergence region. It was shown that the GP-ICPR improved the precision of the estimated relative transformation parameters as much as a factor of 5. / In addition, the rotational convergence region of the GP-ICPR on the order of 10°, which is much larger than the ICP or its variants, provides a window of opportunity to utilise this automated registration method in practical applications such as terrestrial surveying and deformation monitoring.