Estimation of Building Heights in Peru from High-Resolution Stereo Optical Satellite Imagery

Estimating building heights is essential for urban planning, building resilience, and disaster risk assessment. This study introduces a method for deriving building heights using stereo pairs of high-resolution optical satellite images. A 3D point cloud was generated through stereo matching of two optical satellite images, and a high-resolution digital surface model was constructed to estimate building heights. In the absence of detailed building outlines, building height was calculated by subtracting the elevation outside the lot outline from that within the lot outline. Estimated building heights were then converted to floor numbers for evaluation. Validation involved comparing estimated floor numbers with manually counted floor numbers from field surveys and a 3D model generated from UAV imagery. Results indicated that 42% of buildings had accurately estimated floor numbers, and 82% were within a one-floor error margin. This approach offers a rapid, cost-effective solution for height estimation, especially in areas lacking detailed cadastral or LiDAR data.