LiDAR-Camera Integration for High Precision Airborne Mapping

Abstract. Airborne mapping projects are vital for modern infrastructure and urban planning. The primary goal is to produce and update base maps that serve as essential tools in both public and private sectors to enable a variety of applications. As a result, large airborne surveying and mapping projects are conducted regularly around the world to acquire high-resolution aerial imagery and LiDAR point clouds that can encompass entire countries, states, provinces, counties, or cities. By leveraging advanced technology and navigating the complexities of LiDAR, photogrammetric, and geodetic systems, these projects can significantly contribute to the development and maintenance of accurate base maps, ultimately enhancing decision-making processes across sectors. This paper presents tests of a new fully integrated multi-sensor airborne system that comprises LiDAR, multiple cameras, inertial measuring unit (IMU), GNSS, and their associated software for data acquisition, processing, integration, calibration, and map production. The technical analysis presented in this paper focuses on multi-sensor system integration that statistically addresses a multi-stream of LiDAR ranges, pixels from multiple cameras, position and orientation of each LiDAR range and each photo center derived from the GNSS/IMU trajectory. The study evaluates two trajectory processing approaches: Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) using a single base station and Trimble Post-Processed RTX (PP-RTX). Real-world datasets collected with the Vexcel Imaging UltraCam Dragon in Austria and the United States were used to assess system performance under operational conditions. Results demonstrate that both Single Base and PP-RTX approaches provide reliable trajectory processing and consistent georeferencing accuracy for both imagery and LiDAR data.