Orthophotography

Orthophotography is a process in photogrammetry that involves the creation of orthophotos. An orthophoto is a geometrically corrected ("orthorectified") photograph that has the same lack of distortion as a map, allowing for accurate measurements to be taken directly from the image.

History

The concept of orthophotography was first introduced in the early 20th century. However, it was not until the advent of computers and digital imaging technology in the late 20th century that the process became widely used in fields such as cartography, geography, and civil engineering.

Process

The process of creating an orthophoto involves several steps. First, an aerial photograph is taken of the area of interest. This photograph is then geometrically corrected, or "orthorectified", to remove any distortion caused by the camera lens or the perspective from which the photograph was taken. This is typically done using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and sophisticated software algorithms.

Once the photograph has been orthorectified, it can be used to create a detailed, accurate map of the area. Because the orthophoto is free of distortion, measurements taken from the image (such as distances, areas, and angles) are as accurate as those taken from a traditional map.

Applications

Orthophotography has a wide range of applications. It is commonly used in cartography to create accurate maps, particularly in areas where access is difficult or dangerous. In civil engineering, orthophotos are often used to plan and design infrastructure projects. They are also used in the fields of geology, forestry, environmental science, and archaeology, among others.

See also

• Photogrammetry
• Cartography
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

References

This civil engineering related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it.