Elevation correction of multi-temporal digital elevation model based on unmanned aerial vehicle images over agricultural area

In this study, we propose an approach for calibrating the elevation of a DEM (Digital Elevation Model), one of the key data in realizing unmanned aerial vehicle image-based precision agriculture. First of all, radiometric correction is performed on the orthophoto, and then ExG (Excess Green) is generated. The non-vegetation area is extracted based on the threshold value estimated by applying the Otsu method to ExG. Subsequently, the elevation of the DEM corresponding to the location of the non-vegetation area is extracted as EIFs (Elevation Invariant Features), which is data for elevation correction. The normalized Z-score is estimated based on the difference between the extracted EIFs to eliminate the outliers. Then, by constructing a linear regression model and correcting the elevation of the DEM, high-quality DEM is produced without GCPs (Ground Control Points). To verify the proposed method using a total of 10 DEMs, the maximum/minimum value, average/standard deviation before and after elevation correction were compared and analyzed. In addition, as a result of estimating the RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) by selecting the checkpoints, an average RMSE was derivsed as 0.35m. Comprehensively, it was confirmed that a high-quality DEM could be produced without GCPs.