Close Range Photogrammetric Network Design for Panoramic Cameras by Heuristic Simulation

Linear array CCD-based panoramic cameras are being used also in measurement applications. The elegant image acquisition mode and the high information content of those images make them suitable candidates for quantitative image analysis. The best possible accuracy is acquired by a suitable sensor model and following the concept of network design. In our previous investigations we designed a sensor model for linear array CCD-based rotating panoramic cameras, which models substantial deviations from the pinhole model using additional parameters. The additional parameters are related to the camera itself, the configuration of camera and turntable, and mechanical errors of the camera system during rotation (i.e. tumbling). We showed a subpixel level accuracy after modeling the mentioned systematic errors, included tumbling errors. In terrestrial panoramic cameras the camera system is designed to have a leveled turntable which reduces the mechanical errors of the camera system during rotation. However, this leads to restrictions in network design. Since the optical axis is always horizontal we cannot realize convergent concepts in vertical direction. This loss in network flexibility must be compensated by other measures. In this paper, by using the results of camera calibration and the characteristics of panoramic cameras, we analyze the panoramic camera networks. Joint networks consisting of matrix array CCD and panoramic cameras are also compared with network of panoramic camera stations alone.