Data Product Specification Proposal for Architectural Heritage Documentation with Photogrammetric Techniques: A Case Study in Brazil

Photogrammetric documentation can provide a sound database for the needs of architectural heritage preservation. However, the major part of photogrammetric documentation production is not used for subsequent architectural heritage projects, due to lack of knowledge of photogrammetric documentation accuracy. In addition, there are only a few studies with rigorous analysis of the requirements for photogrammetric documentation of architectural heritage. In particular, requirements focusing on the geometry of the models generated by fully digital photogrammetric processes are missing. Considering these needs, this paper presents a procedure for architectural heritage documentation with photogrammetric techniques based on a previous review of existing standards of architectural heritage documentation. The data product specification proposed was elaborated conforming to ISO 19131 recommendations. We present the procedure with two case studies in the context of Brazilian architectural heritage documentation. Quality analysis of the produced models were performed considering ISO 19157 elements, such as positional accuracy, logical consistency and completeness, meeting the requirements. Our results confirm that the proposed requirements for photogrammetric documentation are viable. OPEN ACCESS Remote Sens. 2015, 7 13338