Calibration of full-waveform airborne laser scanning data for object classification

Christian Briese; Bernhard Höfle; Hubert Lehner; Wolfgang Wagner; Martin Pfennigbauer; Andreas Ullrich

doi:10.1117/12.781086

Translator Disclaimer

16 April 2008 Calibration of full-waveform airborne laser scanning data for object classification

Christian Briese; Bernhard Höfle; Hubert Lehner; Wolfgang Wagner; Martin Pfennigbauer; Andreas Ullrich

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6950, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XIII; 69500H (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.781086
Event: SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, 2008, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Small-footprint airborne laser scanners with waveform-digitizing capabilities are becoming increasingly available. Waveform-digitizing laser scanners seize the physical measurement process in its entire complexity. This leads the way to the possibility of deriving the backscatter cross section which is a measure of the electromagnetic energy intercepted and reradiated by objects. The cross section can be obtained by firstly decomposing the echo waveform in several distinct echoes, whereas for each echo its range, amplitude and width are known. Then the radar equation can be used for calibrating the waveform measurements using external reference targets with known backscatter cross sections. The final outcome is a 3D point cloud where each point represents one scatterer with a given cross section and echo width. Using these physical attributes and various geometric criteria the point cloud can be segmented or classified. In this paper this procedure is demonstrated based on waveform measurements acquired by the RIEGL LMS-Q560 sensor. The cross section of the homogenous reference targets is estimated with a RIEGL reflectometer and Spectralon® targets.

Citation Download Citation

Christian Briese, Bernhard Höfle, Hubert Lehner, Wolfgang Wagner, Martin Pfennigbauer, and Andreas Ullrich "Calibration of full-waveform airborne laser scanning data for object classification", Proc. SPIE 6950, Laser Radar Technology and Applications XIII, 69500H (16 April 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.781086

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE