Assessment of Positioning Accuracy of UAV Photogrammetry based on RTK-GPS

The establishment of Ground Control Points (GCPs) in UAV-Photogrammetry is a working process that requires the most time and expenditure. Recently, the rapid developments of navigation sensors and communication technologies have enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to conduct photogrammetric mapping without using GCP because of the availability of new methods such as RTK (Real Time Kinematic) and PPK (Post Processed Kinematic) technology. In this study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of RTK-UAV mapping with no GCPs compared to that of non RTK-UAV mapping. The positioning accuracy results produced by images obtained simultaneously from the two different types of UAVs were compared and analyzed. One was a RTK-UAV without GCPs and the other was a non RTK-UAV with different numbers of GCPs. The images were taken with a Canon IXUS 127 camera (focal length 4.3mm, pixel size 1.3μm) at a flying height of approximately 160m, corresponding to a nominal GSD of approximately 4.7cm. As a result, the RMSE (planimetric/vertical) of positional accuracy according to the number of GCPs by the non-RTK method was 4.8cm/8.2cm with 5 GCPs, 5.4cm/10.3cm with 4 GCPs, and 6.2cm/12.0cm with 3 GCPs. In the case of non RTK-UAV photogrammetry with no GCP, the positioning accuracy was decreased greatly to approximately 112.9 cm and 204.6 cm in the horizontal and vertical coordinates, respectively. On the other hand, in the case of the RTK method with no ground control point, the errors in the planimetric and vertical position coordinates were reduced remarkably to 13.1cm and 15.7cm, respectively, compared to the non-RTK method. Overall, UAV photogrammetry supported by RTK-GPS technology, enabling precise positioning without a control point, is expected to be useful in the field of spatial information in the future.