Tools

Horizontal Accuracy Reporting using

Terrasolid products
TerraMatch, TerraPhoto versions 012 and above
GeoCue Group Support
12/7/2015
Revision 1.0

In our previous Newsletter we talked about Horizontal Accuracy Reporting and the new standards put
forth by the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), Positional Accuracy
Standards for Digital Geospatial Data, in November 2014. The updated standards were designed to tie
together past experience with current industry practices for preparing data. The new standard provides
guidelines for calculating both the vertical and the horizontal accuracy and focus on the higher level of
accuracy that are currently available using the latest technology.

A section of the updated 2014 ASPRS Standards addresses horizontal accuracy. Horizontal accuracy
requires a known position (an identifiable marker) that is clearly defined within the data itself. In order
to determine horizontal accuracy for any data type, surveyed control needs to be collected in a manner
to be visible within the provided dataset. Visible control could include: a large road arrow (Figure 1),
painted cross walk lines (Figure 2) or any other identifiable and easily measured feature.

Figure 1 - Painted Road Arrow Figure 2 - Painted Cross Walk Lines

Relative Horizontal Accuracy within TerraPhoto

Prior to determining absolute horizontal accuracy, it is necessary to verify relative horizontal accuracy. If
the difference between the images is too high then determining overall horizontal accuracy is going to
be mute. The relative accuracy is assessed determining the orthoimage mosaic seamline mismatch value
(Table 1), delta XY will be used in this assessment. Tie Points within TerraPhoto can be used to specify
where the control point, or feature, should be located within the visible dataset.

1) Load the existing TerraPhoto Mission and Image List

2) Load a ground model from TerraScan (Should be a model keypoint dataset)
3) Define Tie Points to open the Tie Points dialog
4) Within the Tie Points Dialog select an Image within the list

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Tools
Horizontal Accuracy Reporting using
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5) Specify an area in the main image to place a ground point (Use the show overlap option to
indicate the portions of the image in red as having no overlapping imagery so that you know to
specify a different location)
6) Add a ground point in the active detail view using semi-automatic mode (Figure 3)
a. If the results are not satisfactory add a ground point manually and repeat to locate the
same feature in the overlapping images
7) Review the Tie Point Dialog to see the offsets being recorded for the tie points in each image
(Figure 4) and review the output report (Figure 5) for the summaries of the seamline or relative
image mismatches

Figure 3 - Add Ground Tie Point

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Figure 5 - Tie Points Output Report (Dxy)

Figure 4 - Tie Points Per Image

Table 1 - Common Horizontal Accuracy Classes According to the 2014 ASPRS Specifications

Orthoimage Horizontal
Horizontal Accuracy
RMSEr Mosaic Seamline Accuracy at the 95%
Class RMSEx and
(cm) Maximum Confidence
RMSEy (cm)
Mismatch (cm) Level (cm)

0.63 0.9 1.3 1.5

1.25 1.8 2.5 3.1

2.50 3.5 5.0 6.1

5.00 7.1 10.0 12.2

7.50 10.6 15.0 18.4

10.00 14.1 20.0 24.5

12.50 17.7 25.0 30.6

15.00 21.2 30.0 36.7

17.50 24.7 35.0 42.8

20.00 28.3 40.0 49.0

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Horizontal Accuracy Reporting using
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Absolute Horizontal Accuracy within TerraPhoto
To determine absolute horizontal accuracy measurements are made directly off the images using known
XYZ points.

1) Load the existing TerraPhoto Mission and Image List

2) Load a ground model from TerraScan (Should be a model keypoint dataset)
3) Define Tie Points to open the Tie Points dialog
4) Select Import Known Points and select the known point text file that is in either of the following
space or tab delimited file formats:
a. Easting Northing Elevation
b. Identifier Easting Northing Elevation
5) In the Tie Points dialog locate the images with asterisks next to them (Figure 6). These are the
images which should see the panels or control points.
6) Select a Known XYZ Tie Point in the Tie Points Window
7) Select Enter Position and enter the tie point location with a data click in the active image
a. Repeat for the overlap images (Figure 7)
8) Review the Tie Point Dialog to see the offsets being recorded for the known XYZ tie points in
each image (Figure 8) and review the output report for the Known Point Comparison (Figure 9)

Figure 6 - Imported Known XYZ Figure 8 - Known XYZ Tie Points per
Points Image

Figure 7 - Enter Known XYZ Position

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Figure 9 - Known Point Comparison Output Report

Relative Horizontal Accuracy within TerraMatch

While the requirement to specify an explicit horizontal accuracy for LIDAR data was removed from the
ASPRS draft specifications before release we have seen an increasing demand in the community for it to
be specified. TerraMatch can be used to determine both the relative and absolute horizontal accuracy
for a LIDAR dataset. The ability to distinguish features to a sufficient degree will be highly dependent
upon the density of the data but if the airborne data is dense enough then it can be used. For this
example, the assessment was made using high density data from a rotary wing LIDAR system along a
road segment.

1) Open the TerraScan Project with trajectories

2) Start Define Tie Lines to Open the Tie Line dialog
3) Open a block in TerraScan that contains suitable features for measuring horizontal accuracy
between flight lines
4) Display the data by intensity
5) Locate a linear feature within the dataset, for instance a road paint line (Figure 10)
6) For each desired horizontal feature draw a ground line (TMatch -> Tie Lines -> Add Ground Line)
that represents the linear feature using the automated method
a. If the automated process is not producing desirable results repeat the line for each flight
line in the detailed entry view (Figure 11) using Add Ground Line in manual mode
7) Note the Ground Tie Lines that have been added to the dialog (Figure 12) and review the Tie
Line report (Figure 13) for summaries of the relative flight line mismatches located in the
internal measurement section.

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Figure 10 - Road Paintline

Figure 11 - Add Known Line

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Figure 13 - Tie Line Report - Internal Observations

Figure 12 - Tie Lines - Ground Line

Absolute Horizontal Accuracy within TerraMatch

After determining relative horizontal accuracy of the LIDAR data using identifiable features within the
dataset the next step is to use known control points to verify the absolute horizontal accuracy of the
dataset.

1) Open the TerraScan Project with trajectories

2) Start Define Tie Lines to Open the Tie Line dialog
3) Import Known Control Points into the design file
4) Using Add Known Line draw lines through the known horizontal feature, which has been
identified by the control points (Figure 14)
5) Note the Tie Lines that have been added to the dialog (Figure 15) and review the Tie Line Report
for known point comparison (Figure 16).

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Figure 14 - Known Line thru Known Control

Figure 16 - Tie Line Report - Known Point Comparison

Figure 15 - Tie Lines - Known Lines

Conclusion
The latest specification put forth by the ASPRS provides guidelines for both absolute and relative
horizontal accuracy reporting for orthophotos based upon the latest technologies. Similarly, horizontal
accuracy reporting can be made for LIDAR datasets with intensity identifiable horizontal features.
Terrasolid’s TerraMatch and TerraPhoto modules provide tools for determining the horizontal
accuracies in both cases. For additional information concerning measuring and reporting of horizontal
accuracy in Terrasolid please contact the GeoCue Group Support Team at support@geocue.com.

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