FEATURE COMPILATION FROM HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY 
V.O. Atak a ' * and M.O. Altan b 
a General Command of Mapping, 06100, Ankara, Turkey - voatak@yahoo.com 
b ITU, Civil Engineering Faculty, 80626 Maslak-istanbul, Turkey - oaltan@itu.edu.tr 
Commission IV, WG IV/9 
KEY WORDS: High Resolution, Aerial, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Feature, Production, IKONOS, Quickbird 
ABSTRACT: 
The high quality level that high resolution satellite images have reached in the last years has proved that these images could be a 
useful data source for the production of orthophoto and different mapping products. To test the capabilities of high resolution 
imagery, a study has been implemented in Golba$i near Ankara. 12 ground control points were revised and signalized before the 
recording of images. Stereo-pair Ikonos, mono Quickbird and 1:16.000 scaled stereo aerial images have been provided free of 
charge. For geometric accuracy assessment; different digital elevation models have been created using photogrammetric and 
cartographic methods. Using these models, various orthophoto and mosaic images have been produced and besides well-recognized 
27 checkpoints have been selected and measured with GPS too. Test of feature compilation was performed in 3 different regions and 
1:5.000 scale was selected for compilation processes because of on-going discussions about usage of high resolution space imagery 
in big scale map productions. Three different experienced operators compiled all features on these regions using mono satellite and 
stereo aerial images and these map productions have been compared within each other. For the comparison assessment, a field 
control application has been carried out too. Also the results indicate that the stereo IKONOS image has the best accuracy and 
allows mapping processes up to 1:6.000 scale. And we can say that high resolution satellite imagery can be used to identify 
topographic changes for both large- and small-scale mapping, but these images couldn’t reach to the accuracy level of aerial imagery 
in determining and identifying the small features yet and cannot be used as a source of direct topographic feature compilation. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
The high quality that high resolution satellite images have 
reached in the last years has proved that these images could be a 
useful data source for the production of orthophoto images and 
for different mapping products as well. Specifically, it is very 
important in areas where aerial photogrammetry is not possible 
or feasible due to political reasons / restrictions and mapping 
frequency constrained by the limits of flight planning (Li et al., 
2000). 
There are two important criteria for quality assessment of the 
images; geometric accuracy and object definition. When we 
take the mapping processes into consideration, these criteria are 
basically dependent on the relation between pixel size and the 
map scale, contrast information (spectral range and colour), 
atmosphere and the sun elevation, the printing technology and 
the resolution of the human eye (Topan et al., 2004). 
Research activities about high resolution satellite images have 
been mainly focusing on the geometric accuracy aspects in 
ortho-image generation and digital elevation model (DEM) 
extraction. 
In addition to this activities, some researches are increasingly 
concentrating on feature detection, recognition and 
reconstruction studies like automated mapping of roads, 
extraction of trees and 3D buildings, hazard and land/water 
resource monitoring, coastal/cadastral mapping and updating of 
topographic maps (Holland et al., 2002; Holland and Marshall, 
2004; Holland et al., 2006). 
Actually there is nearly a consensus among photogrammetry 
and remote sensing society that some mapping applications 
from high resolution space imagery can be realized in 1:6.000- 
1:10.000 scale (Holland and Marshall, 2004; Volpe, 2003). 
Accordingly, in the world literature it is very seldom to see 
compilation assessments in big scale mapping (e.g. 1:5.000) in 
which both high resolution satellite images are used and all 
feature types have been detected. Therefore nowadays, 
especially with launching the GeoEye satellite which has 50 cm 
imagery resolution, the discussions about usage of high 
resolution space imagery in big scale mapping products are 
growing up again. 
2. STUDY AREA AND DATA SETS 
2.1 Study Area 
The study was carried out in Golba§i near Ankara, which has 
10 km X 10 km area and a height difference about 440 m. This 
area has been used in many photogrammetric and geodetic 
applications by General Command of Mapping. The region has 
open rural areas with different land cover types, road qualities, 
water features, communication and electricity transmission lines 
and small residential areas. 
2.2 Ground Control Points (GCP’s) 
Geometric accuracy depends on the number and distribution of 
GCP’s. However it is not necessary, to collect a very large 
number of GCP’s, since the accuracy doesn’t vary in an 
appreciable way when considering more than 10-15 GCP’s