DIGITAL PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SYSTEMS AND THEIR INTEGRATION WITH GIS 
IAN DOWMAN 
University College London 
Gower Street 
London WCIE 6BT 
United Kingdom 
ABSTRACT 
Digital photogrammetric systems have been a subject of research and development for a number of 
years but there is now commercially available equipment and software which has been developed and 
is supported by major manufacturers. The production of software for extraction of digital elevation 
models and their use for generating geocoded images is of particular importance. One of the forces 
behind such development has been the increased need for spatial data for geographical information 
systems and the use of data from earth observation satellites for this purpose; as a result of this, 
software packages available for image processing and GIS often include routines for orientation and 
correction of aerial and satellite images. The result of these developments is increased integration 
between remote sensing, photogrammetry and GIS. 
This paper reviews recent developments in digital photogrammetric systems with emphasis on those 
which are integrated with GIS. The functionality of the systems will be analysed and evaluated with 
particular attention paid to the requirements of topographic mapping and GIS. It is important that the 
user is able to evaluate the quality of the products derived from the digital processing and to monitor 
each step of the procedure. 
Current research will also be reviewed and an assessment made on the progress of development of 
feature extraction algorithms and the prospects for widespread use of such routines. 
KEY WORDS: Digital photogrammetry, automation, Geographical information System, integration. 
1. INTRODUCTION Kyoto in 1988. It was not until 1992 that 
systems became available which were suitable 
The great increase in the use of Geographical for production. One of the first systems was 
Information Systems (GIS) in recent years has developed by Intergraph as a means of 
led to a need for consistent, validated data at providing data for their own digital mapping 
all scales over wide areas. The combination of system. Other systems arose from defence 
digital photogrammetric stereo systems using contracts, particularly for the production of 
aerial photographs and satellite data is capable digital elevation models (DEMs). At the same 
of providing some of that data. The key to time the use of satellite data has been 
producing data of this type, in this quantity, is increasing and image processing systems have 
automation and end to end production systems. been developed to handle this data. in recent 
At present automation of the mapping process years these systems have been coming together 
is not automatic and many different systems with GIS as a step towards integration. 
exist which need to communicate with each 
other. End to end systems will ensure that data 3. CURRENT STATUS OF DIGITAL 
transfer between different stages of production PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SYSTEMS 
are smooth and that data from various sources 
can be used. This paper addresses the state of 3.1 Commercial systems 
the art in digital photogrammetric systems with 
emphasis on the problems of automation and At the present time there are a number of 
integration. systems on the market which have been 
developed to a state useful for production and 
2. REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS which are maintained by the vendors. These 
systems have been described by a number of 
The concept of digital photogrammetry was papers in recent years, for example Dowman 
first set out by Sarjakoski in 1981. One of the ct al, (1992) and Heipke, (1993). The 
first systems to be build was the Kern DSPI distinction. between fully functional 
which was exhibited at the ISPRS Congress in photogrammetric instruments and software 
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