For automatic operation, analytical systems can be converted to
hybrid systems. Examples are the Bendix AS 11 BX (Drum, 1978), Kern
DSR 11 (Cogan, 1984), Zeiss C 100 Planicomp (Zeiss, 1987), and
Helava Assoc Inc, HAI DCCS (Helava, 1986).
In at with analytical stereoplotters, prepositioning and point
transfer can be digitally controlled; measurements of the new points
are manual. The operation is relatively slow and sometimes
error-prone. On-line gross error detection/removal can be included.
The required storage capacity is modest.
In hybrid and digital systems, at can be largely automated. The
operator initiates and supervises the process, accepts/rejects
intermediate and final results, helps or overrides the system, and
ends the operation.
Automatic selection of the tie points is done by approximate
prepositioning and the choice of a small image window on the master
image by using an "interest operator". Then the selected windows are
matched with the conjugate segments on the overlapping images. Image
matching is usually from coarse to fine, and it can be simultaneous
for all conjugate segments with the selected window on the master
image. The matching algorithm can incorporate the collinearity
constraint and the least squares fit, and it can be extended by the
quality control.
In hybrid systems, small image windows, centered on the points of
interest, need to be digitized and stored. In digital systems,
however, full images have to be digitized, which requires great
storage capacity.
Automation of at leads to an increased production rate and a more
homogeneous performance. The limitations are a high price for system
acquisition, uncertainty about the support, and the risk of early
obsolescence because the techniques are changing fast.
Installation of an automated hybrid or digital system for at seems
justified when the amount of at to be carried out is great, e.g.,
for vaste territories and/or when the system is also used in other
production.
5.2 Terrain relief modelling
Both system types are suitable for the commonly applied manual and
semi-automatic techniques for relief modelling.
Analytical systems lend themselves particularly for semi-automatic
digital modelling, such as by a regular point grid, progressive
sampling and composite sampling (Makarovic, 1977). These techniques
are suitable for fine (detailed) modelling, which requires
interpretation of terrain at each point to be measured.
For medium-fine and coarse relief modelling, however, automatic
techniques can be more efficient. To this end there are two
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