Spot revisited: Accuracy assessment, DEM generation and validation from stereo spot 5 HRG images

SPOT 5 HRG Level 1A and 1B stereo scenes covering Zonguldak testfield in north-west Turkey have been analysed. They comprise the left and right image components with base to height ratio of 0-54. The pixel size on the ground is 5 m. The bundle orientation was executed by the PCI Geomatica V9.1.4 software package and resulted in 3D geopositioning to sub-pixel accuracies in each axis provided that at least six control points were used in the computation. Root mean square error (rmse) values and vectors of residual errors for Levels 1A and 1B are similar, even for different control and check point configurations. Based on the scene orientation, Level 1A and IB digital elevation models (DEMs) of the testfield have been determined by automatic matching and validated by the reference DEM digitised from the 1:25 000 scale topographic maps, interferometric DEMs from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) X- and C-band SAR data and the GPS profiles measured along the main roads in the testfield. Although the accuracies of reference data-sets are too similar to the generated SPOT DEMs, these are the only high quality reference materials available in this area. Sub-pixel height accuracy was indicated by the comparison with profile points. However, they are in favourable locations where matching is always successful, so such a result may give a biased measure of the accuracy of the corresponding DEMs. © 2005 The Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.