Estimation and improvement in the geolocation accuracy of rational polynomial coefficients with minimum GCPs using KOMPSAT-3A

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a method to regenerate Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPCs) using KOMPSAT-3A imagery and to reduce the geolocation error using minimum ground control points (GCPs). To estimate the new RPCs, the physical sensor model fitted to KOMPSAT-3A imagery was utilized and virtual GCPs over the study area were created. The size of the virtual grid used was 20x20x20. To remove the sensor-related errors in physical sensor model, three different image correction models (image coordinate translation model, shift and drift model, and affine transformation model) were additionally applied. We evaluated our proposed method in two areas within Korea, one in urban (Seoul) and one in rural (Goheung) areas. The results showed that there was a significant improvement after applying the suggested approach in the two areas. The image coordinate translation model is suggested in terms of GCP requirement and expected errors estimated from the error propagation analysis using Gauss–Markov Model (GMM).