Mobile Mapping Using Smartphones

Abstract

In the last two decades, the demand for geo-spatial data has tremendously increased. Mobile mapping Systems (MMS) are considered the main source of data for mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications. MMS, which integrates navigation systems (such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS)) and imaging sensors (such as cameras and laser scanners), have been an emerging trend in mapping applications because they allow the implementation of the mapping concepts from moving vehicles (e.g. cars, airplanes and trains). The main strength of MMS which makes it desirable for different mapping applications is their ability to directly georeference their mapping sensors, which means knowing their position and orientation relative to a mapping co-ordinate frame. Once geo-referenced, the mapping sensor can be used to determine the positions of points external to the platform in the same mapping co-ordinate frame. Nevertheless, the major drawback of current MMS systems is their high price due to the type of the used platform, navigation and mapping technologies. Today's smartphones are getting more sophisticated and smarter and therefore they will narrow the gap between computers and mobile phones. Current generation of smartphones are equipped with GNSS receivers, micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) based navigation sensors (such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, and barometers) and high resolution digital cameras. As a result, smartphones are now getting quite popular for data collection projects including point data mapping tasks and it is not far before we see smartphones are used as mobile mappers. This paper will present a new and innovative application of a portable MMS based on smartphones that overcome the high-cost drawback of the current land-based MMS with reasonable accuracy.