Modelling Quasi-Orthographic Captures for Surface Imaging

Abstract: Surveillance and surveying are two important applications of empirical research. A major part of terrain modelling is supported by photographic surveys which are used for capturing expansive natural surfaces using a wide range of sensors -- visual, infrared, ultrasonic, radio, etc. A natural surface is non-smooth, unpredictable and fast-varying, and it is difficult to capture all features and reconstruct them accurately. An orthographic image of a surface provides a detailed holistic view capturing its relevant features. In a perfect orthographic reconstruction, images must be captured normal to each point on the surface which is practically impossible. In this paper, a detailed analysis of the constraints on imaging distance is also provided. A novel method is formulated to determine an approximate orthographic region on a surface surrounding the point of focus and additionally, some methods for approximating the orthographic boundary for faster computation is also proposed. The approximation methods have been compared in terms of computational efficiency and accuracy.