Determining the spatial orientation of remote sensing sensors on the basis of incomplete coordinate systems

This article presents a method of determining the spatial orientation of measuring sensors. This method is based on isometric space transformation of a rigid body registered in an oblique coordinate system and is adopted for photogrammetric purposes. The approach is based on incomplete coordinate systems used for determination of transformation parameters. In this publication an incomplete coordinate system is one without one of the axes and in which the matching points connected to primary and secondary coordinate systems are on the two other axes. On the basis of angular momentum, translocation of the beginning of coordinate system is determined first. The next step is to calculate the Euler angles - exterior orientation of sensor. In this method the beginning (the center) of the coordinate system is associated with the sensor itself. This approach, in comparison with the methods known from photogrammetry and remote sensing, allows one to reduce the points needed for transformation. In case of determining the Euler angles two points are indispensable and, in case of moving the beginning of coordinate system, three points are essential. At the end of this paper the analysis of transformation, based on independent control points (ICP), was completed.