Orthophoto

Ortophoto of Salamanca, a city in Spain

An image from a part of a digital orthophoto quadrangle of Washington, DC

An orthophoto, orthophotograph or orthoimage is an aerial photograph geometrically corrected ("orthorectified") such that the scale is uniform: the photo has the same lack of distortion as a map. Unlike an uncorrected aerial photograph, an orthophotograph can be used to measure true distances, because it is an accurate representation of the Earth's surface, having been adjusted for topographic relief,^[1] lens distortion, and camera tilt.

Orthophotographs are commonly used in the creation of a Geographic Information System (GIS). Software can display the orthophoto and allow an operator to digitize or place linework, text annotations or geographic symbols (such as hospitals, schools, and fire stations). Some software can process the orthophoto and produce the linework automatically.

Aerial Photo & Digital Orthophoto

T-64 orthophotoscope

Orthographic views project at a right angle to the data plane. Perspective views project from the surface onto the datum plane from a fixed location.

Digital Ortho Quarter Quadrangle for Kymartian, Kentucky.

See also

• Aerial Photography
• Leica Photogrammetry Suite Orthorectification Software
• GRASS GIS (i.ortho.photo module)
• Photogrammetry
• Photomapping
• TopoFlight
• Socet set Orthophoto Software
• U.S. Geological Survey

References

1. ^ Smith, Gary S. "DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTOGRAPHY AND GIS." ESRI Conference. http://proceedings.esri.com/library/userconf/proc95/to150/p124.html

• Bolstad, P., (2005), GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems, Eider Press, White Bear Lake, MN, 2nd ed.
• Demers, Michael N., (1997). Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, John Wiley & Sons.
• Fernandez, E., Garfinkel, R. & Roman Arbiol, (May–June, 1998) Operations Research, Vol. 46, no. 3, pg. 293-304.
• Petrie, G., (1977), Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers: Orthophotomaps New Series, vol. 2, no.1, Contemporary Cartography. , pg. 49-70
• Robinson, A.H., Morrison, J.L., Muehrcke, P.C., Kimerling, A.J., Stephen Guptill, (1995) Elements of Cartography: John Wiley & Sons Inc., Canada, 6th ed.
• United States Geological Survey, US Department of Interior, USGS Fact Sheet May 2001 http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs05701.html

External links

• United States Geological Survey
• National Digital Orthophoto Programs (NDOP)