Multi-scale Analysis of Digital Surface Models Based on UAV Datasets

Abstract

The increasing uses of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and the producing of high resolution Digital Surface Models (DSMs) is leading to a multi-scale result in terrain analysis, prompting new solutions to cope with multi-scale analysis. In this paper we tested three indices — the local variance, texture and fractal dimensions of a same study area with six different spatial resolutions DSM processed from different UAV flights height datasets at 20, 40, 60,120,240 and 360 meters. The higher spatial resolution DSM extracted from 20 meters flight height was set as a base for a series of correlation analysis of the between the three indices to study the generalization at different scales. This approach could help in understanding the spatial resolution changing with scale and it could be used for developing hierarchical DSM scale classifications.