Currently, position and orientation sensors can be acquired and integrated with affordable costs for mapping applications. In this context, small and medium format digital cameras can be included as a part of aerial image acquisition system with advantages when compared to conventional photogrammetric systems, due to its low cost, size, weight and handling ease. This work aims at the implementation and experimental assessment of hardware and software components for synchronization of a GPS receiver and a digital camera to directly measure and provide the perspective center coordinates. Synchronization was based on Linux operational system, and NTP software, used to synchronize computer time with an external reference time. The validation of the implemented system was perfomed by comparing directly the events recorded in a commercial navigation system (SPAN-CPT) and from the proposed technique. Furthermore, the PC coordinates determined by these techniques were used in an aerial triangulation, enabling the analysis of discrepancies in the checkpoints. The result of the synchronization showed discrepancies rounding 0.15 m with respect to the commercial system, resulting in the determination of the PC coordinates with quality compatible with its application in mapping projects.
Synchronization; GPS Based Aerial Triangulation; Direct Georeferencing; Integrated Sensor Orientation
