This invention successfully integrates photogrammetry and laser
measurement for mapping of celestial bodies. Photogrammetry is the
science of making 3D models from photographs, which shows better
accuracy in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction.
Laser measurement has better accuracy in the vertical direction than
in the horizontal. Both methods may have errors of up to several
hundred metres. Integrating data from these two sources can remove
errors and improve the accuracy of mapping products in both
horizontal and vertical directions.
The innovative mapping techniques developed by PolyU were
deployed in the characterization and selection of the landing site for
Chang’e-3 of China’s lunar missions. The techniques are currently
used to map the landing sites of China’s future lunar missions and to
produce accurate 3D city models in Hong Kong.