Extinct settlement identification using small format aerial photography - methods and accuracy

Small Format Aerial Photography (SFAP) is an excellent data source for the creation of high resolution orthophotos and digital terrain models. SFAP collection by UAVs is restricted by several regulations, battery durability and weather conditions. We have developed a method that uses the same principle for SFAP collection as UAVs (camera stabilization, time lapse) but instead, the camera is mounted on a small aircraft and thus we may avoid most of the limitations. This paper is focused on the identification of extinct settlement residuals in the Czech-German borderland, where several municipalities vanished after World War II due to the political situation and large water dam projects. The selected sites were scanned from different flight altitudes and the resulting data were tested both for position accuracy and extinct settlement identification possibilities. Data accuracy was examined using advanced methods of geostatistics to show the thorough quality of the data acquired from different altitudes.