Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs

Digital elevation models are an important component of any Geo-Information System (GIS). This keynote provides an overview of the satellite stereo model orientation and image matching methods currently used to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Using very high resolution stereo pairs of satel...

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Main Author: K. Jacobsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-05-01
Series:The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
Online Access:https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-M-6-2025/147/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-6-2025-147-2025.pdf
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author K. Jacobsen
author_facet K. Jacobsen
author_sort K. Jacobsen
collection DOAJ
description Digital elevation models are an important component of any Geo-Information System (GIS). This keynote provides an overview of the satellite stereo model orientation and image matching methods currently used to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Using very high resolution stereo pairs of satellite images, DEMs with a standard height deviation in the range of 1m or even better can be generated within a limited time. Their generation is expensive, so we should have a look to free of charge available DEMs. With ASTER GDEM3, SRTM, AW3D30 and TDX-EDEM we have four global or nearly global free available. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The edited version of TanDEM-X (TDX-EDEM) is the latest product published end of 2023. As reference for the analysis, LiDAR Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) with the height of the bare ground are used with an accuracy of ~ 20cm. The global or nearly global DEMs are Digital Surface Models (DSMs) with the height of the visible surface. For the comparison with the reference DTM, areas with high vegetation and buildings must be excluded, which was possible with the Land Cover Map (LCM) of TDX-EDEM. TDX-EDEM clearly offers the highest accuracy, but in steep mountains and built-up areas we should also take a look to AW3D30.
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spelling doaj-art-ea2ecc0e352a4de6aae03392f6e5350c2025-08-20T01:52:12ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences1682-17502194-90342025-05-01XLVIII-M-6-202514715210.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-6-2025-147-2025Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMsK. Jacobsen0Institute of Photogrammetry and GeoInformation, Leibniz Universität Hannover, GermanyDigital elevation models are an important component of any Geo-Information System (GIS). This keynote provides an overview of the satellite stereo model orientation and image matching methods currently used to generate Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). Using very high resolution stereo pairs of satellite images, DEMs with a standard height deviation in the range of 1m or even better can be generated within a limited time. Their generation is expensive, so we should have a look to free of charge available DEMs. With ASTER GDEM3, SRTM, AW3D30 and TDX-EDEM we have four global or nearly global free available. Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The edited version of TanDEM-X (TDX-EDEM) is the latest product published end of 2023. As reference for the analysis, LiDAR Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) with the height of the bare ground are used with an accuracy of ~ 20cm. The global or nearly global DEMs are Digital Surface Models (DSMs) with the height of the visible surface. For the comparison with the reference DTM, areas with high vegetation and buildings must be excluded, which was possible with the Land Cover Map (LCM) of TDX-EDEM. TDX-EDEM clearly offers the highest accuracy, but in steep mountains and built-up areas we should also take a look to AW3D30.https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-M-6-2025/147/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-6-2025-147-2025.pdf
spellingShingle K. Jacobsen
Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences
title Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
title_full Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
title_fullStr Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
title_full_unstemmed Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
title_short Digital Elevation Models – From Satellite Images to Free Available DEMs
title_sort digital elevation models from satellite images to free available dems
url https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-M-6-2025/147/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-M-6-2025-147-2025.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT kjacobsen digitalelevationmodelsfromsatelliteimagestofreeavailabledems