Development of a Methodology to Estimate Biomass from Tree Height Using Airborne Digital Image

Abstract

Globally biomass is becoming imperative for function such as climate change, combined heat and power generation. The biomass energy is gaining significance as a source of clean heat for domestic heating and community heating applications. Regarding climatic change and global warming, the biomass is being estimated in various ways. By including three dimensions (i.e.) height of a tree or stand height of trees in forest will greatly help in estimation biomass more accurately. Traditionally close range Photogrammetry is used to determine volume and biomass of the tree. However, this method of volume/height of a tree is not feasible in large scale applications and time consuming. Globally researchers are working to estimate this by using either airborne/space borne data. In this project, a methodology to measure tree height in case of single tree or stand height (mean tree height) of an area is developed using airborne digital camera. The height of the tree was first estimated from the airborne digital camera image data. The image taken from Airborne UltraCamD has been used. This image is 23cm X 15cm image size and 20cm resolution. Aerial Triangulation was done using Leica LPS Software. The position and altitude has taken from the GPS/IMU system. After bundle adjustments, mass points will be generated with pre-determined grid spacing. Generally airborne or space-borne data provides digital surface model (DSM) which includes surface features like trees, buildings etc., along with terrain. A filter is designed to separate surface features and terrain using height and crown width was obtained from stereo data using automated classification algorithm. The height derived from automatic method is validated with height derived from manual process i.e. photogrammetric method and measured from stereo measurements. From the obtained parameters the DBH and Biomass will be estimated; from this we can know the bio resource of the particular area.