Accurate derivation of stem curve and volume using backpack mobile laser scanning

作者：Eric Hyyppä, Antero Kukko, Risto Kaijaluoto, Joanne C. White, Michael A. Wulder, Jiri Pyörälä, Xinlian Liang, Xiaowei Yu, Yunsheng Wang, Harri Kaartinen, Juho-Pekka Virtanen, Juha Hyyppä · 发表于：ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2020.01.018 · 被引用次数：186 · 研究领域：Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications、Forest ecology and management、Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies

Forest inventories rely on field plots, the measurement of which is costly and time consuming by manual means. Thus, there is a need to automate plot-level field data collection. Mobile laser scanning has yet to be demonstrated for deriving stem curve and volume from standing trees with sufficient accuracy for supporting forest inventory needs. We tested a new approach based on pulse-based backpack mobile laser scanner (Riegl VUX-1HA) combined with in-house developed SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), and a novel post-processing algorithm chain that allows one to extract stem curves from scan-line arcs corresponding to individual standing trees. The post-processing step included, among others, an algorithm for scan-line arc extraction, a stem inclination angle correction and an arc matching algorithm correcting for the drifts that are still present in the stem points after applying the SLAM algorithm. By using the stem curves defined by the detected arcs and tree heights provided by the pulse-based scanner, stem volume estimates for standing trees in easy (n = 40) and medium (n = 37) difficult boreal forest were calculated. In the easy and medium plots, 100% of pine and birch stems were correctly detected. The total RMSE of the extracted stem curves was 1.2 cm (5.1%) and 1.7 cm (6.7%) for the easy and medium plots, respectively. The RMSE were 1.8 m (8.7%) and 1.1 m (4.9%) for the estimated tree heights, and 9.7% and 10.9% for the stem volumes for the easy and mediu...