Virtual model creation using UAV photos

It seems in a world connected by the Internet, there is a strong interest to re-create real world objects in the digital world for viewing and sharing. Once the objects are digitized, they become virtual digital models and many possible uses can be derived from the models. The real world objects that these models are based on range from small items such as antiques, small sculptures, and historical objects to large structures such as buildings, landmarks, monuments, and historical sites. The digital models give people around the world a unique opportunity to view, study, and appreciate the human endeavors related to the original objects. This is significant considering that many of these people may not have any access to the original objects previously due to geographical distances and a lack of travel funding. This paper is an attempt to create such a digital model using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The authors piloted the UAVs to take numerous photos of the Red House Historic Monument (RHHM) located in the center of the National Taipei University of Technology, and synthesized a digital model using the photographs. It was demonstrated that although the process of creating a 3D model of a landmark building was simple and straightforward, there were a few points to bear in mind to ensure a successful model creation. Additionally, it was found that generally speaking the cameras included with the UAVs were quite capable, and the resulting model had a very realistic look.