Registration of Low Cost Maps within Large Scale MMS Maps

High resolution 3D mapping of road systems is currently being carried out by expensive Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS) but coverage is limited. Recently Low Cost Sensor (LCS) systems have been developed which use common, low cost, internal MEMS position sensors from mobile phones, but such sensors come with a reduced absolute and relative positional accuracy. This study investigates the registration of LCS maps within MMS maps to improve map coverage and lower costs. MMS and LCS maps of a real world environment are made and registration is performed using feature matching and Iterative Closest Point alignment. Accuracy of ICP alignment is approximately (10cm) and local convergence is possible up to (1m). A combination of feature matching and ICP is used to demonstrate accurate alignment from an initial error of (10m). An example of a LCS map aligned within a MMS map is presented to confirm the use of LCS systems to extend 3D mapping coverage.