Automated extraction of 3-D Ground Control Points from SAR images - an upcoming novel data product

This paper deals with a new Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) processing system for the generation of 3-D Ground Control Points with geodetic accuracy. With his help, laborious in situ measurements using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers can be replaced by remote sensing methods. It is shown how suitable point targets are extracted from the SAR images in an automated process and how its 3-D coordinates can be obtained by the Stereo SAR approach. The accuracy achieved was determined by means of GNSS reference measurements in two sample scenes. The measured accuracy is at decimeter level for north, east and height.