Advances and Challenges of UAV SFM MVS Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing: Short Review

Interest in Unnamed Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-sourced data and Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Multi-View-Stereo (MVS) photogrammetry has seen a dramatic expansion over the last decade, revolutionizing the fields of aerial remote sensing and mapping. This literature review provides a summary overview on the recent developments and applications of light-weight UA V s and on the widely-accepted SfM - MVS approach. Firstly, the advantages and limitations of UAV remote sensing systems are discussed, followed by an identification of the different UA V and miniaturised sensor models applied to numerous disciplines, showing the range of systems and sensor types utilised recently. Afterwards, a concise list of advantages and challenges of UAV SfM-MVS is provided and discussed. Overall, the accuracy and quality of the SfM-MVS-derived products (e.g. orthomosaics, digital surface model) depends on the quality of the UAV data set, characteristics of the study area and processing tools used. Continued development and investigation are necessary to better determine the quality, precision and accuracy of UAV SfM-MVS derived outputs.