Hannu Hyyppä

Bio: Hannu Hyyppä is an academic researcher from Aalto University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Laser scanning & Forest inventory. The author has an hindex of 45, co-authored 215 publications receiving 7474 citations. Previous affiliations of Hannu Hyyppä include National Land Survey of Finland & Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.

Review of methods of small-footprint airborne laser scanning for extracting forest inventory data in boreal forests

Abstract: Experiences from Nordic countries and Canada have shown that the retrieval of the stem volume and mean tree height of a tree or at stand level from laser scanner data performs as well as, or better than, photogrammetric methods, and better than other remote sensing methods. This paper reviews the methods of small-footprint airborne laser scanning for extracting forest inventory data, mainly in the boreal forest zone. The methods are divided into the following categories: extraction of terrain and canopy height model; feature extraction approaches (canopy height distribution and individual-tree-based techniques, techniques based on the synergetic use of aerial images and lidar, and other new approaches); tree species classification and forest growth using laser scanner; and the use of intensity and waveform data in forest information extraction. Despite this, the focus is on methods, some review of quality obtained, especially in the boreal forest area, is included. Several recommendations for future research are given to foster the methodology development.

Laser scanning of forest resources: the nordic experience

Abstract: This article reviews the research and application of airborne laser scanning for forest inventory in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The first experiments with scanning lasers for forest inventory were conducted in 1991 using the FLASH system, a full-waveform experimental laser developed by the Swedish Defence Research Institute. In Finland at the same time, the HUTSCAT profiling radar provided experiences that inspired the following laser scanning research. Since 1995, data from commercially operated time-of-flight scanning lasers (e.g. TopEye, Optech ALTM and TopoSys) have been used. Especially in Norway, the main objective has been to develop methods that are directly suited for practical forest inventory at the stand level. Mean tree height, stand volume and basal area have been the most important forest mensurational parameters of interest. Laser data have been related to field training plot measurements using regression techniques, and these relationships have been used to predict corresponding properti...

An International Comparison of Individual Tree Detection and Extraction Using Airborne Laser Scanning

Abstract: The objective of the “Tree Extraction” project organized by EuroSDR (European Spatial data Research) and ISPRS (International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) was to evaluate the quality, accuracy, and feasibility of automatic tree extraction methods, mainly based on laser scanner data. In the final report of the project, Kaartinen and Hyyppa (2008) reported a high variation in the quality of the published methods under boreal forest conditions and with varying laser point densities. This paper summarizes the findings beyond the final report after analyzing the results obtained in different tree height classes. Omission/Commission statistics as well as neighborhood relations are taken into account. Additionally, four automatic tree detection and extraction techniques were added to the test. Several methods in this experiment were superior to manual processing in the dominant, co-dominant and suppressed tree storeys. In general, as expected, the taller the tree, the better the location accuracy. The accuracy of tree height, after removing gross errors, was better than 0.5 m in all tree height classes with the best methods investigated in this experiment. For forest inventory, minimum curvature-based tree detection accompanied by point cloud-based cluster detection for suppressed trees is a solution that deserves attention in the future.

Accuracy comparison of various remote sensing data sources in the retrieval of forest stand attributes

Abstract: Recent advances in developing new airborne instruments and space-borne missions and in SAR technology, especially in interferometry and coherence estimation, have roused questions: can such new SAR data be utilized in operational forest inventory? What is the accuracy of different satellite data for forest inventory? This paper verifies the explanatory power and information contents of several remote sensing data sources on the retrieval of stem volume, basal area, and mean height, utilizing the following data: Landsat TM, Spot PAN and XS, ERS-1/2 PRI and SLC (coherence estimation), airborne data from imaging spectrometer AISA, radar-derived forest canopy profiles (obtained with HUTSCAT), and aerial photographs. Ground truth data included three different sets ranging from conventional forest inventory data to intensive field checking where one man-day was spent for assessing one stand. Multivariate and neural network methods were applied in data analysis. The results suggested that (1) radar-derived stand profiles obtained with 100 m spacing was the most accurate data source in this comparison and was of equivalent accuracy with conventional forest inventory for mean height and stem volume estimation, (2) aerial photographs (scale 1 : 20,000) gave comparable results with the imaging spectrometer AISA, (3) the satellite images used for the estimation in the decreasing explanation power were Spot XS, Spot PAN, Landsat TM, ERS SAR coherence, JERS SAR intensity images (PRI); and ERS SAR intensity images (PRI). It appears that optical images still include more information for forest inventory than radar images, (4) from all satellite radar methods, the coherence technique seemed to be superior to other methods.

Individual tree biomass estimation using terrestrial laser scanning

Abstract: Determination of stem and crown biomass requires accurate measurements of individual tree stem, bark, branch and needles. These measurements are time-consuming especially for mature trees. Accurate field measurements can be done only in a destructive manner. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) measurements are a viable option for measuring the reference information needed. TLS measurements provide dense point clouds in which features describing biomass can be extracted for stem form and canopy dimensions. Existing biomass models do not utilise canopy size information and therefore TLS-based estimation methods should improve the accuracy of biomass estimation. The main objective of this study was to estimate single-tree-level aboveground biomass (AGB), based on models developed using TLS data. The modelling dataset included 64 laboratory-measured trees. Models were developed for total AGB, tree stem-, living branch- and dead branch biomass. Modelling results were also compared with existing individual tree-level biomass models and showed that AGB estimation accuracies were improved, compared with those of existing models. However, current biomass models based on diameter-at-breast height (DBH), tree height and species worked rather well for stem- and total biomass. TLS-based models improved estimation accuracies, especially estimation of branch biomass. We suggest the use of stem curve and crown size geometric measurements from TLS data as a basis for allometric biomass models rather than statistical three-dimensional point metrics, since TLS statistical metrics are dependent on various scanning parameters and tree neighbourhood characteristics.

Topographic structure from motion: a new development in photogrammetric measurement

Abstract: The production of topographic datasets is of increasing interest and application throughout the geomorphic sciences, and river science is no exception. Consequently, a wide range of topographic measurement methods have evolved. Despite the range of available methods, the production of high resolution, high quality digital elevation models (DEMs) requires a significant investment in personnel time, hardware and/or software. However, image-based methods such as digital photogrammetry have been decreasing in costs. Developed for the purpose of rapid, inexpensive and easy three-dimensional surveys of buildings or small objects, the ‘structure from motion’ photogrammetric approach (SfM) is an image-based method which could deliver a methodological leap if transferred to geomorphic applications, requires little training and is extremely inexpensive. Using an online SfM program, we created high-resolution digital elevation models of a river environment from ordinary photographs produced from a workflow that takes advantage of free and open source software. This process reconstructs real world scenes from SfM algorithms based on the derived positions of the photographs in three-dimensional space. The basic product of the SfM process is a point cloud of identifiable features present in the input photographs. This point cloud can be georeferenced from a small number of ground control points collected in the field or from measurements of camera positions at the time of image acquisition. The georeferenced point cloud can then be used to create a variety of digital elevation products. We examine the applicability of SfM in the Pedernales River in Texas (USA), where several hundred images taken from a hand-held helikite are used to produce DEMs of the fluvial topographic environment. This test shows that SfM and low-altitude platforms can produce point clouds with point densities comparable with airborne LiDAR, with horizontal and vertical precision in the centimeter range, and with very low capital and labor costs and low expertise levels. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Full-waveform topographic lidar : State-of-the-art

Abstract: Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is an active remote sensing technique providing range data as 3D point clouds. This paper aims at presenting a survey of the literature related to such techniques, with emphasis on the new sensors called full-waveform lidar systems. Indeed, an emitted laser pulse interacts with complex natural and man-made objects leading to a temporal distortion of the returned energy profile. The new technology of full-waveform laser scanning systems permits one to digitize the complete waveform of each backscattered pulse. Full-waveform lidar data give more control to an end user in the interpretation process of the physical measurement and provide additional information about the structure and the physical backscattering characteristics of the illuminated surfaces. In this paper, the theoretical principles of full-waveform airborne laser scanning are first described. Afterwards, a review of the main sensors as well as signal processing techniques are presented. We then discuss the interpretation of full-waveform measures with special interest on vegetated and urban areas.

Detecting and measuring individual trees using an airborne laser scanner

Abstract: High-resolution airborne laser scanner data offer the possibility to detect and measure individual trees. In this study an algorithm which estimated position, height, and crown diameter of individu ...