Using UAVs for map creation and updating: a case study in Rwanda

Aerial or satellite images are conventionally used for geospatial data collection. However, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are emerging as a suitable technology for providing very high spatial and temporal resolution data at a low cost. This paper aims to show the potential of using UAVs for map creation and updating. The whole workflow is introduced in the paper, using a case study in Rwanda, where 954 images were collected with a DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus quadcopter. An orthophoto covering 0.095 km2 with a spatial resolution of 3.3 cm was produced and used to extract features with a sub-decimetre accuracy. Quantitative and qualitative control of the UAV data products were performed, indicating that the obtained accuracies comply to international standards. Moreover, possible problems and further perspectives were also discussed. The results demonstrate that UAVs provide promising opportunities to create high-resolution and highly accurate orthophotos, thus facilitating map creation and updating.