Super-Resolution Terrain Map Enhancement for Navigation Based on Satellite Imagery

Super resolution techniques are commonly used to enhance images and video. The techniques have previously been applied to the enhancement of map data via enhancing aerial imagery. This paper proposes the use of super resolution techniques for enhancing topographic data directly. Specifically, a database-driven super resolution algorithm that is trained with domain-specific patterns is used to enhance topographic digital elevation model (DEM) data from NASA/NGIA SRTM. This enhancement process is evaluated using a elevation-difference evaluation technique where downscaled and enhanced DEM data is compared to the origional higher-resolution data. It is also evaluated with a threshold-based elevation difference metric and visually. The benefits that it might have for flight path planning for a UAV application are discussed. The challenges of using super resolution style techniques on non-visual data are also reviewed.