Location of air-borne SAR imagery without GCPs and error analysis

A latitude-longitude positioning-method has been developed to determine the location of air-borne SAR(Synthetic Aperture Radar) imagery without GCPs(Ground Control Points) based on the F. Leberl Model by using GPS(Global Positioning System)/INS(Inertial Navigation System) system and errors caused by the system are analyzed. By using the measurement-data of the GPS/INS system, the geographical coordinate value of the target can be gotten by combining the three equations: SAR Range Equation, SAR Zero-Doppler Equation and SAR Height Equation. Then the latitude-longitude value of the target can be calculated. This method has an advantage over previous methods in that the iterative algorithm which has to choose a initial point and the roll/pitch of the plane need not to be considered. The numerical experimental result demonstrated the validity of the positioning-method, and depending on the result of the error analysis, some useful applications are recommended.