METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MATCHING 3-DIMENSIONAL TERRAIN INFORMATION USING HETEROGENEOUS ALTITUDE AERIAL IMAGES

Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for matching 3D terrain information based on aerial images captured at different altitudes. The method includes receiving a high-altitude numerical height model based on a terrain image captured at a specific high altitude; receiving 3D terrain information observed from a low altitude, which is generated based on a terrain image captured at an altitude lower than the specific high altitude; generating a low-altitude numerical height model by converting the 3D terrain information into a numerical model in the same form as the high-altitude numerical height model; measuring the cross-correlation between the high-altitude numerical height model and the low-altitude numerical height model, thereby calculating matching parameters for enabling the low-altitude numerical height model to match the high-altitude numerical height model; and adjusting the geospatial coordinates of the 3D terrain information based on the matching parameters and outputting georeferenced 3D terrain information in the same coordinate system as the high-altitude numerical height model.