Photogrammetry 101

Photogrammetry has been in use for centuries and for many different uses. The Tomahawk Cruise missile, for example, uses an advanced form of sophisticated photogrammetry to guide it to its intended target. Photogrammetry in accident reconstruction is used to supplement or verify existing scene measurements. It may also be used to create scene measurements when there were none taken on the date of the accident.  All, of course, are contingent on good, reliable photographs. In instances where little or maybe no measurements were taken at an accident scene where other evidence of significance was overlooked and may be visible in the scene photos the use of photogrammetry to place those pieces of significant evidence can mean the difference between determining if one has a case worth pursuing or not.

In this subject case the fluid spill became a significant piece of evidence, but had not been measure-documented at the time of the accident. Only photographic documentation (Fig. 1) was available. Knowing, however, some specifics about typical highway lane striping and utilizing a date-sensitive aerial photo, basic assumptions could be made about lane line separation and roadway widths. With these known physical characteristics the needed physical evidence could be placed on a scale diagram (Fig. 2) by a simple method of photogrammetry. At BEC Consulting we can use this simple method of photogrammetry to locate and diagram physical evidence for your cases that were not thoroughly and completely measure-documented at the time of the accident.