3d image based modelling using google earth imagery for 3d landscape modelling

In recent years SfM technique experiments have been innumerable and increasingly refined under metric profiles. The techniques rely on photographic datasets of the objects or landscapes which can require in most cases time consuming and expensive surveys. Recently however there have been increases in the available 3D data of sites worldwide on the Google Earth (GE) platform. This paper presents a unique experimentation that considers integrating readily available datasets from GE and images taken during surveys on ground level for 3D replication without the use of expensive aerial surveys. This will enable practitioners the ability to more easily create 3D models of cultural heritage significance. This paper utilizes the methodology using a church with cultural and architectural significance to the city of Palermo: Santa Caterina D’Alessandria d’Egitto. It aims at verifying the process’ reliability using three chunks of data on the same object; 2 from Ground level cameras and one from GE.