TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ljubičić, Robert
AU  - Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato
AU  - Zindović, Budo
PY  - 2023
UR  - https://grafar.grf.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3374
AB  - Image-based hydrological measurement techniques have surged in popularity over the last decade, with the most common type of data obtained being the open-channel surface velocity field and flow rate. The lack of a feature-rich image velocimetry software often forces practitioners to use multiple tools as part of a cumbersome workflow, which restricts the uptake of such methods and reduces the reproducibility of results. We present the free and open-source software SSIMS-Flow, which handles extraction of video frames, removal of geometric distortions, video stabilization, orthorectification, image enhancement, and velocity and flow rate estimation using the Farnebäck optical flow method improved with specific pooling techniques developed in this study. SSIMS-Flow performance is tested in two case studies and compared with direct reference values and those obtained using industry-standard PIVlab software. In low seeding and tracerless conditions, SSIMS-Flow demonstrates higher velocity estimation accuracy, while delivering several times faster computational runtime.
PB  - Elsevier
T2  - Environmental Modelling and Software
T1  - SSIMS-Flow: Image velocimetry workbench for open-channel flow rate estimation
DO  - 10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105938
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Ljubičić, Robert and Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato and Zindović, Budo",
year = "2023",
abstract = "Image-based hydrological measurement techniques have surged in popularity over the last decade, with the most common type of data obtained being the open-channel surface velocity field and flow rate. The lack of a feature-rich image velocimetry software often forces practitioners to use multiple tools as part of a cumbersome workflow, which restricts the uptake of such methods and reduces the reproducibility of results. We present the free and open-source software SSIMS-Flow, which handles extraction of video frames, removal of geometric distortions, video stabilization, orthorectification, image enhancement, and velocity and flow rate estimation using the Farnebäck optical flow method improved with specific pooling techniques developed in this study. SSIMS-Flow performance is tested in two case studies and compared with direct reference values and those obtained using industry-standard PIVlab software. In low seeding and tracerless conditions, SSIMS-Flow demonstrates higher velocity estimation accuracy, while delivering several times faster computational runtime.",
publisher = "Elsevier",
journal = "Environmental Modelling and Software",
title = "SSIMS-Flow: Image velocimetry workbench for open-channel flow rate estimation",
doi = "10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105938"
}

Ljubičić, R., Dal Sasso, S. F.,& Zindović, B.. (2023). SSIMS-Flow: Image velocimetry workbench for open-channel flow rate estimation. in Environmental Modelling and Software
Elsevier..
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105938

Ljubičić R, Dal Sasso SF, Zindović B. SSIMS-Flow: Image velocimetry workbench for open-channel flow rate estimation. in Environmental Modelling and Software. 2023;.
doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105938 .

Ljubičić, Robert, Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato, Zindović, Budo, "SSIMS-Flow: Image velocimetry workbench for open-channel flow rate estimation" in Environmental Modelling and Software (2023),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2023.105938 . .

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Ljubičić, Robert
AU  - Strelnikova, Dariia
AU  - Perks, Matthew
AU  - Eltner, Anette
AU  - Peña-Haro, Salvador
AU  - Pizarro, Alonso
AU  - Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato
AU  - Scherling, Ulf
AU  - Vuono, Pietro
AU  - Manfreda, Salvatore
PY  - 2021
UR  - https://grafar.grf.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2413
AB  - While the availability and affordability of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has led to the rapid development of remote sensing applications in hydrology and hydrometry, uncertainties related to such measurements must be quantified and mitigated. The physical instability of the UAS platform inevitably induces motion in the acquired videos and can have a significant impact on the accuracy of camera-based measurements, such as velocimetry. A common practice in data preprocessing is compensation of platform-induced motion by means of digital image stabilisation (DIS) methods, which use the visual information from the captured videos – in the form of static features – to first estimate and then compensate for such motion. Most existing stabilisation approaches rely either on customised tools developed in-house, based on different algorithms, or on general purpose commercial software. Intercomparison of different stabilisation tools for UAS remote sensing purposes that could serve as a basis for selecting a particular tool in given conditions has not been found in the literature. In this paper, we have attempted to summarise and describe several freely available DIS tools applicable to UAS velocimetry. A total of seven tools – six aimed specifically at velocimetry and one general purpose software – were investigated in terms of their (1) stabilisation accuracy in various conditions, (2) robustness, (3) computational complexity, and (4) user experience, using three case study videos with different flight and ground conditions. In an attempt to adequately quantify the accuracy of the stabilisation using different tools, we have also presented a comparison metric based on root mean squared differences (RMSDs) of inter-frame pixel intensities for selected static features. The most apparent differences between the investigated tools have been found with regards to the method for identifying static features in videos, i.e. manual selection of features or automatic. State-of-the-art methods which rely on automatic selection of features require fewer user-provided parameters and are able to select a significantly higher number of potentially static features (by several orders of magnitude) when compared to the methods which require manual identification of such features. This allows the former to achieve a higher stabilisation accuracy, but manual feature selection methods have demonstrated lower computational complexity and better robustness in complex field conditions. While this paper does not intend to identify the optimal stabilisation tool for UAS-based velocimetry purposes, it does aim to shed light on details of implementation, which can help engineers and researchers choose the tool suitable for their needs and specific field conditions. Additionally, the RMSD comparison metric presented in this paper can be used in order to measure the velocity estimation uncertainty induced by UAS motion.
PB  - Copernicus, EGU
T2  - Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
T1  - A comparison of tools and techniques for stabilising unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for surface flow observations
VL  - 25
DO  - 10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Ljubičić, Robert and Strelnikova, Dariia and Perks, Matthew and Eltner, Anette and Peña-Haro, Salvador and Pizarro, Alonso and Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato and Scherling, Ulf and Vuono, Pietro and Manfreda, Salvatore",
year = "2021",
abstract = "While the availability and affordability of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has led to the rapid development of remote sensing applications in hydrology and hydrometry, uncertainties related to such measurements must be quantified and mitigated. The physical instability of the UAS platform inevitably induces motion in the acquired videos and can have a significant impact on the accuracy of camera-based measurements, such as velocimetry. A common practice in data preprocessing is compensation of platform-induced motion by means of digital image stabilisation (DIS) methods, which use the visual information from the captured videos – in the form of static features – to first estimate and then compensate for such motion. Most existing stabilisation approaches rely either on customised tools developed in-house, based on different algorithms, or on general purpose commercial software. Intercomparison of different stabilisation tools for UAS remote sensing purposes that could serve as a basis for selecting a particular tool in given conditions has not been found in the literature. In this paper, we have attempted to summarise and describe several freely available DIS tools applicable to UAS velocimetry. A total of seven tools – six aimed specifically at velocimetry and one general purpose software – were investigated in terms of their (1) stabilisation accuracy in various conditions, (2) robustness, (3) computational complexity, and (4) user experience, using three case study videos with different flight and ground conditions. In an attempt to adequately quantify the accuracy of the stabilisation using different tools, we have also presented a comparison metric based on root mean squared differences (RMSDs) of inter-frame pixel intensities for selected static features. The most apparent differences between the investigated tools have been found with regards to the method for identifying static features in videos, i.e. manual selection of features or automatic. State-of-the-art methods which rely on automatic selection of features require fewer user-provided parameters and are able to select a significantly higher number of potentially static features (by several orders of magnitude) when compared to the methods which require manual identification of such features. This allows the former to achieve a higher stabilisation accuracy, but manual feature selection methods have demonstrated lower computational complexity and better robustness in complex field conditions. While this paper does not intend to identify the optimal stabilisation tool for UAS-based velocimetry purposes, it does aim to shed light on details of implementation, which can help engineers and researchers choose the tool suitable for their needs and specific field conditions. Additionally, the RMSD comparison metric presented in this paper can be used in order to measure the velocity estimation uncertainty induced by UAS motion.",
publisher = "Copernicus, EGU",
journal = "Hydrology and Earth System Sciences",
title = "A comparison of tools and techniques for stabilising unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for surface flow observations",
volume = "25",
doi = "10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021"
}

Ljubičić, R., Strelnikova, D., Perks, M., Eltner, A., Peña-Haro, S., Pizarro, A., Dal Sasso, S. F., Scherling, U., Vuono, P.,& Manfreda, S.. (2021). A comparison of tools and techniques for stabilising unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for surface flow observations. in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Copernicus, EGU., 25.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021

Ljubičić R, Strelnikova D, Perks M, Eltner A, Peña-Haro S, Pizarro A, Dal Sasso SF, Scherling U, Vuono P, Manfreda S. A comparison of tools and techniques for stabilising unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for surface flow observations. in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 2021;25.
doi:10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021 .

Ljubičić, Robert, Strelnikova, Dariia, Perks, Matthew, Eltner, Anette, Peña-Haro, Salvador, Pizarro, Alonso, Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato, Scherling, Ulf, Vuono, Pietro, Manfreda, Salvatore, "A comparison of tools and techniques for stabilising unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery for surface flow observations" in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 25 (2021),
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5105-2021 . .

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Perks, Matthew T.
AU  - Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato
AU  - Hauet, Alexandre
AU  - Jamieson, Elizabeth
AU  - Le Coz, Jérôme
AU  - Pearce, Sophie
AU  - Peña-Haro, Salvador
AU  - Pizarro, Alonso
AU  - Strelnikova, Dariia
AU  - Tauro, Flavia
AU  - Bomhof, James
AU  - Grimaldi, Salvatore
AU  - Goulet, Alain
AU  - Hortobágyi, Borbála
AU  - Jodeau, Magali
AU  - Käfer, Sabine
AU  - Ljubičić, Robert
AU  - Maddock, Ian
AU  - Mayr, Peter
AU  - Paulus, Gernot
AU  - Pénard, Lionel
AU  - Sinclair, Leigh
AU  - Manfreda, Salvatore
PY  - 2020
UR  - https://grafar.grf.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2012
AB  - Since the turn of the 21st century, image-based velocimetry techniques have become an increasingly popular approach for determining open-channel flow in a range of hydrological settings across Europe and beyond. Simultaneously, a range of large-scale image velocimetry algorithms have been developed that are equipped with differing image pre-processing and analytical capabilities. Yet in operational hydrometry, these techniques are utilised by few competent authorities. Therefore, imagery collected for image velocimetry analysis (along with reference data) is required both to enable inter-comparisons between these differing approaches and to test their overall efficacy. Through benchmarking exercises, it will be possible to assess which approaches are best suited for a range of fluvial settings, and to focus future software developments. Here we collate and describe datasets acquired from seven countries across Europe and North America, consisting of videos that have been subjected to a range of pre-processing and image velocimetry analyses (Perks et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.4121/uuid:014d56f7-06dd-49ad-a48c-2282ab10428e). Reference data are available for 12 of the 13 case studies presented, enabling these data to be used for reference and accuracy assessment.
PB  - Copernicus Publications
T2  - Earth System Science Data
T1  - Towards harmonisation of image velocimetry techniques for river surface velocity observations
IS  - 3
VL  - 12
DO  - 10.5194/essd-12-1545-2020
ER  - 

@article{
author = "Perks, Matthew T. and Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato and Hauet, Alexandre and Jamieson, Elizabeth and Le Coz, Jérôme and Pearce, Sophie and Peña-Haro, Salvador and Pizarro, Alonso and Strelnikova, Dariia and Tauro, Flavia and Bomhof, James and Grimaldi, Salvatore and Goulet, Alain and Hortobágyi, Borbála and Jodeau, Magali and Käfer, Sabine and Ljubičić, Robert and Maddock, Ian and Mayr, Peter and Paulus, Gernot and Pénard, Lionel and Sinclair, Leigh and Manfreda, Salvatore",
year = "2020",
abstract = "Since the turn of the 21st century, image-based velocimetry techniques have become an increasingly popular approach for determining open-channel flow in a range of hydrological settings across Europe and beyond. Simultaneously, a range of large-scale image velocimetry algorithms have been developed that are equipped with differing image pre-processing and analytical capabilities. Yet in operational hydrometry, these techniques are utilised by few competent authorities. Therefore, imagery collected for image velocimetry analysis (along with reference data) is required both to enable inter-comparisons between these differing approaches and to test their overall efficacy. Through benchmarking exercises, it will be possible to assess which approaches are best suited for a range of fluvial settings, and to focus future software developments. Here we collate and describe datasets acquired from seven countries across Europe and North America, consisting of videos that have been subjected to a range of pre-processing and image velocimetry analyses (Perks et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.4121/uuid:014d56f7-06dd-49ad-a48c-2282ab10428e). Reference data are available for 12 of the 13 case studies presented, enabling these data to be used for reference and accuracy assessment.",
publisher = "Copernicus Publications",
journal = "Earth System Science Data",
title = "Towards harmonisation of image velocimetry techniques for river surface velocity observations",
number = "3",
volume = "12",
doi = "10.5194/essd-12-1545-2020"
}

Perks, M. T., Dal Sasso, S. F., Hauet, A., Jamieson, E., Le Coz, J., Pearce, S., Peña-Haro, S., Pizarro, A., Strelnikova, D., Tauro, F., Bomhof, J., Grimaldi, S., Goulet, A., Hortobágyi, B., Jodeau, M., Käfer, S., Ljubičić, R., Maddock, I., Mayr, P., Paulus, G., Pénard, L., Sinclair, L.,& Manfreda, S.. (2020). Towards harmonisation of image velocimetry techniques for river surface velocity observations. in Earth System Science Data
Copernicus Publications., 12(3).
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1545-2020

Perks MT, Dal Sasso SF, Hauet A, Jamieson E, Le Coz J, Pearce S, Peña-Haro S, Pizarro A, Strelnikova D, Tauro F, Bomhof J, Grimaldi S, Goulet A, Hortobágyi B, Jodeau M, Käfer S, Ljubičić R, Maddock I, Mayr P, Paulus G, Pénard L, Sinclair L, Manfreda S. Towards harmonisation of image velocimetry techniques for river surface velocity observations. in Earth System Science Data. 2020;12(3).
doi:10.5194/essd-12-1545-2020 .

Perks, Matthew T., Dal Sasso, Silvano Fortunato, Hauet, Alexandre, Jamieson, Elizabeth, Le Coz, Jérôme, Pearce, Sophie, Peña-Haro, Salvador, Pizarro, Alonso, Strelnikova, Dariia, Tauro, Flavia, Bomhof, James, Grimaldi, Salvatore, Goulet, Alain, Hortobágyi, Borbála, Jodeau, Magali, Käfer, Sabine, Ljubičić, Robert, Maddock, Ian, Mayr, Peter, Paulus, Gernot, Pénard, Lionel, Sinclair, Leigh, Manfreda, Salvatore, "Towards harmonisation of image velocimetry techniques for river surface velocity observations" in Earth System Science Data, 12, no. 3 (2020),
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-1545-2020 . .