Automatic map-guided extraction of roads from SPOT imagery for cartographic database updating

The launching of the Satellite Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) has permitted the acquisition of images with a relatively fine ground resolution (10 and 20 m). Such improvement has brought forward the possibility of medium-scale mapping using such data. In this paper we are proposing an automatic approach to 1:50000 scale planimetric data revision using the panchromatic channel of SPOT imagery (10m of ground resolution). A software package has been developed that performs an automatic map-guided extraction of objects from the SPOT image for map revision purposes. The programs are fully described along with some conclusive results through the updating of the road network on a topographic map. An attempt has been made to give a preview of how such a map-guided approach can be extended to other linear features and possibly two-dimensional objects as well.