System and method for processing images of a ground surface

A controller for facilitating the taking of a series of partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, said controller being configured to:

• acquire, while said aircraft or said spacecraft is moving, a plurality of images with said camera at different instants in time, said different instants in time being separated by a series of time intervals;
• obtain during said moving, position information representative of a position of said aircraft or said spacecraft and orientation information representative of an orientation of said aircraft or said spacecraft;
• use said position information, said orientation information, and a viewing angle of said camera to determine maximal values of said time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap are able to be obtained;
• and
• calculate time intervals between consecutive images maximized towards said maximal values so as to minimize the number of images required to maintain a predetermined amount of spatial overlap,
• wherein said acquiring comprises capturing images at a fixed capturing frequency and temporarily storing said captured images;
• and wherein said adjusting of said intervals comprises discarding images from among said captured images so as to retain a minimal number of said images while maintaining said predetermined amount of spatial overlap.