Creating a ground control point file using an existing landmark shown in images

A method for creating a ground control point (GCP) file based on images captured by one or more cameras mounted on one or more vehicles, the method comprising:

• receiving, at processing circuitry, a first image and a second image from the one or more cameras;
• determining, by the processing circuitry, a first location and a first orientation of the one or more cameras at a time when the first image was captured;
• determining, by the processing circuitry, a second location and a second orientation of the one or more cameras at a time when the second image was captured;
• identifying, by the processing circuitry, a first existing landmark in the first image based on a first existing landmark shown in the first image;
• identifying, by the processing circuitry, the first existing landmark in the second image based on the first existing landmark shown in the second image;
• determining, by the processing circuitry, a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude of the first existing landmark shown in the first and second images based on the first and second locations, and the orientations;
• and
• creating, by the processing circuitry, the GCP file including the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the first existing landmark and pixel coordinates of the first existing landmark in the first and second images.

A system for creating a ground control point (GCP) file based on images captured by one or more cameras mounted on one or more vehicles, the system comprising:

• a memory configured to:
• store a first image and a second image with a threshold amount of overlap captured by the one or more cameras;
• and
• store a first location and a first orientation of the one or more cameras at a time when the first image was captured;
• store a second location and a second orientation of the one or more cameras at a time when the second image was captured;
• processing circuitry configured to:
• identify a first existing landmark in the first image based on a first existing landmark shown in the first image;
• identify the first existing landmark in the second image based on the first existing landmark shown in the second image;
• and
• determine that the first existing landmark matches the first and second location and the first and second orientation in the pre-existing database;
• and
• create the GCP file including a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude associated with the entry in the pre-existing database and pixel coordinates of the first existing landmark in the first and second images.