Propagation modeling in land mobile satellite systems using photogrammetry

We present a system that substitutes video image processing for propagation measurements and permits flexible fade simulation of land mobile satellite communication (LMSC) systems. Our method is based on deriving environmental characteristics from fisheye lens videos, using image processing algorithms. We employ the processed images to track the propagation state (clear, shadowed by vegetation or blocked) along the satellite-Earth communication path. Analyzing sequences of images results in a propagation state time series which is input to a channel simulator. In this paper, we present the optical measurement system, the image processing algorithms and channel simulation procedures. Finally, we compare simulation results with actual satellite fade measurements