FLORIDA BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL
SURVEYORS AND MAPPERS
PHOTOGRAMMETRY EXAM WITH ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS,
PLUS EXPLAINED RATIONALES/EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED 100% PASS
2026/LATEST UPDATE/INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. In a conventional aerial photogrammetric block, the principal
purpose of providing sufficient forward overlap between successive
photographs is to:
A. Eliminate the need for ground control points
B. Create stereoscopic coverage that permits three-dimensional
measurement
C. Increase the focal length of the camera
D. Eliminate radial distortion from the imagery
Answer: B. Create stereoscopic coverage that permits three-
dimensional measurement
Rationale: Forward overlap allows the same ground features to appear
on successive photographs from different exposure stations. The
resulting parallax provides the geometric information necessary for
stereoscopic viewing and three-dimensional measurement. Ground
control remains necessary for establishing the photogrammetric block
in the required coordinate reference system, and overlap does not itself
eliminate camera distortion.
1
,2. An aerial camera has a focal length of 152 mm. An object on the
ground is 3,040 m below the camera exposure station. Ignoring
terrain relief and atmospheric effects, what approximate
photographic scale results?
A. 1:1,000
B. 1:5,000
C. 1:10,000
D. 1:20,000
Answer: C. 1:20,000
Rationale: Photographic scale is approximately f/H, where f and H
must be expressed in the same units. The focal length is 0.152 m and
flying height above the ground is 3,040 m. Therefore, scale =
0.152/3,040 = 1/20,000. The resulting approximate scale is 1:20,000.
3. A photogrammetrist is evaluating an image in which the same
point appears at different locations on two overlapping
photographs. This displacement primarily represents:
A. Lens distortion
B. Relief displacement/parallax
C. Atmospheric refraction
D. Film shrinkage
Answer: B. Relief displacement/parallax
Rationale: Parallax is the apparent displacement of an object caused
by observing it from different exposure positions. In stereo
photogrammetry, parallax differences provide the basis for
determining elevation. Relief displacement is particularly important
for objects elevated above the reference datum or terrain surface.
2
,4. The principal point of an aerial photograph is best described as:
A. The intersection of the camera's optical axis with the photograph
B. The geographic center of the project area
C. The location of the nearest ground control point
D. The midpoint between two exposure stations
Answer: A. The intersection of the camera's optical axis with the
photograph
Rationale: The principal point is the point where the camera's
perspective axis intersects the image plane. It is a fundamental element
of the interior orientation of a photogrammetric image. It should not
be confused with the project center, exposure-station midpoint, or a
ground-control location.
5. The term “interior orientation” in photogrammetry most directly
refers to determining:
A. The relationship between the photograph and the ground coordinate
system
B. The internal geometric characteristics of the camera and image
C. The position of the aircraft relative to the Earth
D. The orientation of a stereo model relative to another model
Answer: B. The internal geometric characteristics of the camera and
image
Rationale: Interior orientation reconstructs the geometry that existed
inside the camera at exposure. It includes parameters such as focal
length, principal point location, and lens distortion characteristics.
Exterior orientation subsequently establishes the camera's position
and attitude relative to the ground coordinate system.
3
, 6. Which three quantities most directly describe the exterior
orientation of a photogrammetric image?
A. Focal length, principal point, and pixel size
B. X, Y, Z position and three angular attitude parameters
C. Film size, fiducial marks, and focal length
D. Ground sample distance, pixel size, and radiometric resolution
Answer: B. X, Y, Z position and three angular attitude parameters
Rationale: Exterior orientation describes where the camera was
located and how it was oriented at exposure. The position is normally
represented by three coordinates, while orientation is represented by
three rotational elements, commonly omega, phi, and kappa or an
equivalent convention.
7. In a typical photogrammetric coordinate system, the rotation
angle omega is generally associated with rotation about the:
A. X-axis
B. Y-axis
C. Z-axis
D. Optical axis only
Answer: A. X-axis
Rationale: In the commonly used photogrammetric omega-phi-kappa
convention, omega represents rotation about the image/camera X-axis,
phi represents rotation about the Y-axis, and kappa represents rotation
about the Z-axis. Exact sign conventions can vary, but the
fundamental association remains important in photogrammetric
adjustment.
4
SURVEYORS AND MAPPERS
PHOTOGRAMMETRY EXAM WITH ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS,
PLUS EXPLAINED RATIONALES/EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED 100% PASS
2026/LATEST UPDATE/INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. In a conventional aerial photogrammetric block, the principal
purpose of providing sufficient forward overlap between successive
photographs is to:
A. Eliminate the need for ground control points
B. Create stereoscopic coverage that permits three-dimensional
measurement
C. Increase the focal length of the camera
D. Eliminate radial distortion from the imagery
Answer: B. Create stereoscopic coverage that permits three-
dimensional measurement
Rationale: Forward overlap allows the same ground features to appear
on successive photographs from different exposure stations. The
resulting parallax provides the geometric information necessary for
stereoscopic viewing and three-dimensional measurement. Ground
control remains necessary for establishing the photogrammetric block
in the required coordinate reference system, and overlap does not itself
eliminate camera distortion.
1
,2. An aerial camera has a focal length of 152 mm. An object on the
ground is 3,040 m below the camera exposure station. Ignoring
terrain relief and atmospheric effects, what approximate
photographic scale results?
A. 1:1,000
B. 1:5,000
C. 1:10,000
D. 1:20,000
Answer: C. 1:20,000
Rationale: Photographic scale is approximately f/H, where f and H
must be expressed in the same units. The focal length is 0.152 m and
flying height above the ground is 3,040 m. Therefore, scale =
0.152/3,040 = 1/20,000. The resulting approximate scale is 1:20,000.
3. A photogrammetrist is evaluating an image in which the same
point appears at different locations on two overlapping
photographs. This displacement primarily represents:
A. Lens distortion
B. Relief displacement/parallax
C. Atmospheric refraction
D. Film shrinkage
Answer: B. Relief displacement/parallax
Rationale: Parallax is the apparent displacement of an object caused
by observing it from different exposure positions. In stereo
photogrammetry, parallax differences provide the basis for
determining elevation. Relief displacement is particularly important
for objects elevated above the reference datum or terrain surface.
2
,4. The principal point of an aerial photograph is best described as:
A. The intersection of the camera's optical axis with the photograph
B. The geographic center of the project area
C. The location of the nearest ground control point
D. The midpoint between two exposure stations
Answer: A. The intersection of the camera's optical axis with the
photograph
Rationale: The principal point is the point where the camera's
perspective axis intersects the image plane. It is a fundamental element
of the interior orientation of a photogrammetric image. It should not
be confused with the project center, exposure-station midpoint, or a
ground-control location.
5. The term “interior orientation” in photogrammetry most directly
refers to determining:
A. The relationship between the photograph and the ground coordinate
system
B. The internal geometric characteristics of the camera and image
C. The position of the aircraft relative to the Earth
D. The orientation of a stereo model relative to another model
Answer: B. The internal geometric characteristics of the camera and
image
Rationale: Interior orientation reconstructs the geometry that existed
inside the camera at exposure. It includes parameters such as focal
length, principal point location, and lens distortion characteristics.
Exterior orientation subsequently establishes the camera's position
and attitude relative to the ground coordinate system.
3
, 6. Which three quantities most directly describe the exterior
orientation of a photogrammetric image?
A. Focal length, principal point, and pixel size
B. X, Y, Z position and three angular attitude parameters
C. Film size, fiducial marks, and focal length
D. Ground sample distance, pixel size, and radiometric resolution
Answer: B. X, Y, Z position and three angular attitude parameters
Rationale: Exterior orientation describes where the camera was
located and how it was oriented at exposure. The position is normally
represented by three coordinates, while orientation is represented by
three rotational elements, commonly omega, phi, and kappa or an
equivalent convention.
7. In a typical photogrammetric coordinate system, the rotation
angle omega is generally associated with rotation about the:
A. X-axis
B. Y-axis
C. Z-axis
D. Optical axis only
Answer: A. X-axis
Rationale: In the commonly used photogrammetric omega-phi-kappa
convention, omega represents rotation about the image/camera X-axis,
phi represents rotation about the Y-axis, and kappa represents rotation
about the Z-axis. Exact sign conventions can vary, but the
fundamental association remains important in photogrammetric
adjustment.
4
