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Improvements in computer image processing and identification capability have led to programs that can rapidly perform calculations and model the three-dimensional spatial characteristics of objects simply from photographs or video frames. This process, known as structure-from-motion or image based scanning, is a photogrammetric technique that analyzes features of photographs or video frames from multiple angles to create dense surface models or point clouds. Concurrently, unmanned aircraft systems have gained widespread popularity due to their reliability, low-cost, and relative ease of use. These aircraft systems allow for the capture of video or still photographic footage of subjects from unique perspectives. This paper explores the efficacy of using a point cloud created from unmanned aerial vehicle video footage with traditional single-image photogrammetry methods to recreate physical evidence at a crash scene.

When a motorcycle collides with a passenger vehicle, the impact can cause a change in the translational and rotational velocities of the struck vehicle. If these velocity changes, or the magnitude of the translation and rotation of the struck vehicle can be quantified, then these can potentially be used to calculate the impact speed of the motorcycle. There are several methods that could be used for this analysis. The most general and comprehensive solution will be to use one of the widely-accepted accident reconstruction simulation programs - PC-Crash, HVE (the EDSMAC4 or SIMON modules), Virtual CRASH, or VCRware. However, these simulation programs can be time-consuming to apply and not everyone has access to them. It would be useful to have simple formulas for obtaining a reasonable estimate of the motorcycle impact speed based on the observed post-impact translation and rotation of the struck vehicle.