High-resolution image classification with convolutional networks

We address the pixelwise classification of high-resolution aerial imagery. While convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are gaining increasing attention in image analysis, it is still challenging to adapt them to produce fine-grained classification maps. This is due to a well-known trade-off between recognition and localization: the impressive capability of CNNs to recognize meaningful objects comes at the price of losing spatial precision. We here propose an architecture that addresses this issue. It learns features at different levels of detail and also learns a function to combine them. By integrating local and global information in an efficient and flexible manner, it outperforms previous techniques.