在分析SPOT卫星图象阴影与建筑物实际高度关系的基础上，阐述了依据图象建筑物来估算城市建筑物高度的原理和方法，进而探讨了以数据融合为手段的，从SPOT全色图象中准确界定阴影范围的方法，并以此为基础，研究出了一种基于图象阴影特征的城市建筑物高分级及其分布信息自生成技术，在以北京市为例的试验中，建筑物高度分级结果的抽样验证准确率达80％以上，显示出卫星遥感在城市应用方面的巨大潜力。

This paper shows one of the demonstrating results of remote sensing information processing researches in China Remote Sensing Satellite Ground Station, CAS. Based on the analysis of the relationship between the building heights and the shadows in panchromatic SPOT image, the paper presents the principle and the method for building heights estimation in a city from the shadows of an image. And works out a feasible approach for determining shadow zones in a panchromatic SPOT image. It has also contributed an automatic technique for extracting buildings' distribution information of different heights in a city from the shadows in a panchromatic SPOT image. Different from the previous studies mentioned in published articles, of which they focused on height setimation of single object or several buildings. The most important challenge of this paper is how to extract buildings' distribution information of different heights in a city from the shasows in a panchromatic SPOT image automatically. Although the basci law for height calculating addressed in this paper is similar to what the used.A result with above 80% accuracy has been achieved while applying this technique to Beijing City, which has demonstrated prospecting applications of satellite remote sensing for urban purposes.