Combination of Target Detection and Block-matching 3D Filter for Despeckling SAR Images

This Letter proposes a combination of target detection and block-matching 3D filter for despeckling SAR images. The proposed method is able to effectively preserve targets, such as the edges and dots of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, whilst removing noises. In the first step of our proposed method, based on despekling results of bilateral filtering and edge detection of a canny operator, some targets are detected and removed from an SAR image. The second step uses BM3D for denoising the targets-removed image. Finally, the removed targets are added to the despeckled targets-removed image and desirable results can be achieved.