In order to acquire the geographic location information of sea-surface, aiming at feature that sea-surface elevation is known. A self-location algorithm independent of ranging equipment was developed. The paper uses camera's position and attitude information measured by position and orientation system which rigid connect with camera. Then the paper compensates the lever arm which comes from GPS Antenna phase center and camera center of photography. So that accuracy position was got. The collinearity equation is built by the camera's position, attitude and the known sea-surface elevation which equals zero to calculate target geodetic coordinates. The error model is built basing on total differential method. At last the location error of different detection range and angles of strabismus is analysed. © COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.