diff --git a/Code/Projections/otbSensorModelBase.txx b/Code/Projections/otbSensorModelBase.txx
index 63bc9650f07f264e96be8d65552b3d53b38cca8c..d3aaeebe3f273e088cc0dd848f4d293ca04d8a91 100644
--- a/Code/Projections/otbSensorModelBase.txx
+++ b/Code/Projections/otbSensorModelBase.txx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ SensorModelBase< TScalarType,NInputDimensions,NOutputDimensions>
   m_DEMHandler = DEMHandlerType::New();
   m_UseDEM = false;
   m_DEMIsLoaded = false;
-  m_AverageElevation = -32768.0;
+  m_AverageElevation = 0.0;
 
 }