Height　map　estimation　from　a　single　aerial　image　plays　a　crucial　role　in　localization,　mapping,　and　3D　object　detection.　Deep　convolutional　neural　networks　have　been　used　to　predict　height　information　from　single-view　remote　sensing　images,　but　these　methods　rely　on　large　volumes　of　training　data　and　often　overlook　geometric　features　present　in　orthographic　images.　To　address　these　issues,　this　study　proposes　a　gradient-based　self-supervised　learning　network　with　momentum　contrastive　loss　to　extract　geometric　information　from　non-labeled　images　in　the　pretraining　stage.　Additionally,　novel　local　implicit　constraint　layers　are　used　at　multiple　decoding　stages　in　the　proposed　supervised　network　to　refine　high-resolution　features　in　height　estimation.　The　structural-aware　loss　is　also　applied　to　improve　the　robustness　of　the　network　to　positional　shift　and　minor　structural　changes　along　the　boundary　area.　Experimental　evaluation　on　the　ISPRS　benchmark　datasets　shows　that　the　proposed　method　outperforms　other　baseline　networks,　with　minimum　MAE　and　RMSE　of　0.116　and　0.289　for　the　Vaihingen　dataset　and　0.077　and　0.481　for　the　Potsdam　dataset,　respectively.　The　proposed　method　also　shows　around　threefold　data　efficiency　improvements　on　the　Potsdam　dataset　and　domain　generalization　on　the　Enschede　datasets.　These　results　demonstrate　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　method　in　height　map　estimation　from　single-view　remote　sensing　images.　©　2023　The　Author(s).　Published　by　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.