UAV Cameras in Remote Sensing and Geospatial Imagery

The large format camera has been around for a long time. It has been the preferred option for geospatial imagery applications such as remote sensing for environmental research, coastal zone monitoring and color infrared imaging. It has also been used in geospatial imaging for agriculture and forestry, and urban and regional planning.

In some use cases, the medium format camera has displaced the digital large format camera. This is because the medium format camera is a more cost-effective option and still offers data that has enough quality for certain applications.

However, the large format camera is still the best option for a range of geospatial imagery use-cases. It’s suitable for high-altitude high-resolution orthophotography. With a high image coverage width, it provides extremely high-resolution imagery. The camera usually has high light sensitivity, ensuring good images even in low light conditions. This increases the number of flight hours that is possible per day.

Moreover, cameras in the large format category come with fast frame rates, enabling reliable data acquisition even at fast speeds, for example when the cameras are mounted on aeroplanes. This also allows the mapping of large regions in record time.

Such cameras, used in conjunction with near-infrared cameras, have high utility in pipeline inspection, as well as agriculture and forestry.

High-Value Asset Inspection 

Pipeline Inspection 

Pipeline networks are a high-value asset, one whose maintenance is key not only to the avoidance of huge losses but also to the maintenance of high standards of service delivery. Since pipelines usually cover huge distances, the method used to inspect them should facilitate wide coverage.

Additionally, one goal of inspecting pipelines is to prevent damage before it occurs. For this reason, high resolution images of the pipelines are required. This way, warning signs can be noted and preventive action taken.

Another reason why high-resolution data is needed is to enable the automatic inspection of the data captured. Manually combing through footage may prove unsustainable. As a result, machine learning models are being trained to identify components and analyze their state, thereby automating inspection.

High-quality aerial imaging solutions can be fitted on drones, which can be used to perform fast and reliable inspection on pipelines.

Inspection of Offshore Oil and Gas Installations

Offshore oil rigs are difficult to access and inspect using traditional methods yet the potential loss in case of damage is astronomical. Effective inspection can help take a preemptive approach to the mitigation of damage and loss.

Thankfully, drone imaging technology has advanced to the point where it can be reliably used for the inspection of such high-value assets. For example, by taking advantage of imagery payloads for maverick drones, oil rig inspection can be done easily and cost-effectively.

The use of drones also makes it possible for humans to steer clear off health and safety hazards.

 Drones and Agriculture

Soil and Field Analysis 

Multi-spectral imaging, made possible through the use of UAV cameras, can be used to analyze elemental soil composition and perform landform identification.

Elemental soil composition can be determined through the use of artificial intelligence software. The software is fed with data about the soil’s reflection of electromagnetic waves such as light and Near-Infrared (NIR). Various elements in the soil reflect such waves differently and this can be used to identify them.

Advanced photogrammetry and mapping techniques, powered by drone imaging, can be used for landform identification.

Precision Agriculture 

UAV cameras have proven instrumental in precision agriculture. They collect data that helps farmers make decisions that enhance the sustainability of farming by greatly minimizing the wastage of resources.

Drone footage helps with targeted growth yields by helping farmers make educated decisions when sampling the soil. It also helps monitor erosion, plant density, and nutrient depletion.

Capturing drone footage across a farm helps the farmer be aware of the soil quality of all parts of his land. Such multispectral soil mapping, when performed regularly, can give insight into how crop production is impacting soil quality over time. This helps better manage the land to maintain the tricky balance between productivity and sustainability.

Drones equipped with thermal cameras can be used to identify areas that are receiving too much or too little moisture upon irrigation. Such data can help farmers reduce water logging by maximizing drainage and following natural land run-off.

Crop Health and Damage Analysis 

Advances in technology such as the use of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) have greatly enhanced the information that can be acquired with the use of drone cameras. The market is now proliferated with plug and play payload solutions for drones that provide multi-spectral imaging capabilities. Such solutions incorporate high-resolution RGB cameras and infrared sensors.

Thanks to such multi-sensor solutions, crop diseases can be identified in the initial stages, enabling appropriate action to be taken in time to mitigate loss.

The damage inflicted on crops by phenomena such as floods and pests can be reliably measured and documented through drones, even in areas that would be difficult to access on foot. Captured data can help in claiming crop insurance.

Crop Count 

High-resolution farm data, acquired with the help of drones, together with advanced machine learning algorithms, can be used to track the emergence of crops, predict yield, and inform replanting decisions.

Digital Surface Models

These are models that portray elevations of the field and vegetation. They are developed from high-spatial-resolution RGB images. They help plant crops optimally based on slope direction. In addition, they facilitate irrigation planning and water flow analysis.

Conclusion 

Drone technology has come a long way since its inception. Originally a preserve of the defense industry, it has now been democratized. Additionally, plug and play payload solutions for drones, which come with multiple sensors, are easily accessible.

High-resolution cameras, capable of remote sensing and high-definition images, have been developed such that there’s a solution for almost every geospatial imaging need.

Together, all these factors have led to the dawning of a new age for geospatial imagery. High-value assets can now be inspected with minimal risk. Drone imaging can now be used to facilitate precision agriculture, which is facilitating the use of minimal inputs at a time when environmental sustainability has become a priority.

These are only a few applications and in the near future, the proliferation of drones and drone imaging is inevitable. Both the digital large format camera and the medium format camera will continue to be crucial as new remote sensing use-cases are discovered.