ABSTRACT
In a more restricted sense, remote sensing refers to the science and technology of acquiring information about the earth’s surface (land and ocean) and atmosphere using sensors onboard airborne (aircraft and balloons) or spaceborne (satellites and space shuttles) platforms. Depending on the scope, remote sensing may be divided into (1) satellite remote sensing, when satellite platforms are used; (2) photography and photogrammetry, when photographs are used to capture visible light; (3) thermal remote sensing, when the thermal infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum is used; (4) radio detection and ranging (radar) remote sensing, when microwave wavelengths are used; and (5) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing, when laser pulses are transmitted toward the ground and the distance between the sensor and the ground is measured based on the return time of each pulse. Remote sensing has now been integrated with other modern geospatial technologies such as geographic information system (GIS), global positioning system (GPS), and mobile mapping.
