Remote Sensing
Remote Sensing is a generic term for types of satellite or high-altitude aviation imagery that contains bands outside of the visual spectrum, or uses a novel method of capturing images that the human eye would otherwise be unable to see.
"Where we're going, we won't need eyes to see" - Sam Neill, Event Horizon
How to get remote sensing data
As with most imagery, remote sensing data tends to fall into one of two categories: freely available and low resolution (to a technical user), or high quality and easy to use but absurdly expensive. If you have to ask how expensive, odds are you simply don't have the money.[1] This is all to assume that you can even open the data and use it- the software to do so is either proprietary, clunky, or both.[Citation NOT needed but provided anyways][2]
However, as time goes on, more and more is slowly becoming available.[3] (Todo: if anyone can figure out the prices for various providers, here would be a good place to put them)
Free remote sensing data sources
- NASA (EarthExplorer, various)
- ESA (Sentinel-1)
Paid remote sensing data sources
- Capella (SAR)
- Hawkeye 360
- ICEYE
Types
NIR (Near-Infrared)
Many satellite imagery providers (e.g. Planet 0.5m) include NIR bands. NIR puts particular emphasis on plants and vegetation, and can be used to calculate A common method of analysis is to simply use the imagery as you would optical, but replace the "red" band (e.g. in Qgis) with the NIR data.
SAR
todo
Other
todo: talk about how you can detect ice, snow, fire, etc. by doing veeery specific band math in e.g. qgis. Maybe write a guide on it?