Compact multi-spectral sensors that can be mounted on lightweight drones are now widely available and applied within the geo-and environmental sciences. However; the spatial consistency and radiometric quality of data from such sensors is relatively poorly explored beyond the lab; in operational settings and against other sensors. This study explores the extent to which accurate hemispherical-conical reflectance factors (HCRF) and vegetation indices (specifically: normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and chlorophyll red-edge index (CHL) can be derived from a low-cost multispectral drone-mounted sensor (Parrot Sequoia). The drone datasets were assessed using reference panels and a high quality 1 m resolution reference dataset collected near-simultaneously by an airborne imaging spectrometer (HyPlant). Relative errors relating to the radiometric calibration to HCRF values were in the 4 to 15% range whereas deviations assessed for a maize field case study were larger (5 to 28%). Drone-derived vegetation indices showed relatively good agreement for NDVI with both HyPlant and Sentinel 2 products (R2 = 0.91). The HCRF; NDVI and CHL products from the Sequoia showed bias for high and low reflective surfaces. The spatial consistency of the products was high with minimal view angle effects in visible bands. In summary; compact multi-spectral sensors such as the Parrot Sequoia show good potential for use in index-based vegetation monitoring studies across scales but care must be taken when assuming derived HCRF to represent the true optical properties of the imaged surface.

Fawcett, D., Panigada, C., Tagliabue, G., Boschetti, M., Celesti, M., Evdokimov, A., et al. (2020). Multi-scale evaluation of drone-based multispectral surface reflectance and vegetation indices in operational conditions. REMOTE SENSING, 12(3) [10.3390/rs12030514].

Multi-scale evaluation of drone-based multispectral surface reflectance and vegetation indices in operational conditions

Fawcett D.
;
Panigada C.;Tagliabue G.;Celesti M.;Evdokimov A.;Biriukova K.;Colombo R.;
2020

Abstract

Compact multi-spectral sensors that can be mounted on lightweight drones are now widely available and applied within the geo-and environmental sciences. However; the spatial consistency and radiometric quality of data from such sensors is relatively poorly explored beyond the lab; in operational settings and against other sensors. This study explores the extent to which accurate hemispherical-conical reflectance factors (HCRF) and vegetation indices (specifically: normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and chlorophyll red-edge index (CHL) can be derived from a low-cost multispectral drone-mounted sensor (Parrot Sequoia). The drone datasets were assessed using reference panels and a high quality 1 m resolution reference dataset collected near-simultaneously by an airborne imaging spectrometer (HyPlant). Relative errors relating to the radiometric calibration to HCRF values were in the 4 to 15% range whereas deviations assessed for a maize field case study were larger (5 to 28%). Drone-derived vegetation indices showed relatively good agreement for NDVI with both HyPlant and Sentinel 2 products (R2 = 0.91). The HCRF; NDVI and CHL products from the Sequoia showed bias for high and low reflective surfaces. The spatial consistency of the products was high with minimal view angle effects in visible bands. In summary; compact multi-spectral sensors such as the Parrot Sequoia show good potential for use in index-based vegetation monitoring studies across scales but care must be taken when assuming derived HCRF to represent the true optical properties of the imaged surface.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Calibration; Chlorophyll; Drone; Maize; Multispectral; Ndvi; Parrot sequoia; Reflectance; Uav; Vegetation
English
5-feb-2020
2020
12
3
514
open
Fawcett, D., Panigada, C., Tagliabue, G., Boschetti, M., Celesti, M., Evdokimov, A., et al. (2020). Multi-scale evaluation of drone-based multispectral surface reflectance and vegetation indices in operational conditions. REMOTE SENSING, 12(3) [10.3390/rs12030514].
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
10281-275697_VoR.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia di allegato: Publisher’s Version (Version of Record, VoR)
Licenza: Creative Commons
Dimensione 5.63 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
5.63 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/275697
Citazioni
  • Scopus 60
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 55
Social impact