Agricultural Remote Sensing using Radio‐Controlled Model Aircraft

Abstract

Radio-controlled model aircraft may be useful as a platform for agricultural remote sensing because the data have high spatial resolution and the aircraft can be flown over individual fields in a timely manner. As a test of concept, an automatic 35-mm camera with color-infrared film was mounted on a fixed-wing radio-controlled model aircraft and flown over a field of corn (Zea mays L.) with three different planting dates and with various levels of applied N. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated from scanned images of the photographic transparencies. Images of the same field were acquired on two dates using the AISA sensor, flown on-board a conventional aircraft. The color-infrared NDVI was linearly related to that obtained by the AISA sensor, NDVI from neither sensor was related to the level of applied N. Cameras on-board radio-controlled model aircraft can provide useful data on plant growth and cover; the low cost of the system may offset some of the limitations with this technology.