Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have transformed remote sensing, offering unparalleled flexibility and spatial resolution across diverse applications. Many of these applications rely on mapping flights using snapshot imaging sensors like RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral and thermal cameras. Based on a thorough literature review, this paper provides comprehensive guidelines for executing such mapping flights. It addresses critical aspects of flight preparation and flight execution. Key considerations in flight preparation covered include sensor selection, flight altitude and GSD, flight speed, overlap settings, flight pattern, direction and viewing angle; covered considerations in flight execution include on-site preparations (GCPs, camera settings, sensor calibration and reference targets) as well as on-site conditions (weather conditions, time of the flights) to take into account. In all these steps, high-resolution and high-quality data acquisition needs to be balanced with feasibility constraints such as flight time, data volume and post-flight processing time. The formulated guidelines are based on literature consensus. However, the paper also identifies knowledge gaps for mapping flight settings, particularly in flight direction and for thermal imaging in general. The article aims to advance the harmonization of UAV mapping practices, promoting reproducibility and enhanced data quality across diverse applications.
Source: Remote Sensing
DOI: 10.3390/rs17040606
Author: Wouter H. Maes
Institution: Ghent University
Language: English
Subfield: Geology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W4407409487