Deep learning in remote sensing: a review

Standing at the paradigm shift towards data-intensive science, machine learning techniques are becoming increasingly important. In particular, as a major breakthrough in the field, deep learning has proven as an extremely powerful tool in many fields. Shall we embrace deep learning as the key to all? Or, should we resist a 'black-box' solution? There are controversial opinions in the remote sensing community. In this article, we analyze the challenges of using deep learning for remote sensing data analysis, review the recent advances, and provide resources to make deep learning in remote sensing ridiculously simple to start with. More importantly, we advocate remote sensing scientists to bring their expertise into deep learning, and use it as an implicit general model to tackle unprecedented large-scale influential challenges, such as climate change and urbanization.Comment: Accepted for publication IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazin

Surface temperatures in New York City: Geospatial data enables the accurate prediction of radiative heat transfer

Three decades into the research seeking to derive the urban energy budget, the dynamics of the thermal exchange between the densely built infrastructure and the environment are still not well understood. We present a novel hybrid experimental-numerical approach for the analysis of the radiative heat transfer in New York City. The aim of this work is to contribute to the calculation of the urban energy budget, in particular the stored energy. Improved understanding of urban thermodynamics incorporating the interaction of the various bodies will have implications on energy conservation at the building scale, as well as human health and comfort at the urban scale. The platform presented is based on longwave hyperspectral imaging of nearly 100 blocks of Manhattan, and a geospatial radiosity model that describes the collective radiative heat exchange between multiple buildings. The close comparison of temperature values derived from measurements and the computed surface temperatures (including streets and roads) implies that this geospatial, thermodynamic numerical model applied to urban structures, is promising for accurate and high resolution analysis of urban surface temperatures.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

A Comprehensive Survey of Deep Learning in Remote Sensing: Theories, Tools and Challenges for the Community

In recent years, deep learning (DL), a re-branding of neural networks (NNs), has risen to the top in numerous areas, namely computer vision (CV), speech recognition, natural language processing, etc. Whereas remote sensing (RS) possesses a number of unique challenges, primarily related to sensors and applications, inevitably RS draws from many of the same theories as CV; e.g., statistics, fusion, and machine learning, to name a few. This means that the RS community should be aware of, if not at the leading edge of, of advancements like DL. Herein, we provide the most comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art RS DL research. We also review recent new developments in the DL field that can be used in DL for RS. Namely, we focus on theories, tools and challenges for the RS community. Specifically, we focus on unsolved challenges and opportunities as it relates to (i) inadequate data sets, (ii) human-understandable solutions for modelling physical phenomena, (iii) Big Data, (iv) non-traditional heterogeneous data sources, (v) DL architectures and learning algorithms for spectral, spatial and temporal data, (vi) transfer learning, (vii) an improved theoretical understanding of DL systems, (viii) high barriers to entry, and (ix) training and optimizing the DL.Comment: 64 pages, 411 references. To appear in Journal of Applied Remote Sensin

Pixel Purity Index Algorithm and N-Dimensional Visualization For ETM+ Image Analysis: A Case of District Vehari

The hyperspectral image analysis technique one of the most advanced remote sensing tools has been used as a possible means of identifying from a single pixel or in the field of view of the sensor An important problem in hyperspectral image processing is to decompose the mixed pixels into the information that contribute to the pixel endmember and a set of corresponding fractions of the spectral signature in the pixel abundances and this problem is known as un-mixing The effectiveness of the hyperspectral image analysis technique used in this study lies in their ability to compare a pixel spectrum with the spectra of known pure vegetation extracted from the spectral endmember selection procedures including the reflectance calibration of Landsat ETM image using ENVI software minimum noise fraction MNF pixel purity index PPI and n-dimensional visualization The Endmember extraction is one of the most fundamental and crucial tasks in hyperspectral data exploitation an ultimate goal of an endmember extraction algorithm is to find the purest form of spectrally distinct resource information of a scene The endmember extraction tendency to the type of endmembers being derived and the number of endmembers estimated by an algorithm with respect to the number of spectral bands and the number of pixels being processed also the required input data and the kind of noise if any in the signal model surveying done Results of the present study using the hyperspectral image analysis technique ascertain that Landsat ETM data can be used to generate valuable vegetative information for the District Vehari Punjab Province Pakista

Precise identification of objects in a hyperspectral image by characterizing the distribution of pure signatures

Hyperspectral image (HSI) has been widely adopted in many real-world applications due to its potential to provide detailed information from spectral and spatial data in each pixel. However, precise classification of an object from HSI is challenging due to complex and highly correlated features that exhibit a nonlinear relationship between the acquired spectral unique to the HSI object. In literature, many research works have been conducted to address this problem. However, the problem of processing high-dimensional data and achieving the best resolution factor for any set of regions remains to be evolved with a suitable strategy. Therefore, the proposed study introduces simplified modeling of the hyperspectral image in which precise detection of regions is carried out based on the characterization of pure signatures based on the estimation of the maximum pixel mixing ratio. Moreover, the proposed system emphasizes the pixel unmixing problem, where input data is processed concerning wavelength computation, feature extraction, and hypercube construction. Further, a non-iterative matrix-based operation with a linear square method is performed to classify the region from the input hyperspectral image. The simulation outcome exhibits efficient and precise object classification is achieved by the proposed system in terms classified HSI object and processing time

Using Unmanned Aerial Systems for Deriving Forest Stand Characteristics in Mixed Hardwoods of West Virginia

Forest inventory information is a principle driver for forest management decisions. Information gathered through these inventories provides a summary of the condition of forested stands. The method by which remote sensing aids land managers is changing rapidly. Imagery produced from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) offer high temporal and spatial resolutions to small-scale forest management. UAS imagery is less expensive and easier to coordinate to meet project needs compared to traditional manned aerial imagery. This study focused on producing an efficient and approachable work flow for producing forest stand board volume estimates from UAS imagery in mixed hardwood stands of West Virginia. A supplementary aim of this project was to evaluate which season was best to collect imagery for forest inventory. True color imagery was collected with a DJI Phantom 3 Professional UAS and was processed in Agisoft Photoscan Professional. Automated tree crown segmentation was performed with Trimble eCognition Developer’s multi-resolution segmentation function with manual optimization of parameters through an iterative process. Individual tree volume metrics were derived from field data relationships and volume estimates were processed in EZ CRUZ forest inventory software. The software, at best, correctly segmented 43% of the individual tree crowns. No correlation between season of imagery acquisition and quality of segmentation was shown. Volume and other stand characteristics were not accurately estimated and were faulted by poor segmentation. However, the imagery was able to capture gaps consistently and provide a visualization of forest health. Difficulties, successes and time required for these procedures were thoroughly noted