Research project SR/00/146 (Research action SR)
With the increased interest of the scientific and public community in high resolution remote sensing products and the advent of newly developed high-end airborne sensors, the need for a reliable processing chain which is able to produce a variety of qualitative data products is pertinent. In the framework of the MEDUSA (high altitude UAV sensor) and APEX sensor development and yearly hyperspectral campaigns, VITO has developed a processing chain for airborne data, further referenced as CDPC (Central Data Processing Centre). Currently the CDPC is able to process data from video, hyperspectral pushbroom and whiskbroom and frame cameras.
Objective
The PROCESS project is aimed to extend the current processing chain with two new sensors and provide a processing service for a large variety of airborne datasets to the international user community. These sensors are
(i) a thermal sensor, owned and operated by the Gabriel Lippman Institute and
(ii) the HYPLANT sensor, a hyperspectral sensor for retrieval of sun-induced fluorescence sensor, owned and operated by the Research Centre Jülich Institute.
Method
The approach to reach the objectives as stated above is three-folded. The first one is to customize the data and metadata of the 2 new sensors in such a way that they can be integrated in the CDPC in a smooth way. The partners will be required to deliver the sensor (meta)data in a predefined format to ensure data quality and completeness. The second part consists in customizing the processing chain to specific user requirements and providing the necessary validation to ensure an operational processing in the future. For each of the sensors a dedicated processing chain will be developed. Product uncertainty assessment will be executed by means of the Monte Carlo error propagation technique which allows to study all sources of uncertainty and quantify the total uncertainty associated with the image product. As a last part of the project, the workflow will be demonstrated to both data providers, potential new users and other interested parties to get the necessary final feedback.
Result
The methodology as described above is divided into 11 Work Packages:
WP2: Description and review of metadata and data formats of new sensors
WP3: Review and definition archiving format HDF5
WP4: Extending existing database with auxiliary data
WP5: Choice of algorithmic components
WP6: Product definition
WP7: Description and review of hardware and middleware
WP8: Uncertainty propagation and validation
WP9: Design protocol for quality control
WP10: Review GUI elements and update website
WP11: Stress testing
WP12: Demonstration and update after first data delivery
