I've learn remote sensing while I'm studying in university. I found this thing is very interesting & I feel like a scientist or astronaut when I learn this thing. Ok, what is Remote Sensing? It is a science in which an object is observed from a distance & analysis without touching the object. This is similar to the principle of seeing an object with our own eyes. In remote sensing the observed object is the earth's surface. The platform is a satellite or an airplane. Sensors in the platform may represent either a passive sensor (which depends on the sun for a radiating object) or active sensors (which does not depend on the sun). Remote sensing can be divided into three segments, namely space segment, ground segment & consumer segments.
Among the uses of remote sensing are:
1. Environmental monitoring - Detect illegal logging activities in the catchment area & Detecting illegal exploration of forest reserves, mangrove swamps & watersheds.
Coral reef monitoring using Landsat satellite
2. Management of natural resources - A tool to plan & manage areas such as watersheds, nature reserves & others. It also can detect areas that may experience landslides.
3. Disaster management - Flood management, preventive & corrective actions.
4. Infrastructure planning - Roads, highways, power lines / electrical or proposed pipeline. Beside that, the proposed tower construction area of telecommunications (by using the 3D satellite image).
3-D images derived from Landsat-7 image
5. Geological applications - Review of the geological structure of the earth.
6. Recognize the types of land uses - Identify the types of land uses and different types of agriculture.
7. Review the impact of natural phenomena and man-made phenomenon.
8. Detect oil spills.
Black lines indicate the oil spill
9. National Security - Military Information Systems & management of national security.
Actually there are many more uses remote sensing to humans and the environment. Therefore, we must learn and apply it.
