Hyperspectral imaging is an extremely powerful airborne remote sensing tool. The Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) 1 operated by the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) has been the standard-bearer for airborne imaging spectrometers since the late 1980s. The next-generation AVIRIS sensor, known as AVIRIS-NG 2, has been flown aboard various manned aircraft since 2010. However, AVIRIS-NG is only attainable by remote sensing agencies with large budgets.
Headwall has developed miniaturized imaging spectrometers that can be manufactured in high volume and at lower cost and can be flown on lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) 4. These sensor payloads and fully integrated systems including UAVs enable small companies and research groups to enjoy the immense power of airborne hyperspectral remote sensing.
This technical note compares the performance of the AVIRIS-NG on a manned aircraft and the Headwall turnkey Co-Aligned VNIR-SWIR imaging spectrometer on a lightweight UAV.
