What is Remote Sensing
Remote sensing refers to the various methods of collecting and interpreting information about an object without coming into direct contact with the object being observed.Each of us routinely use remote sensing in our everyday lives. We have adapted keen senses of sight, sound, and smell that enable us to “remotely sense” our surrounding environment.
Our eyes are sensitive to specific wavelengths of visible light (portions of the electromagnetic spectrum) that are reflected off of (or are emitted from) various objects on earth, while our ears detect air vibrations that result from materials physically interacting with one another (wind rustling the leaves on a tree, etc.). The chemical receptors in our nose, on the other hand, can detect very small amounts of airborne chemicals that emanate from our surroundings.
Scientifically speaking, remote sensing often refers to photographs or images that have been acquired from above the earth through various methods including aircraft, spacecraft, or satellites.
We all know what things look like from our ground based vantage point, however, the downward looking perspective of aerial photography can challenge our interpretive skills as to what we are seeing. This is one of the many challenges of remote sensing.
