Retrieving Vegetation Reflectance at Beltsville Using Phothosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) Sensor and a Spectroradiometer Positioned at an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

Improved remote sensing technology and applications have open new opportunities for the study and the monitoring of many features of the environment. The monitoring of vegetation state and vegetation dynamics have benefitted greatly from these advancements. For example, techniques have now been developed to reveal large-scale phenological trends that previously were not detected via remote sensing. Moreover, the remote sensing of vegetation reflectance has been used in attempts to understand the consequences of climate change on primary production and global vegetation cover. The aim of this project is to demonstrate how well vegetation reflectance can be obtained by combining a Phothosynthetically Active Radiation sensor and a spectroradiometer that is positioned on Unmanned Aerial Systems. Preliminary results indicate that this linked technique may be a promising tool for the remote sensing of vegetation