REMOTE SENSING
Part of our Data Acquisition, Data Delivery & Analytics Solutions
With mounting pressure on the UK’s ageing infrastructure networks, driven by an ever-increasing number of service users and unpredictable weather conditions, asset owners are seeking cost-effective solutions that provide a long-term view of network conditions to help prevent future failures. They specifically need the ability to effectively monitor activity and better understand the environments in which they operate.
What is Remote Sensing?
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object (in contrast to in situ or on-site observation). This enables the detection and monitoring of the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation. The sensors are usually on space-borne satellites or aircraft; with the advancement of drone technology, some of these sensors can be mounted onto small, terrestrial drones.
There are various satellite constellations orbiting the Earth at various distances from the surface. Low orbiting satellites are approximately 150-2000 km above the Earth, medium-Earth orbiting satellites are 2 000-35,000km above the Earth, and high-Earth orbiting satellites are over 35,000 km above the Earth. Medium-Earth orbiting satellites take around 12 hours to circle the Earth. The European Space Agency’s Galileo satellite, used for global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), is one such medium-Earth orbiting satellite.
Drone Surveys
Unlock advanced remote sensing capabilities with our cutting-edge drone services from Central Alliance. Our high-precision drones are equipped with multispectral cameras, enabling accurate and detailed data collection across diverse landscapes. From agriculture to environmental monitoring, our Mavic 3M captures high-resolution imagery and critical spectral data, supporting vegetation analysis, coastal erosion surveys, embankment and soil health assessments, and resource management, for example, mobile mapping of crop cycles for food security.
Among our offering is the industry’s only multiband synthetic aperture radar (SAR) platform, flown by dedicated and professional pilots on class A3 UAS. Multiband SAR captures high resolution imagery and radar data, supporting biomass quantification, soil moisture analysis, ground burrow and void hazard quantification and location of buried objects.
Design Features
Remote sensing can be split into two different types: active and passive. Active sensors involve the sensor emitting the signal itself to the Earth’s surface, then receiving the reflection back and recording the results. In contrast, passive sensors respond to external stimuli; they record the natural energy that is reflected or emitted by the Earth’s surface and, in most cases, solar radiation from the sun.
Key Benefits
Non-invasive technology: deployment of sensors or hardware on the ground is not necessary
Repeatable: enabling the detection of change & trends over time
Speed of delivery: data may be obtained & analysed in a matter of days
Proactively identifying potential triggers for ground movements, drainage issues & geohazards
Screening technology that can be used directly or indirectly for targeted intervention, or mitigation measures
Data analysis: specialist GIS based analysis, providing actionable insights
Non-invasive technology: deployment of sensors or hardware on the ground is not necessary
Repeatable: enabling the detection of change & trends over time
Speed of delivery: data may be obtained & analysed in a matter of days
Proactively identifying potential triggers for ground movements, drainage issues & geohazards
Screening technology that can be used directly or indirectly for targeted intervention, or mitigation measures
Data analysis: specialist GIS based analysis, providing actionable insights