Drone and Sensor Terminology and Definitions

Absolute Accuracy: This refers to the accuracy of the point that is related to the coordinate in question and its relation to the coordinates in the real-world space. So, essentially the point on the map should match the real-world GPS coordinates.

Base Stations: It is a short range control center that connects wireless phones, computers, and other wireless devices using a network to communicate with each other.

Fixed Wing Drone: This drone has one rigid wing across its body like an airplane. It flies like an airplane as it only provides lift rather than vertical lift so it only can fly forward and cannot hover like drones with rotary wings. They are commonly used in longer distance flights because they are normally capable of longer flight times.

FPV (First Person View) Drone: When piloting a FPV drone, your view to navigate the unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV is from its point of view, meaning you are seeing what the drone’s cameras are seeing.

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Full-stack drone solutions: A company sells drones, hardware packages, software for flight, data collection, and analysis tools, cloud management, and provide actionable insight.

GCP (Ground Control Point): This is a physical marker at ground level used to keep the geography of your map accurate. The location of GCP is indicted by an RTK (Real Time Kinematic) GPS (or other GNSS system) coordinate. You use this coordinate to align your whole map with the surrounding geography. This coordinate is important because it is the one extremely accurate point that ensures this very point is precisely aligned with the GPS coordinate on the earth. This is essential for survey accuracy and further comparisons between new and old map data.

Georegistered:  The relationship of an object in an image to a precise geographical location (using GPS coordinates, or landmarks indicating a context for the visual). It is an important factor in aerial and satellite imagery. It makes it easier to review and analyze the collected data that provides the information used to make determinations for course of action.

GPS, Global Positioning System or GNSS, Global Navigation Satellite System: GPS, a radio navigation system used by land, sea, and airborne users to accurately establish an exact location. It is one type of GNSS system. GNSS, is the umbrella term that encompasses all the types of satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing systems that are used globally.

Hyperspectral: Main difference between hyperspectral and multispectral is that its band are much more narrow along the electromagnetic spectrum. There might be hundreds or thousands of bands making up a given hyper-spectral image.

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Hyperspectral cameras: Produces hyperspectral images, a new analytical technique that uses the concepts of spectroscopy. Hundreds of images are collected along the continuum of the wavelength of light that is absorbing and reflecting off objects from the very same local area. Thus, it creates a very fine resolution for the wavelength that is created by the light source that is illuminating the object(s). You are able to measure both the visible wavelengths along the spectrum and the near-infrared wavelengths as well. The near-infrared part of the wavelength spectrum is not visible to the naked eye.  

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IoT Environments: IoT can greatly benefit farmers by making it easier to monitor their crops, animals, and fields. The sensors used on the drone (some devices are handheld) can collect data on rainfall, humidity, soil, temperature, the crop count, plant health status, and much more. This information is garnered more efficiently and easily as it automates the techniques used for the farm management process.

IR (Infrared): IR is the longer wavelength (lower frequency) light, or electromagnetic radiation than the NIR. It has a benefit of the ability of heat detection.

Multicopter (rotary wing) Drone: A multicopter has at least 3 or more lift rotor wings on the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), also known as a drone. Depending on the number of horizontal rotary wings that it has it can be referred as a (3) tricopter, (4) quadcopter, (6) hexacopter, and so on.

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 Multispectral: Relating two or more ranges of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum. The different band of light frequencies are: microwave, infrared, visible (RGB), ultraviolet, and X-ray

NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index): This image is derived from a modified RGB or near IR sensor. The NDVI gets light reflected from the plant and then gives it a value on a scale ranging between -1 to +1. A higher value indicates a higher amount of light being reflected from the plant. Thus, the more reflected light from the plant means the healthier the plant, and that it is producing a good amount of chlorophyl. Overall, a NDVI map is most useful for crop monitoring. Other appropriate analysis tools should be used along with this.

NIR (Near Infrared): A spectrum of light (electromagnetic radiation) that is just below the visible light wavelength within the spectrum. Using the NIR light reflected off a plant can be used as an indicator for the plant’s health status. NIR multispectral or the modified RGB cameras are used to get this type of data.

Orthomosaic: Aerial image that has been corrected for topographic relief, camera tilt, and distortions in camera optic. This is done to correct the scale throughout the image.

Payload: The load a drone/UAVs is carrying, such as: cameras/sensors, that is necessary to complete its operations of a given task.

Reference: https://www.dji.com/

(Last Edit: 19 Jan 2023, Kellee)

2 comments on “Drone and Sensor Terminology and Definitions”

  1. Pingback: RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) Positioning – sUAS in Viticulture

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