Developing An Airborne Multi-Spectral Imaging System for GIS-based Environmental Studies

The integration of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) in environmental applications has become increasingly common in recent years. Remotely sensed images are an important data source for environmental GIS applications and conversely GIS capabilities are being used to improve image analysis procedures. When image processing and GIS facilities are combined in an integrated system, vector data can be used to assist in image classification and raster image statistics within vectors can be used as criteria for vector query and analysis. Advances in imaging technology and sensors have made airborne remote sensing systems viable for many GIS applications that require reasonably good resolution at low cost. Digital cameras are making their mark on the market by providing high resolution at very high rates. This paper describes an aircraft-mounted imaging system (AMIS) that is being designed and developed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) with the support of a grant from NASA. The approach has been to first develop and test a one-camera system that is being upgraded into a three-camera system that will offer multi-spectral capabilities. AMIS is low cost, rugged, portable and has its own power source. Its immediate use will be acquiring images of the south Texas Coastal area in the Gulf of Mexico for a variety of studies covering vast spectra from near ultraviolet region to near infrared region. This paper describes AMIS and its characteristics, discusses the process for selecting the major components, and presents the progress so far.