Remote sensing through drones and satellites

This subject aims at involving the students in the use of UASs, as well as in the employment of satellite imagery for the analysis of the terrestrial surface through remote sensing techniques. In particular, the students will have to acquire the following capacities:
Capacity to select images recorded by sensors of satellite and UAS, as well as the correction and processing of these images to be applied.
Capacity to generate indices and products of added value.

The official report of this course includes for this subject the following contents:
Remote Sensing Fundamentals. Platform and sensor selection. Digital image corrections and treatments. Drones. Planning and execution of missions. Photogrammetry and detection. Applications.

These contents will be developed in accordance with the following structure:

Theoretical contents (24 hours in-situ in classroom hours and 36 hours of personal work by the student)

BLOCK I.- Remote sensing (10 hours of face-to-face classes and 14 hours of personal work by the student)

Topic 1 - Introduction to the capture of remote information using drones and satellites. Physical fundamentals of remote sensing (2.5 classroom hours + 4 hours of non-classroom work).
Topic 2 -. Selection of platform and sensor. Characteristics: types of resolution, orbit, field of application. (2.5 classroom hours + 3 hours of personal work).
Topic 3 - Digital image corrections and treatments. Sources of radiometric and geometric error. Histogram of an image. Contrast and expansion. Types of filters (2.5 classroom hours + 4 hours of personal work).
Topic 4 - Extraction and analysis of information. Unsupervised and supervised classification. Phases of classification. Classification algorithms. (2.5 classroom hours + 4 hours of personal work).

BLOCK II.- DRONES (14 hours of face-to-face work + 22 hours of non-face-to-face work)

Topic 5 - Introduction. The capture of information using drones. Platforms, sensors and general applications. Advantages and disadvantages of UAS (3 hour of classroom work + 6 hours of non-classroom work).
Topic 6 - Photogrammetry and remote sensing using UAS. Work methodology. Planning and execution of missions (2 classroom hours + 4 hours of personal work).
Topic 7 - Applications in the field of Engineering. Architecture, heritage, industry. Agroforestry applications. Web services for dissemination, virtual flights and 3D printing (2 classroom hours + 2 hours of personal work).
Topic 8 - Aerial and UAS LiDAR. Introduction. How it works. Technical characteristics. Instrumentation. Applications. Derivative products - Advantages and disadvantages compared to other techniques (1 classroom hour + 3 hours of personal work).
Topic 9 - Government plans and initiatives: Plan for the development of the civil drone sector; white papers; Civil UAVs Initiative of the Xunta de Galicia - GAIN (1 hour of classroom work + 2 hours of non-classroom work).

Exhibition of works (3 classroom hours + 3 hours of personal work)

Attendance at industry conferences (2 classroom hours + 2 hours of personal work)

Practical contents (24 hours of classroom work + 18 hours of non-classroom work):

BLOCK I.- Remote sensing (8 hours of classroom work + 8 hours of non-classroom work)

Practical 1 - Download of images. Image exploration. (2 hours face-to-face + 2 hours non-face-to-face).
Practical 2 - Cuts, masks, reproyections and index (3 classroom hours +3 hours of personal work).
Practical 3 - Extraction of information. Classifications (3 classroom hours + 3 hours of personal work).

BLOCK II.- DRONES (8 hours of face-to-face work + 8 hours of non-face-to-face work)

Practice 4 - Photogrammetricl survey from UAS images. Mosaic and exploitation of the image indices (2 hours face-to-face + 2 hours non-face-to-face).
Practice 5 - Multispectral survey from UAS images. 3D model (3 classroom hours + 3 hours of personal work)
Practice 6 - UAS flight practice in manual mode and formation of the 3D model (3 classroom hours + 3 hours of personal work)


Visit to the Rozas Airborne Research Centre (INTA- CIAR) (4 classroom hours + 1 hours of personal work)
Visit to Rozas Aerodrome (AeroLugo) (4 classroom hours + 1 hours of personal work)

Basic bibliography

- Chuvieco Salinero, E. “Teledetección ambiental” Ed Ariel Ciencia. 2006.
- GIL DOCAMPO, Mª L; ARMESTO GONZÁLEZ, J. Apuntes de teledetección. Ed.Unicopia. ISBN 84-89189-2. 53 pp. Lugo. 2002
- Plan Estratégico para el desarrollo del sector civil de los drones en España 2018-2021. Ministerio de fomento. https://www.fomento.gob.es/MFOM/LANG_CASTELLANO/PLANES/PLAN_DRONES_2018…
- González-Jorge, H.; Martínez-Sánchez, J.; Bueno, M.; Arias, A.P. Unmanned Aerial Systems for Civil Applications: A Review. Drones 2017, 1, 2.
- Esteban Herreros, José Luis (coord.) (2015). Los Drones y sus aplicaciones a la ingeniería civil. Fundación de la Energía de la Comunidad de Madrid. https://www.fenercom.com/pdf/publicaciones/Los-Drones-y-sus-aplicacione…


Complementary bibliografía

- J. Ortiz-Sanz, M. Gil-Docampo, T. Rego-Sanmartín, M. Arza-García, G. Tucci. A PBeL for training non-experts in mobile-based photogrammetry and accurate 3-D recording of small-size/non-complex objects. Measurement (178) 2021.
- Jensen, J. R. Introductory Digital Image Processing: a Remote Sensing Perspective. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. 1996.
- Lillesand, T and Kiefer R. Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation. John Wiley and Sons. USA. 1994.
- Ponencias del Congreso CivilDRON (2016, 17 y 18). https://www.civildron.com/pages/ponencias-congreso-civildron.html
- Civil UAVs Initiative. Xunta de Galicia. http://www.civiluavsinitiative.com/es/#segunda-seccion
- Sobrino, J. A."Teledetección" Universitat de Valencia.2001.
- Sungjae Lee & Yosoon Choi (2016) Reviews of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) technology trends and its applications in the mining industry, Geosystem Engineering, 19:4, 197-204, DOI: 10.1080/12269328.2016.1162115
- Yan Li & Chunlu Liu (2019) Applications of multirotor drone technologies in construction management, International Journal of Construction Management, 19:5, 401-412, DOI: 10.1080/15623599.2018.1452101

Upon successful completion of this subject, students will be able to:

Knowledge:
With80. Know the use of drones and satellites for the exploration of the Earth's surface
Con81. Know the technological needs of society and industry, and be able to improve services and
production processes applying current robotics technology.

Skill:
H/D84. Ability to select images obtained by satellite sensors and drones, as well as correction and
processing of them.
H/D85. Ability to generate indices and value-added products for digital land management.
H/D86. Produce reference products for project management.

Competence:
Comp08. Ability to adapt common sensors in robotics, methods and techniques for treatment
of the information captured.

Knowledge and skills will be obtained through:

Master lesson (Working with Con80)
Attendance at conferences or other events (We work with Con81)
Presentations (H/D84 working)
Practices in Computer Class. (H/D84 and H/D85 work)
Field internships, technical visits to companies or administrations (Working H/D86)
Collaborative learning (Working on Comp08)

The following modalities of evaluation will be taken into account:

45% of the grade: Work and Activities. Practices in Computer Class (H/D84 and H/D85).
10% of the grade: Work and Activities. Group presentations. (H/D84)
10% of the grade: Work and Activities. Mandatory internship visits (H/D86)
10% of the grade: Work and Activities. Collaborative learning (Comp08)
25% of the grade: Written exam that will evaluate all the knowledge acquired during the course. (We work with Con80 and Con81) Minimum grade 4 to make an average.

The delay in the delivery of the practicals will be penalized with 10% of the mark.


In the case of repeat students who have passed the assignments and activities or the exam, the score achieved will be retained, but the possibility will be offered to repeat the part of the failed subject.

The system described of evaluation will be the employee so much in the ordinary opportunity as in the extraordinary of recovery.

For cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión das cualificacións" "(artigo 16 da Resolución de 15/6/2011 da USC, DOG de 21/7/2011)" will apply.

The students that have conceded dispenses of assistance to any of the educational activities programmed according to the had in the Instruction 1/2017 of the General Office, will be able to approve this matter by making the practical activities proposals in the subject (55%), an individual work (10%) and the official examination of the matter (35%).

This subject comprises 6 credits ECTS, which imply a total load for the student of 150 hours, that include 60 hours for the following activities of work in the education center:

• Master classes: 24 hours
• Interactive teaching: (classroom of computing, laboratory, etc.): 24 hours
• Another work in classroom (activities of evaluation, works, etc.): 12 hours

In addition, 90 hours will be invested in activities of personal work:

• Reading and study of the theoretical contents: 36 hours
• Realisation of work, report of practices and preparation of works: 18 hours
• Preparation of the exam: 36 hours

Regular attendance to the master classes and participation in the tutoring sessions.