Sensor Platforms

Footprint and Spatial Resolution

The three most common satellite platforms for multispectral imagery are MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), Landsat, and Sentinel-2.

Conservation Technology Series Issue 4: SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING FOR CONSERVATION
Conservation Technology Series Issue 4: SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING FOR CONSERVATION

Airborn imagery or cameras on unmanned aerial systems (Drones, UAV, UAS) have an even smaller footprint but usually a rather high spatial resolution between 2 cm and 1 m.

Temporal Aspects

The orbit time determines how frequently we will get an image at a given spot on Earth (e.g. Marburg). For MODIS, we get images at least every two days. Landsat has a temporal resolution of 16 days. Sentinel-2 consists of two satellites (2A and 2B) and therefore has a combined temporal resolution of five days.

Not only the image frequency is relevant but also the launch date of a satellite system. E.g. for long-term change analyses of the landscape, Sentinel-2 is not suitable because the first images from Sentinel-2A are from 2015. Landsat would be a better choice here. It started in 1972. MODIS in 1999.

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