Aplicación de sensores remotos para el análisis de cobertura vegetal y cuerpos de agua (Application of remote sensors for the analysis of vegetation cover and water bodies)

Abstract

This work analyzes remote sensors’ usefulness to analyze vegetation cover and water bodies in conservation and environmental studies. This research aims to determine satellite images’ applications in coverage studies and to ascertain UAV uses (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in environmental studies. The determination of the applications of satellite images and the UAV was made by reviewing scientific articles, theses, books, and abstracts at conferences. A total of twenty applications were found for coverage and water body studies using satellite images and UAV. For environmental studies using satellite images, ten studies were reported. These are forest cover, urban expansion, vegetation indices, vegetation cover change, deforestation, the spatial distribution of water, water monitoring, lagoon dynamics, water quality parameters, and the Normalized Difference Snow Index thresholds. Otherwise, for environmental studies using the UAV, ten studies were reported. These are plant abundance, plant population dynamics, ecological conservation, aquatic vegetation, vegetation mapping, water quality, fluvial dynamics, river flow, bathymetric maps of a lake, and aquatic plant variations. It is concluded that the physical principles of remote perception explain through laws the operation of sensors to provide satellite information, such as satellite images that provide information with a resolution less than 10 meters, applied to studies of areas of significant extension (Km). For small areas, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is used to obtain real and accurate information, which is implemented with a multispectral camera to provide information with a resolution greater than 10 cm. Therefore, it is necessary to know the limitations, advantages, and differences of these two systems to plan investigations that use this information and contribute to the protection and conservation of areas affected by natural and anthropogenic elements.