Remote estimation of Sun‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence emitted by terrestrial vegetation can provide an unparalleled opportunity to track spatiotemporal variations of photosynthetic efficiency. Here we provide the first direct experimental evidence that the two peaks of the chlorophyll fluorescence spectrum can be accurately mapped from high‐resolution radiance spectra and that the signal is linked to variations in actual photosynthetic efficiency. Red and far red fluorescence measured using a novel airborne imaging spectrometer over a grass carpet treated with an herbicide known to inhibit photosynthesis was significantly higher than the corresponding signal from an equivalent untreated grass carpet. The reflectance signal of the two grass carpets was indistinguishable, confirming that the fast dynamic changes in fluorescence emission were related to variations in the functional status of actual photosynthesis induced by herbicide application. Our results from a controlled experiment at the local scale illustrate the potential for the global mapping of terrestrial photosynthesis through space‐borne measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence.

State-of-the-art optical remote sensing of vegetation canopies is reviewed here to stimulate support from laboratory and field plant research. This overview of recent satellite spectral sensors and the methods used to retrieve remotely quantitative biophysical and biochemical characteristics of vegetation canopies shows that there have been substantial advances in optical remote sensing over the past few decades. Nevertheless, adaptation and transfer of currently available fluorometric methods aboard air- and space-borne platforms can help to eliminate errors and uncertainties in recent remote sensing data interpretation. With this perspective, red and blue-green fluorescence emission as measured in the laboratory and field is reviewed. Remotely sensed plant fluorescence signals have the potential to facilitate a better understanding of vegetation photosynthetic dynamics and primary production on a large scale. The review summarizes several scientific challenges that still need to be resolved to achieve operational fluorescence based remote sensing approaches.

The HyPlant imaging spectrometer is a high-performance airborne instrument consisting of two sensor modules. The DUAL module records hyperspectral data in the spectral range from 400–2500 nm, which is useful to derive biochemical and structural plant properties. In parallel, the FLUO module acquires data in the red and near infrared range (670–780 nm), with a distinctly higher spectral sampling interval and finer spectral resolution. The technical specifications of HyPlant FLUO allow for the retrieval of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), a small signal emitted by plants, which is directly linked to their photosynthetic efficiency. The combined use of both HyPlant modules opens up new opportunities in plant science. The processing of HyPlant image data, however, is a rather complex procedure, and, especially for the FLUO module, a precise characterization and calibration of the sensor is of utmost importance. The presented study gives an overview of this unique high-performance imaging spectrometer, introduces an automatized processing chain, and gives an overview of the different processing steps that must be executed to generate the final products, namely top of canopy (TOC) radiance, TOC reflectance, reflectance indices and SIF maps.