This paper proposes a novel contextual method for classification of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar data. The method combines support vector machine (SVM) and Wishart classifiers to benefit from both parametric and nonparametric methods. This method computes the energy function of a Markov random field (MRF) in the neighborhoods of the pixel using Wishart distribution. It then relates the Markovian energy difference function to the SVM classifier. Therefore, the salt-and-pepper effect on the classified map is reduced using a contextual classifier. Moreover, to achieve the full advantage of spatial information, texture features are added into the contextual classification. Texture features are extracted from SPAN images and are added to the SVM classifier. In this paper, two Radarsat-2 polarimetric images acquired in the leaf-off and leaf-on seasons are used from a forest area. Efficient multitemporal information is exploited using composite kernels in SVM. Comparison of the proposed algorithm with the Wishart, Wishart-MRF, SVM, and SVM with composite kernel classifiers shows a 21.72%, 16.17%, 11.29%, and 8.19% improvement in overall accuracy, respectively. Moreover, incorporating texture features into classification results significant increase in the average accuracy in forest species compared with the use of only polarimetric features.

High-throughput phenotyping using high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution remote sensing (RS) data has become a critical part of the plant breeding chain focused on reducing the time and cost of the selection process for the “best” genotypes with respect to the trait(s) of interest. In this paper, the potential of accurate and reliable sorghum biomass prediction using visible and near infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral data as well as light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data acquired by sensors mounted on UAV platforms is investigated. Predictive models are developed using classical regression-based machine learning methods for nine experiments conducted during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE) at Purdue University, Indiana, USA. The impact of the regression method, data source, timing of RS and field-based biomass reference data acquisition, and the number of samples on the prediction results are investigated. R² values for end-of-season biomass ranged from 0.64 to 0.89 for different experiments when features from all the data sources were included. Geometry-based features derived from the LiDAR point cloud to characterize plant structure and chemistry-based features extracted from hyperspectral data provided the most accurate predictions. Evaluation of the impact of the time of data acquisition during the growing season on the prediction results indicated that although the most accurate and reliable predictions of final biomass were achieved using remotely sensed data from mid-season to end-of-season, predictions in mid-season provided adequate results to differentiate between promising varieties for selection. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the accuracies of the predictive models showed that both the data source and regression method are important factors for a reliable prediction; however, the data source was more important with 69% significance, versus 28% significance for the regression method.

Low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) utilizing push-broom hyperspectral scanners are poised to become a popular alternative to conventional remote sensing platforms such as manned aircraft and satellites. In order to employ this emerging technology in fields such as high-throughput phenotyping and precision agriculture, direct georeferencing of hyperspectral data using onboard integrated global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) and inertial navigation systems (INSs) is required. Directly deriving the scanner position and orientation requires the spatial and rotational relationship between the coordinate systems of the GNSS/INS and hyperspectral scanner to be measured. The spatial offset (lever arm) between the scanner and GNSS/INS unit can be measured manually. However, the angular relationship (boresight angles) between the scanner and GNSS/INS coordinate systems, which is more critical for accurate generation of georeferenced products, is difficult to establish. This paper presents three calibration approaches to estimate the boresight angles relating hyperspectral push-broom scanner and GNSS/INS coordinate systems. For reliable/practical estimation of the boresight angles, this paper starts with establishing the optimal/minimal flight and control/tie point configuration through a bias impact analysis starting from the point positioning equation. Then, an approximate calibration procedure utilizing tie points in overlapping scenes is presented after making some assumptions about the flight trajectory and topography of covered terrain. Next, two rigorous approaches are introduced - one using ground control points and other using tie features. The approximate/rigorous approaches are based on enforcing the collinearity and coplanarity of the light rays connecting the perspective centers of the imaging scanner, object point, and the respective image points. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed approaches, estimated boresight angles are used for orthorectification of six hyperspectral UAV dataset acquired over an agricultural field. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the results have shown significant improvement in the derived orthophotos to a level equivalent to the ground sampling distance of the used scanner (namely, 3-5 cm when flying at 60 m).

Accurate phenotyping with unmanned aerial vehicles is a remote sensing application that has received recent attention as plant breeders seek to automate the expensive and time consuming traditional manual acquisition of measurements of plant traits. This paper focuses on the prediction of sorghum biomass utilizing high temporal and spatial resolution remote sensing data. Two methods are investigated for biomass prediction. The first uses nonlinear regression models to predict biomass directly from remote sensing data, based on features from Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds and hyperspectral data. The second strategy focuses on the biophysical sorghum crop model, APSIM, first, using remote sensing data to parametrize the crop model, and then simulating the biomass. Results from both approaches are provided and evaluated for an agricultural test field at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE) at Purdue University.