REMOTE SENSING: Hyperspectral sensing service promotes precision farming

Aug. 27, 2001
In a project that began in the spring and continues through this fall, Opto-Knowledge Systems Inc. is producing real-time data products for a precision farming technology project sponsored by NASA as part of the joint NASA/USDA/Grower project called Ag2020.

In a project that began in the spring and continues through this fall, Opto-Knowledge Systems Inc. (OKSI; Torrance, CA) is producing real-time data products for a precision farming technology project sponsored by NASA as part of the joint NASA/USDA/Grower project called Ag2020. The data are collected during weekly flights over a commercial farm in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), California and an experimental USDA field. Three primary sensors are operated from a Cessna 206 aircraft. These include a multispectral imager (MSI) simulating bands 2, 3 and 4 of LandSat; a thermal infrared imager (TIR); and a visible to near infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensor. When available, Ikonos imagery is also utilized for the project.

Data are processed and converted to products used by the grower and the farm consultants in support of their crop management activities. The data products are posted within 24 to 48 hours of flight on a dedicated web site (http://www.ag2020.net), allowing immediate access to the information. The product development work has been primarily focused on cotton production management.

The technology evaluation project is conducted in cooperation with the USDA Agriculture Research Station in Shafter, California, the University of California Agriculture Extension Station in Kings County, various other UC investigators, and Azcal Management Corp., the owner of the commercial farm. Funds are provided by NASA's Earth Science Applications Directorate, and the cotton industry consortia.

The HSI sensor was initially developed by OKSI under a USAF SBIR project. The MSI /TIR sensor was developed by OKSI for the USDA. Data processing algorithms and software tools were developed at OKSI as part of NASA's recent EOCAP-Hyperspectral program.

The project is geared to demonstrate the utility and feasibility of real-time remote sensing services for incorporation in daily crop management decisions at the farm. Successful use of the data has allowed the grower to optimize irrigation schedules (given the high cost of agricultural water in California this translates to significant cost savings), and apply nutrients and other chemicals on a spatially variable basis, targeting only areas that require such treatment (again resulting in significant cost savings).

OKSI is a small business, established in January 1991. It specializes in hyperspectral imaging for remote sensing, ground, and laboratory applications. OKSI designs and builds custom instruments, develops algorithms for data exploitation, and is also involved in the development of new applications for the technology.

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