Acquisitions and applications of forest canopy hyperspectral imageries at hotspot and multiview angle using unmanned aerial vehicle platform

Abstract

The accurate retrieval of forest functional and structural parameters is of great significance in the scientific research of ecosystem, global change, and carbon and nitrogen cycles. Recently, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral imaging system provides a cost-effective way to capture the hyperspectral imageries from any points of the hemisphere above a forest canopy. However, compared with single-angle hyperspectral images, the multiangle hyperspectral images provide more information about forest functional and structural characteristics. We developed a semiautomatic multiangle observation method using a UAV hyperspectral imaging system and successfully collected the multiangle hyperspectral imageries with clear hotspots of broadleaf and coniferous forest canopies. Our results indicated that the hotspot of a forest canopy had a great effect on the reflectance, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) of forests. The maximum values of canopy reflectance and EVI were found at the hotspot position, while the minimum NDVI was at the hotspot. Moreover, the hotspot effect was similar in both broadleaf and coniferous forests. Although the hotspot had no obvious effects on the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), different view zenith angles had a great effect on PRI. Our findings provide a solid foundation for retrieving forest structural parameters using fully automatic multiangle hyperspectral imaging system at both aerial and satellite platforms.