Gasiewski, Albin J听1听;听Stachura, Maciej听2听;听Elston, Jack听3听;听McIntyre, Eric M听4听;Dai, Eryan听5
5听Presenting Author
1听Dept. of ECEE, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO,
2听Dept. of ECEE, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Black Swift Technologies LLC, Boulder, CO
3听Dept. of ECEE, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, Black Swift Technologies LLC, Boulder, CO
4听Dept. of ECEE, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO,
5听Dept. of ECEE, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO,
Due to long electrical wavelengths and aperture size limitations the scaling of passive microwave remote sensing of soil moisture from spaceborne low-resolution applications to high-resolution applications suitable for precision agriculture requires use of low flying aircraft. This poster summarizes the project to develop a commercial Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) hosting a precision microwave radiometer for mapping of soil moisture in high-value shallow root-zone crops. The project is based on the use of the Tempest electric-powered UAS and a compact digital L-band (1400-1427 MHz) passive microwave radiometer developed specifically for extremely small and lightweight aerial platforms or man-portable, tractor, or tower-based applications. Notable in this combination are a highly integrated UAS/radiometer antenna design and use of both the upwelling emitted signal from the surface and downwelling cold space signal for precise calibration using a lobe-correlating radiometer architecture. The system achieves a spatial resolution comparable to the altitude of the UAS above the ground while referencing upwelling measurements to the constant and well-known background temperature of cold space. The radiometer incorporates digital sampling and radio frequency interference mitigation along with infrared, near-infrared, and visible (red) sensors for surface temperature and vegetation biomass correction. This NASA-sponsored project is being developed both for commercial application in cropland water management, L-band satellite validation, and estuarian plume studies.