Precision Forestry Using Airborne Hyperspectral Imaging Sensor

Universiti Putra Malaysia in collaboration with a private company, Aeroscan Precision (M) Sdn Bhd based in UPMSerdang conducted a research and commercial applications of airborne hyperspectral sensing data in precision forestry.The UPM-APSB’s AISA sensor was flown over a representative series of forested areas in Peninsular Malaysia from12-20th. July 2004. It is a pushbroom imaging spectrometer recording remote sensing images over a large spectrum ofwavelengths from the visible (400 nm) to near infrared (1 000 nm). Images have a ground pixel size of 1m by 1 m at aflight altitude of 1 000 m a.s.l and a constant flight speed of 120 knots. The ground validation segment of the projectswas focused around hill/montane dipterocarps,. In order to characterize the properties and status of the forests, a numberof images and field spectrum were developed. Prior to and after the flight, field spectral reflectance measurements usinga handheld FieldSpec spectroradiometer were taken over the timber species of interest. The use of spectral unmixingmethods for the discrimination of individual timber species image components leading to a more accurate identificationof timber species, timber inventory and volume estimates were evaluated. The results imply that UPM-APSB airbornehyperspectral imaging technology would enable the development of a rapid forest resources assessment, especially inthe sustainable forest management in Malaysia and other tropical countries.