Earth remote sensing technologies for agriculture: Application experience and development prospects

Abstract

Underutilization of methods and means of remote sensing of the Earth significantly limits the capabilities of precision agriculture and irrigation novel technologies. The paper presents a survey of actual research areas in this field and certain results obtained by Space Research Institute, Agrophysical Research Institute, Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, AllRussian Research Institute of Plant Protection and other institutions, also published in this special issue of Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa. The survey clearly shows that satellite data can improve the quality and scope of information support of agriculture today. In recent decades, there has actually been a revolution in this area due to the appearance of new highquality Earth observation systems, data access policy improvement and development of new information technologies for remote sensing data processing, analysis and application. The paper presents a possible organizational chart of system research on development and implementation of new methods and technologies of Earth sensing data application in precision agriculture and irrigation. It is noted that a fundamentally new methodological, physicoengineering and experimental framework is required for precision agriculture and irrigation systems development. Also the contribution of associated remote and insitu researches on obtaining the reference information, development and improvement of regulatory framework of precision agriculture technologies and their approbation in the field in specific test areas is highlighted. It is noted that both basic procedural and technological frameworks for system research on Earth remote sensing data application for various agriculture tasks, primarily for the development of modern precision agriculture and irrigation technologies, exist in Russia at the present moment.