Assessment of hail damage to crops using satellite imagery and hand held hyperspectral data

Abstract

The project focused on a remote sensing data acquisition strategy that will respond to the requirements for assessment of broadacre hail damage in a timely manner within appropriate spatial and economic limitations. Current field based hail damage assessment practices are both time and labour intensive. Integrating remote sensing with a GIS database provides an economically viable alternative technique for the recording, correlation, analysis and judicious evaluation of hail damage and information for interactive administration system. This paper will report on the remote sensing strategies, specifically hyperspectral simulation trials and hail damage assessment using both hyperspectral acquisitions and remotely sensed (Landsat TM and Spot Xi) imagery. Preliminary findings have identified a good correlation (r=-0.866) between the damage levels and defoliation with r=0.86 for both Landsat 5 TM and Spot 4 Xi sensors.