What Is Remote Sensing?

Remote sensing is a way of getting information about something without touching it. It's like peeking through a window, but instead of using your eyes, you're using a satellite. That's pretty cool! Remote sensing is acquiring information about an object or phenomenon without physical contact, as opposed to onsite observation or onsite sensing. It requires using aerial sensor technologies such as those used in reconnaissance airplanes and satellites to detect and analyze objects on the Earth, usually on the surface. The earliest known uses of aerial remote sensing technology were with kites in China around 400 BC. These kites would often be used to monitor weather patterns or find lost children. However, these devices needed to provide details about what they saw above. The first use of aerial remote sensing devices occurred during World War II when airplanes were sent up into the air over enemy territory to collect information about troop movements, supply caches, and other factors that could help combat operations. Since then, aerial remote sensing has become a significant part of military operations worldwide and plays an essential role in national defense today. Remote sensing is a rad technology that lets us see the world from a bird's eye view. We're not talking about a drone or something like that. We're talking about satellites, planes, and other aerial technologies using advanced sensor technologies to detect energy reflected from the Earth's surface. It makes it possible to collect data in inaccessible or dangerous areas where it would be too hazardous to bring in a team and equipment. Since the sensors are high above the Earth, they are beneficial for gathering data in an extensive area. Applications of remote sensing include monitoring the extent of deforestation or the spread of an oil spill and monitoring the movement of and changes in polar ice caps and icebergs. The same principle is applied to a ship's depth sounding of oceanic and coastal depths.