Active Remote Sensing
The use of sensors that emit energy and measure its reflection from the earth’s surface, important for spatial data collection.
How do you define Active Remote Sensing?
Active remote sensing is a technique in which a sensor emits its energy—usually in the form of radio waves, microwaves, or lasers—toward the Earth's surface and then measures the energy that is reflected or backscattered from objects or features on the ground. Unlike passive remote sensing, which relies on natural energy sources like sunlight, active systems can operate day or night and in various weather conditions.
Examples of active remote sensing technologies include RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging) and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). These systems are commonly used for applications such as terrain mapping, vegetation analysis, flood monitoring, and infrastructure assessment. Because they generate their signals, active remote sensing systems offer greater control and consistency in data collection.