Fine-Scale Monitoring of Complex Environments Using Remotely Sensed Aerial, Satellite, and Other Spatial Data

This paper describes the development of an operational system for fine-scale monitoring of urban and peri-urban environments, using the Greater Perth area as a case study. Recent technological shifts from film-based aerial photography to digital capture provide a new opportunity for revisiting the role of routine aerial acquisitions, with digital imagery offering the potential for implementing highly automated monitoring systems already familiar to the satellite remote sensing community. The project builds on the experience of the project partners in previous developments and delivery of satellite-based monitoring systems, and fills a monitoring niche by providing information at a spatial resolution suitable for urban and coastal areas, the habitat of choice for most Australians. These areas are dynamic, with many environmental issues in planning, service provision and resource management, monitoring regulatory compliance and allocation. High quality digital photography provides for traditional 'orthophotographic' uses as well as "remote sensing" uses such as the monitoring of environmental indicators. One technical development is the creation of ground-reflectance estimates from digital aerial photography. This forms the basis for fusion with optical satellite time-series, allowing a multiple resolution approach to time series analysis. The aim is a routine urban monitoring system, based on standardised data and methods, which is able to track and communicate changes in features of interest in a way that has not been previously possible. Along with the technical developments, we also describe some of the logistical problems we have encountered, the solutions we have taken and the impact that has on the final monitoring system. The project is conducted with project partners including those with responsibility for management of urban planning, vegetation, river and wetland environments, and scheme and self supply water resources.