Deep Learning Neural Networks for Land Use Land Cover Mapping

The importance of accurate and timely information describing the nature and extent of land resources and changes over time is increasing. This research examines the application of deep learning neural networks (DLNN) to the analysis of satellite imagery with specific focus on the production of land use/land cover maps. DLNN have made considerable strides in pattern recognition and machine learning over the last several years. However, their application to remote sensing is less well developed as the technology was originally designed for simple photographs and not satellite imagery. This research presents the results of an experimental study conducted that developed a DLNN to generate land use/land cover maps of the southern agricultural region of Manitoba, Canada. The results of this approach demonstrate a clear advantage in processing time once the DLNN is properly trained when compared to human based semi-automated process.