Can CropCam acquire Near Infrared Imagery?
CropCam is currently in the process of developing a Near Infrared version of CropCam. Near infrared (NIR) imagery is used for vegetation measurement due to the fact that plant cell structures are very good and reflecting that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, approximately 750 – 1200 nanometre wavelengths. In contrast plants high vegetation absorb a high of solar radiation in the visible portion of the spectrum which they use as a source of energy in the photosynthesis process amount of the red portion of the spectrum, approximately 630 – 690 nanometre wavelengths. This difference in the NIR reflection and the red absorption is the basis the development of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Click here to view the paper Developing a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Platform for Acquiring Near Infrared Imagery, written by G.D. Lewis of Assiniboine Community College and presented at the annual Canadian Aeronautical and Space Institute (CASI) conference, Aero07.
