Evaluation of Rededge-M Camera for Water Color Observation after Image Preprocessing

Abstract: Water color analysis allows non-destructive estimation of abundance of optically active water constituents in the water body. Recently, there have been increasing needs for light-weighted multispectral cameras that can be integrated with low altitude unmanned platforms such as drones, autonomous vehicles, and heli-kites, for the water color analysis by spectroradiometers. This study performs the preprocessing of the Micasense Rededge-M camera which recently receives a growing attention from the earth observation community for its handiness and applicability for local environment monitoring, and investigates the applicability of Rededge-M data for water color analysis. The Vignette correction and the band alignment were conducted for the radiometric image data from Rededge-M, and the sky, water, and solar radiation essential for the water color analysis, and the resultant remote sensing reflectance were validated with an independent hyperspectral instrument, TriOS RAMSES. The experiment shows that Rededge-M generally satisfies the basic performance criteria for water color analysis, although noticeable differences are observed in the blue (475 nm) and the near-infrared (840 nm) band compared with RAMSES

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Authors: Kim, Wonkook & Roh, Sang-Hyun & Moon, Yongseon & Jung, Sunghun.

Associations: Dept. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pusan National University; REDONE TECHNOLOGIES Co. Ltd.; Dept. Electric Engineering, Sunchon National University; Electric Vehicle Engineering, Dongshin University