Remote Sensing activities in
India M G Chandrasekhar, A K Gupta, V Jayaraman, P P Nageswara Rao, K Radhakrishnan, B Manikiam Earth Observation System ISRO Headquarters Bangalore - 560 094, India Abstract This report highlights details of remote sensing activities in India during 1989-90. The major milestones during the year have been the successful operation of space and around segments of IRS-1A satellite and high degree of utilization of monitoring and management of natural disasters such s floods, cyclones and droughts etc. As on March 1990, over 11,000 IRS-1A data products have been supplied to various users in the country and abroad. All the sensor, systems and sub-systems of the spacecraft IRS-1A are functioning satisfactorily. The sale of IRS-1A data products has touched a new high of Rs. 18.1 million as against Rs. 8.3 million during the same period, last year. The National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad continued to receive, process and disseminate data from IRS-1A, Landsat, SPOT and NOAA satellites. The demand for the IRS data product has been on the increase. Most of the ongoing projects under IRS-utilisation programme towards rural development initiated by government of India includes major national projects using remote sensing data in the themes of Water management and Landuse. Several new application areas have emerged. The projects are being carried out in a time bound mode. The progress of about 80% of these projects is as per schedule. Various high level theme specific standing committees have been set up by the planning commission, government of India to guide the remote sensing applications in concerned resource area and initiate specific programme for utilisation of remote sensing technology. These standing committees have met during the last one year and many new projects in the respective fields, amounting to several millions of rupees have been initiated in a time bound mode to harvest the benefits of remote sensing technology in these areas for national development. Remote sensing activities in the country are being furthered under National natural resources management system (NNRMS). The IRS programme is major milestone towards establishment of NNRMS in the country. Evolution of national (natural) resources information system (NRIS) is one of the major elements under NNRMS. Towards development of a national (natural) resources information system (NRIS), 14 pilot projects have been taken up in different resource management. RRSSCs are now the major remote sensing work centres in the country along with space application centre - Ahemedabad, national remote sensing agency Hyderabad and Indian institute of remote sensing - Dehradun. By now as any as 23 states have setup remote sensing application centres (RSACs) and all these centres are in operational stage. Two more visual analysis equipment and one mid end - image processing system have been developed by the department of space and technology transferred to industry for regular productionisation of these equipments / software / systems. Over 700 scientists were provided training in various training institutes and RRSSCs. So far more than 300 persons have been trained in digital processing of remotely sensed data. Some of the state remote sensing centres also organised appraisal course in remote sensing specific to state participants. The user interaction continued through involved of users in various national remote sensing projects, and their representation in various national remote sensing projects, and their representation in committees and sub-committees for promotion of remote sensing technology. Through various bulletins and news letters published from different remote sensing centres in the country, the users are kept informed of various remote sensing activities in the country and also regarding developments in technology etc. Introduction Activities related to remote sensing in India have been reported regularly in the earlier Asian conference on remote sensing. This national report is an updata on the activities and developments in the field f remote sensing during the last one year period. Successful operation of IRS-1A satellite / sensors, regular and uninterrupted supply of IRS and other remote sensing data products to and significant growth in remote sensing application / activities in almost all the sectors of natural resources survey and management by the concerned governmental organisations are the major highlights of activities during the last one year. Indian Remote Sensing satellite programme The IRS-1A satellite completed two years of its operation by March 1990. Both the sensors LISS-I &LISS-II on board satellite are providing very high quality imagery. The data sales for IRS data have risen to R.181 million as of March 1990 as against Rs 83 million during the same period. About 75% of the satellite data products is likely to register further increase, due to growing user awareness of the remote sensing applications, with many new national level projects being initiated in the coming 8th five year plan period. The next satellite in the series IRS-1B is scheduled for launch during June 1991. The satellite is undergoing integration and testing of various subsystems IRS-IC and IRS-ID satellites are planned for launch in 1993 & 1995 respectively. Like its predecessors IRS-IC/ID will be three axis stabilized satellites and will support payloads such as : (a) multi-spectral camera (called LISS-3) with about 23m, resolution working in 3 bands (green, red, infrared) and having 140 kms, swath. Additionally a middle infrared camera of 69m resolution and a swath 140 kms is planned (b) a Panchromatic camera with a resolution of better than 10 m and a swath of 70km. which is steerable by +26 deg across track & (c) a piggy back payload (wide field sensor called WIFS) operating in two bands (red and infrared) providing a resolution of about 180m with a swath of 770 kms is also planned as a complementary payload to the multi-spectral camera given above. A polar Sun-Synchronous orbit of 817 kms. has been chosen with a descending mode and equatorial cross over at 10:30 AM. The multi-spectral camera (LISS-3) will provide a receptivity of 24 days and the panchromatic camera can provide revisit capability of 5 days. Data Reception and Dissemination Data reception and dissemination to various remote sensing users in the country in the responsibility of MRSA, Hyderabad, India. The data from various remote sensing satellites viz, IRS-1A, Landsat 4 & 5 SPOT 1&2 NOAA 11&12 was received at NRSA earth station located at Shadnagar, Hyderabad. The data received from these satellites is processed at NRSA data processing system (DPS) located at Balanagar and this data is disseminated to various users in the country and abroad through NRSA Data Centre (NDC) located in the NRSA Campus, Balanagar, Hyderabad. The special IRS data products such as geocoded products, and computer enhanced products etc. are generated at Space Application Centre, Ahemdabad and supplied through NRSA Data centre . A computerised information management system (IMS ) has been made operational at NDC to deal with user requests and enquires about availability and supply of various satellite data product such as availability status, could cover, data quality satellite pass dates etc. The IMS also maintains list of active Remote Sensing User. The NDC brings out a computerized updated directory of satellite remote sensing data procured by NDC. This directory is made available to all major remote sensing data sensing data user departments in the country to facilitate selection of available remote sensing user departments in the country too facilitate selection to available remote sensing data with NRSA (without visiting or writing to NDC). About 12000 satellite data products ere supplied every month by NRSA to various users in the country curing the last on year. NRSA is also responsible for carrying our aerial photography for various users, in the country and supply of aerial photography for various users, the country and supply of aerial photographic data to the users. Many aerial flights were operated by NRSA during last year on the request user agencies . National Natural Resources Management System Department of space as the nodal agency for space related activities in the country has been actively pursuing the various aspects towards establishing a national natural resources management system (NNRMS) in the country as a hybrid management system with data from satellite and ground based systems. The NNRMS is support by ISRO satellite centre (ISAC Bangalore) for satellite for tracking and operation of spacecrafts, national remote sensing agency, (NRSA, Hyderabad) for earth station operations centre (SAC, Ahmedabad) for sensor design, remote sensing applications and research. Fire regional remote sensing service centres located at Bangalore, Jodhpur, Nagpur, Dehradun and Kharagpur providing facilities for digital analysis of satellite data. The training in remote sensing applications is provided by Indian Institute of Remote Sensing at Dehradun. Training in remote is also provided centre for studies for resources engineering (CSRE, Bombay) institute of remote sensing (IRS - Anna University, Madras) and user departments such as survey of India, Geological survey of India, forest survey of centres which are contributing significantly in the applications of remote sensing technology in the country. Remote Sensing Applications The progress of the applications projects covering a wide spectrum, of themes has been satisfactory. The activities of the application projects are as under :
All the five RRSSCs as well as associated centers have been made operational and are participating in all the major application projects. A number of application mission projects namely Vasundhara, National drought monitoring mission, crop acreage and production estimation, landuse and cover mapping for agro climatic zone planning are being carried out at various RRSSCs. The software required for these projects are being developed in addition to the readily available VIPs -32 software. Nearly 36 projects have been identified for validating the digital analysis methodologies for various applications with a view to standardize the application packages for operational use. Till now 20 out of 36 projects identified for validating digital analysis methodology have been completed jointly with the uses like CGWB, GSI, SOI, IIRS forest department of Andaman Nicobar Islands, Kerala state landuse Board, NBSS & LUP, CAZRI, Karnataka forest department and Karnataka engineering research station. In all about 42 training courses have been conducted which have produced 300 trained manpower in digital analysis. The trained persons belong to nearly 100 organizations from both central/state governments. National Resource Information System The ultimate goal of the NNRMS programme is to develop a national natural resources information system (NRIS) in the country. It is conceived to develop data base on natural resources of the country using digital resources such as forests, crops, wastelands, landuse, minerals, water resources geology, Soils, etc besides the topography and other terrain conditions. Remote Sensing derived information on these resources may form major input. It will also have data base on socioeconomic indicators. The system will be very useful in development of scientific resource utilization plans based in integrated look t all the available resources n a region and consideration regarding adverse effects of the development of one resource on to the other. Work for establishing of NRIS in the country has been initiated. The data on various natural resources of the country is being generated through national level remote sensing projects on themes such as Ground water potential zone mapping, wasteland mapping, landuse mapping, forest mapping soils mapping etc The pilot studies have also been taken up for the development of GIS for specific application themes, such as watershed prioritization wasteland development, mineral exploration, oil exploration, hill area development, soil resources development and Microwatershed development etc 14 such pilot projects have been initiated by the RRSSCs dealing with above resources areas. These projects will help development of methodology for data integration and GIS development by way of providing feed back / experience on the grid cell sizes to be adopted for particular application considering level of details desired for specific planning processes at different levels. This will also give experience in handling large amounts of data sets, their inputting, retrieval, processing and analysis and data / map editing etc. The experience will be of great use in taking up larger exercise with data at state/national levels. Planning commission has set up an inter agency expert committee on NRIS. DOS has prepared a detailed programme document for the development of NRIS reviewed by the expert group. Infrastructure development As a part of infrastructure development, all the RRSSCs have been equipped with additional facilities of stand alone Intelligent Image Graphic Terminals (IIGT). The system is based on PDP 11/280 hardware and has necessary software for the image processing of digital satellite data. RRSSC Bangalore has been added with ARC-INFO GIS package and RRSSC Dehradun with MAPS GIS packages compatible for operation in VAX 11/780 environment. PC based ARC/INFO have also been installed at National Remote Sensing Agency Hyderabad and Space Application Centre Ahmedabad. Including the RRSSC facilities, country is now having 9 major image processing systems in the country based on VAX 11.780 configuration and PC-2001 colour graphic Terminals and VIPS 32 Software. Almost all the states in the country have set up remote sensing application centres. 21 of the 25 state centres are now operational and are carring out work of interest to their states. These centres also participate in major national remote sensing projects executed by the central agencies in specific theme areas. remote sensing utilisation cells, have been set up in almost all the major user agencies in central government sector. Many of the state user departments are in the process of setting infrastructure and training of personnels for these cells has already been initiated. Several universities/departments have also set up remote sensing cells fro teaching remote sensing at post graduate levels. Progress of MNRMS Standing Committee In order to utilize remote sensing inputs effectively in different natural resources & applications and for the establishment of NNRMS, high level standing committees are set up by the planning commission, government of India. These standing committees viz, standing committee on Agriculture (SC-A), standing committee on Geology and Mineral Resources (SC-G), standing committee on oceanography (SC-O), standing committee on technology & training (SC-T) and standing committee on water resources (SC-W) are chaired by secretaries concerned central government departments. The main objectives of these standing committee are to advice son methods and ways for operational utilization of remote sensing. These standing committees meet regularly to review progress of programs initiated for utilization of remote sensing, training of manpower and initiation of projects for utilization of remote sensing. Based on review of activities these standing committees initiate new programmes for the effective utilization of remote sensing and establishment of the National Natural resources system. During last one year almost all the standing committees have met to review the status of remote sensing in concerned resources fields. Many projects and programmes have been chalked out for implementation during the 8th 5 year plan period (1990-94). Training Training in remote sensing applications is offered in the country at Indian institute of remote sensing (IIRS, Dehradun) centre for studies in resources engineering (CSRE, Bombay) and at institute of Remote sensing (IRS-Anna University, Madras). Several user organisations such as Geological survey of India, Forest Survey of India, National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land use Planning etc also offer training in remote sensing to officers in their departments. Efforts are being made under various standing committees to initiate new training courses in the specific areas where the training needs are not fully met by the existing courses. About 700 candidates in different remote sensing application areas are trained every year in the country. Training in digital image processing is offered by the regional remote sensing service centres (RRSSCs) and by institute of remote sensing - Anna University and centre for studies in Resources Engineering, Bombay. About 50-60 scientists ate trained in digital image processing every year by the regional Remote sensing service centres. On the job training to users in digital and visual image analysis is offered at NRSA, Hyderabad and space application centre, Ahmedabad, short term on the job training in remote applications is also offered by many state remote sensing centres to persons from their State. Development of Interpretation Equipments Under efforts to develop and produce indigenously the visual image interpretation equipments and system have been developed by the department of space and technology transferred to India industry for regular productionisation of the same. During the last one year technology for three mreo equipments/systems have been transferred to industry for their regular production. These equipments are 2) A mid-end Image processing system (MIPS) 2) A high magnification enlarger and 3) and optical Tranferoscope. Now with these 3 equipments the total number of remote sensing equipments/systems transferred to Industry are now 30. Research & Development Research and development work continued to find out new application areas in field of remote sensing as a result several new applications of remote sensing in yet unexplored areas, such as grass land mapping, underground coal fire monitoring, applications of remote sensing in specific crop identification and acreage estimating such as for mulberry, cotton, tea mustard, sorghum, groundnut, chillies etc and soil moisture assessment, digital terrain modeling etc are taken up for methodology development and for use of remote sensing in these areas. As an effort to utilize microwave remote sensing X-band SAR flights were carried out over Godavari Basin, Andaman & Nicobar Island, Orissa and Cauvery Delta. The Data for theses areas is being interpreted to gain the experience in microwave data analysis. Efforts are continuing to develop software for receive processings calibration of SAR data and development of C-band aerial SAR in the country. Use Interaction and Information Dissemination Operational utilization of remote sensing technology in various fields of natural resources management in the country is the main goal of Indian remote sensing programme furthered through NNRMS. Operational utilization of the technology calls for involvement of concerned agencies in the remote sensing projects in their resource fields. Almost in all the projects carried out by the department of space, users are involved since beginning phase of the project. This ensures on the job training of the participating personnels in remote sensing application and effective transfer of technology to participating agencies. User interaction is also continued through their representation in various committees responsible for promotion of remote sensing technology in various resources fields. Information dissemination forms an important component among activities of various department of space operated remote sensing centers it eh country. Users are kept informed about activities of these centres and within country through brochures and news letters published from these centres. Various publications brought out by these centres are NNRMS bulletins published from NNRMS secretariat Bangalore INTERACT published from RRSSC-Central management office Bangalore, INTERFACE published from NRSA Hyderabad and IRS new letter published from Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad. The NNRMS bulletin compiles specifically the remote sensing activities going on at different remote sensing work centres of ISRO, state remote sensing application centres and remote sensing cells in central and state use departments, and keeps users informed of important developments in remote sensing cells in central and state use departments, and keeps users informed of important developments in remote sensing technology, symposia/seminars availability of new data products, remote sensing case studies and latest findings etc special publications on available carried out by NNRMS scientists are also brought out by the NNRMS secretariat. Conclusion Signification progress has been achieved for the operational utilisation of remote sensing in various natural resource management areas including disaster management. Remote Sensing utilization cells have been established in almost all the central Govt. user departments. Almost all the states have established remote of priority to their states. Training throughput is now balanced and meets fully the demand of trained personnels in field of remote sensing applications. Large number of remote sensing application projects at national and regional level are being carried out in the country for generation of data base on country's natural resources and for their effective monitoring and forecast of production. Data generated on country's natural resources using remote sensing inputs will be used System in the country. Research and Development efforts are being made to develop C-Bank SLAR. X-Band SLAR has already been developed. Efforts are on to develop Microwave subsystems/sensors capable of being used in the satellites. Efforts are made to develop capabilities to receive calibrate and process data from Microwave satellites/sensors. As part of the establishment of the ground segment for ERS-1, Frame synchroniser unit was developed. Testing of the ERS-1 UPSK modulator and data generator is also over. An X-band side looking airborne radar was flight tested as a preparation for an indigenous satellite microwave remote sensing mission. The browse products obtained are of good quality. The IRS programme is made operational through launch of further satellites at an interval of almost 2.5 years so as to assure continued availability of remote sensing data to Indian users, with this it is expected that in the coming years remote sensing will play an important role in various decision making levels in the country for the management of natural resources and natural disasters and will eventually effect the related economic planning processes. Acknowledgement The authors are thankful to remote sensing user organisations in the country for providing necessary inputs for the preparation of national report. The secretarial assistance provided by Ms. Chandra, Mr. N. Pattabi Raman and Mr. A.V. Sriram is thankfully acknowledge. 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