METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING OPTIMAL EXPOSURE PARAMETERS OF A HYPERSPECTRAL SCANNING SENSOR

Abstract. The purpose of the presented research was to establish a methodology that would allow the registration of hyperspectral images with a defined spatial resolution on a horizontal plane. The results obtained within this research could then be used to establish the optimum sensor and flight parameters for collecting aerial imagery data using an UAV or other aerial system. The methodology is based on an user-selected optimal camera exposure parameters (i.e. time, gain value) and flight parameters (i.e. altitude, velocity). A push-broom hyperspectral imager- the Headwall MicroHyperspec A-series VNIR was used to conduct this research. The measurement station consisted of the following equipment: a hyperspectral camera MicroHyperspec A-series VNIR, a personal computer with HyperSpec III software, a slider system which guaranteed the stable motion of the sensor system, a white reference panel and a Siemens star, which was used to evaluate the spatial resolution.

Hyperspectral images were recorded at different distances between the sensor and the target- from 5m to 100m. During the registration process of each acquired image, many exposure parameters were changed, such as: the aperture value, exposure time and speed of the camera’s movement on the slider. Based on all of the registered hyperspectral images, some dependencies between chosen parameters had been developed:

- the Ground Sampling Distance – GSD and the distance between the sensor and the target,

- the speed of the camera and the distance between the sensor and the target,

- the exposure time and the gain value,

- the Density Number and the gain value.

The developed methodology allowed us to determine the speed and the altitude of an unmanned aerial vehicle on which the sensor would be mounted, ensuring that the registered hyperspectral images have the required spatial resolution.