Deconvolution of Plant Type(s) for Homeland Security Enforcement Using Remote Sensing on a UAV Collection Platform
Abstract
The technological ability to distinguish drug plants from other plant types, termed deconvolution, can be a valuable technological tool in the fight against drug trafficking and the war on terrorism. The use of computers and associated hardware as well as data bases and high-speed computing capabilities are an integral part of the technological process that makes possible plant species identification from airborne sensors. This paper will focus on utilizing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and/or hyperspectral imagery coupled with a neural network to successfully achieve deconvolution. The proposed approach can be accomplished from an airborne or space-based platform (airplane or satellite) using a hyperspectral sensor or SAR. This research will focus on mounting either a SAR or hyperspectral sensor aboard a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A suitable UAV would be the Silver Fox developed by Advanced Ceramics Research in Arizona. The Silver Fox is much, much less costly that other UAVs, like the multi-million dollar Predator used by the military. Also, the costs to correctly set up, test, and calibrate such a system are small compared to the potential use and value-added results of the technology if it were applied to the war on drugs. The system described in this article would be a practical surveillance system for local law enforcement agencies, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), or the Department of Homeland Security, as it could be used for the surveillance of many different kinds of targets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA484268
Entities
People
- James A. Tindall