Perspectives and Innovation Potential

Remote sensing (RS) is in the focus of a sustained global boom. Reasons for this development are the growing need of geo-, bio-, and ecological information in the wake of globalisation and accordingly the creation of the conventions of Lisbon, Helsinki and Montreal as well as the protocols of Rio de Janeiro, Kyoto, Johannesburg and Nairobi. The practice of remote sensing is unrivalled in providing quick, reliable and low priced data on the current status and developments for the trans-boundary coverage, monitoring, planning and control of CO2/climate policy, sustainable use of resources, biodiversity, etc.

The evaluation of remote sensing data requires a close cooperation with experts of different thematic domains, since objects with specific attributional factors have to be identified, analysed and updated. Due to this fact remote sensing is closely linked to neighbouring disciplines, such as agriculture, forestry, horticulture, geography and environmental science. RS is of relevance for all those disciplines, which study surface areas (forests, pastures, fields, rivers, lakes, seas, urban spaces). The applied research has to feed back on the development of methodologies such as sensor systems, signature databases, method databases, correction algorithms, image analysis algorithms. Only in that case a transfer of technology and methods down to the user can prove to be successful. To tap the innovation potential of remote sensing, the disseminating effect of courses, diploma theses and dissertations is essential. This effect helps to advance a knowledge base on the possible fields of its application and the work of urgently wanted junior scientists in this sector, respectively.

The workgroup Remote Sensing perceives itself as an sort of interface between methodological, fundamental research and practical application on surface systems. It also regards as its tasks to disseminate possible applications and persistently promote remote sensing through its presence in the curriculum