Australian Hyperspectral Technology: A Decade of Operational Achievements
On the 8th Februray 1996, an engineering test flight over Canberra resulted in the first images from an Australia developed hyperspectral scanner. This 96 band system was developed for DeBeers and in the next decade it completed diamond exploration surveys in many parts of the world. This system also set the design principles for a series of airborne hyperspectral sensors that become to be known as HyMap.
In 2006, the latest in the HyMap series became operational and set new standards for performance. This system, the ARES, was developed for the German Aerospace Research Organisation (DLR) and features 160 bands including 32 bands in the 8 – 12 um wavelength region.
This paper traces a decade of operational achievements of the HyMap series of hyperspectral scanners beginning with the system performance requirements set by DeBeers and how they were surpassed on delivery. Then on to how a sensor optimized for mineral exploration became used in all aspects of hyperspectral remote sensing from reef mapping to simulating proposed defence satellites.
The HyMap journey provides an overview of the developments in worldwide hyperspectral applications from the deserts of Mali to the jungles of Brazil.