Advances in Remote Sensing of Geophysical Surveys Based on UAV

Dear Colleagues,

The emergence of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has notably triggered interest in UAV-based geophysical remote sensing. UAV-based remote sensing utilizing lightweight sensors, such as multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal infrared sensors, represents the most advanced disruptive technology to target research on adaptation strategies. Moreover, industrial development has witnessed the development of lightweight geophysical sensors, such as magnetometers, gravimeters, and GPRs, that are light enough to be installed on UAVs. Automated geophysical surveys, rapid wide-area landmine contamination detection, mapping surveys, and exploration geophysics are hot topics that can be studied using UAV-based remote sensing geophysics.

The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together cutting-edge research, innovations, and insightful perspectives on the utilization of UAVs in geophysical studies. UAVs offer numerous advantages for conducting geophysical surveys, including cost-effectiveness, streamlined design facilitating effortless transportation, autonomous navigation, ability to fly at low altitudes, and various other advantageous characteristics. These attributes position UAV-based geophysical methods as a harmonious fusion of traditional airborne and ground-based approaches, effectively harnessing the strengths of both methodologies simultaneously.

We encourage researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to submit original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that advance our understanding and utilization of UAVs in geophysics.

Related topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Novel UAV-based geophysical surveys;
• Integration of UAVs with advanced geophysical instruments;
• Passive and active sensors in UAV-based geophysics;
• Application of UAVs for geophysical mapping and exploration, environmental monitoring, landmine detection and identification;
• Data acquisition, processing, analysis, and integration;
• Fusion of geophysical surveys;
• Challenges, limitations, and future direction in the field of UAV-based geophysics.

Dr. Alex Nikulin
Dr. Farzaneh Dadrass Javan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Remote Sensing is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.