Sensor Technologies and Earth Observation Data for Soil Landscape Modeling
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 120
Special Issue Editors
Interests: artificial intelligence (GeoAI); extended reality (XR); geographic information systems (GISs); HCI; culture technology; metaverse
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI); geosciences, natural hazard; machine/deep learning algorithms; geographic information system (GIS); remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Advancements in sensor technologies and Earth observation data have revolutionized soil landscape modeling, enabling researchers to monitor, understand, and predict soil processes with unprecedented precision. Among these, low-altitude aerial imaging using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has emerged as a transformative tool, providing high-resolution data and real-time insights. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews that explore the integration of these technologies into soil landscape modeling. The focus is on leveraging remote sensing, UAV-based imaging, and advanced analytical methods to tackle challenges related to soil characterization, degradation assessment, and sustainable land management. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, this Special Issue seeks to address gaps in the existing literature and highlight innovative advancements driving the field forward.
Soil landscapes play a vital role in supporting ecosystems, agriculture, and infrastructure. However, their sustainable management is increasingly challenged by issues such as degradation, climate change, and human activities. Recent advancements in sensor technologies and Earth observation data have proven invaluable in tackling these challenges, offering detailed, scalable, and dynamic insights into soil properties and processes. UAVs equipped with multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal sensors are revolutionizing soil research by enabling high-resolution data acquisition at reduced costs.
This growing field calls for a comprehensive exploration of methodologies, applications, and innovations to inform both scientific progress and practical solutions. This Special Issue invites original research and review articles that explore the role of sensor technologies and Earth observation data in soil landscape modeling. Topics aligned with the scope of Sensors include advancements in sensing technologies, data integration, and analytical approaches for understanding soil systems. Contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes are welcome:
- Low-altitude aerial imaging with UAVs for soil characterization;
- Integration of multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal imaging for soil mapping;
- Sensor fusion techniques for multi-source Earth observation data;
- Remote sensing applications in soil degradation and erosion modeling;
- Machine learning and AI-driven approaches in soil data analysis;
- Innovative methods for examining soil-related hazards, such as erosion, salinization, and desertification;
- Spatial modeling of soil-based hazards to assess risks;
- Utilizing GIS and artificial intelligence in digital soil mapping for accurate soil classification and prediction;
- Monitoring soil properties (e.g., moisture, organic content, compaction) using remote sensing and UAV technologies. We look forward to your valuable contributions to this Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Abolghasem Sadeghi-Niaraki
Dr. Seyed Vahid Razavi-Termeh
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Sensors 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 2600 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.
Keywords
- soil landscape modeling
- unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
- geographic information systems (GISs)
- remote sensing
- digital soil mapping
- soil property monitoring
- geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI)
- soil-related hazards
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
