Proposed choice of experimental studies

In this report is we propose experimental studies aiming at possible future methods for producing maps of underwater vegetation and substrates. The purpose of the experimental studies proposed in this report is to establish leverage with respect to possible future technologies and methods which could increase the potential for classification and mapping. Some examples are hyperspectral imaging, multispectral lasers and fluorescence remote sensing technologies. Some of these techniques have been tested in pilot studies but are not yet fully operational in a broader sense. We propose two activities for the experimental studies. The first activity is to characterise spectral reflectance and fluorescence signatures of species and substrates. Such data are relevant for many types of remote sensors, and there are few such data published from Baltic environments. The second activity is a study of mapping capabilities from a small unmanned aerial platform (UAV). If accurate mapping could be done from UAV:s, this method would be of interest because of its low cost. The UAV-mapping study will also concern the influence from spatial resolution on the mapping capability. This report is a part (Aquatic Work Package 3, WPA3) of the work within the EMMA project financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The main focus of the EMMA-project is on remote sensing data from operational systems on airborne platforms. However, in this report we address new technologies and methods that are not fully operational today.