Integrated VIS-NIR Hyperspectral / Thermal-IR Electro-Optical Payload System for a Mini-UAV

This paper presents the development of a modern electro-optical payload system for remote sensing from a mini-UAV. It is aimed at applications of natural disasters monitoring, in particular forest fires. Both the sensor and the mini-UAV platform are being developed at the Dept. of Space Science and Engineering (DISIS) of the University of Naples “Federico II.” The core of the system is an integrated, multi-band sensor that includes a thermal imager and a hyperspectral sensor in VNIR band. Instrument characterization, laboratory tests, and payload architecture are discussed.