Which remote sensing technology is right for you?
This data helps people make informed decisions about how best to manage the natural and built environments. There are four main categories of remote sensing —Satellite Imagery, Piloted Aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and Aquatic Remote Sensing. Which one is right for you?
Let's find out.
Remote sensing generates accurate and reliable data about almost anything related to the surface of the earth.
What do you need to monitor?
Mine
Underwater Ecosystem
Vegetation
Pipeline
Transportation Infrastructure
Urban
Disaster Sites
Transmission Distribution
How often do you need to monitor this asset?
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Yearly
Do you need to monitor the length of your asset, the area, or both?
(e.g. a pipeline, transmission line, stream)
Length & Area
Area
Length
(e.g. a park, urban area, disaster site)
(e.g. all the pipelines within a mine site)
What is the length of your asset?
1-5km (1-3mi)
5-1000km (3-620mi)
1,000km+ (620mi+)
1000+ km (620+ mi)
5-1000 km (3-620 mi)
1-5 km (1-3 mi)
What is the area of your asset?
1000+ km (386.10+ mi )
2
5-1000 km (1.93 - 386.10 mi )
1 km (0.38 mi )
Would you consider the location of your asset to be remote?
No
Yes
What resolution quality does your asset require?
Low
Medium
High
Satellite imagery may be the best solution for your project.
SATELLITES
PiloteD AIRCRAFT
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES
Monitor a different asset.
Explore our remote sensing technologies
AQUATIC REMOTE SENSING
Earth observation imaging solutions offer a new way to scan, identify, and measure changes in the environment—around the world.
Detecting infrastructure damage. Finding disturbances on the earth’s surface. Tracking wildlife recovery after a disaster. Satellites can achieve all this and more. Satellite imagery generates accurate and reliable data that can be used to take action. Satellites acquire imagery at various frequencies—daily, weekly, monthly, or even annually—and at resolutions from 30 centimeters to one kilometer (~1 foot to ~0.6 miles). Cost is based on various factors, including frequency and area of coverage. Some satellites have gathered data starting in the 1970s, making retroactive analysis possible. Satellites allow us to observe and measure key elements of the earth’s surface, such as water turbidity and temperature, vegetation health and biomass, buildings and other assets. We’ve partnered with Planet, the world’s leading high-resolution satellite imaging provider to work with unprecedented image fidelity and quality depending upon your needs.
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GroundWATCH GroundWATCH leverages Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) imagery to detect land surface changes with vertical millimeter precision. With a global historical database of imagery dating to 2015, ground subsidence measurements are not limited by cloud, smoke, vegetation, and snow. With our partner TerraMotion, we can look at state-wide coverage at 20m by 20m horizontal resolution (or finer) to provide you with vastly improved understanding of the ground beneath your sites and projects. We can also use SSUM for landslide detection, tailing dams, permafrost monitoring, glaciers, roads, railways, airplane runways, and much more. In the figure to the right, blue areas represent surface uplift and red areas represent subsidence.
Feature Identification and Definition (ExtractX™) We analyze imagery and data collected by satellites, planes, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA). OBIA is a form of artificial intelligence that breaks down images into objects using color, texture, shape, size, and proximity characteristics. Project-specific features are then identified and defined that have either been previously ground-truthed or can serve as a basis for focused field verification. We’ve used ExtractX to identify native and non-native vegetation species and monitor biomass reclamation for environmental assessments. ExtractX can use imagery for water quality monitoring of turbidity, surface temperature, and organic matter and to efficiently track construction progress and impacts.
Leak Detection (PipeWATCH™ for hazardous liquids transport) PipeWATCH allows us to inspect thousands of kilometers of pipeline networks using high resolution satellite images collected daily. This service monitors the health of vegetation on a pipeline’s right-of-way by calculating highly sensitive vegetation biomass indexes. PipeWATCH uses change detection analysis to detect degrading vegetation, which enables us to pinpoint a potential pipeline release at or beneath the surface.
Vegetation Encroachment (WireWATCH™ for power distribution) When vegetation encroaches on your property or right-of-way such as roadways, power distribution, energy infrastructure or pipelines, resultant impacts can be costly and dangerous. Impacts can include road blockages, line outages and the genesis of wildfires. Traditional methods used to identify potential problem spots—ground surveys, reconnaissance by piloted aircraft, customer reports—can be labor and energy intensive, costly, and introduce unnecessary health and safety risks. We use satellite images to accurately identify vegetation encroachment within your property or right-of-ways. We process these data, identify problem locations, and displays results in an easy-to-use web portal, updating entire property portfolios and right-of-ways at your defined frequency up to every few days.
Learn more.
Remote Sensing at Stantec: Experience & Expertise
Satellite imagery provides a unique perspective of your business operation while saving time and energy, reducing your carbon footprint, and reducing human exposures to health and safety risks. Satellite data returns give us the ability to cover massive expanses of land daily with unprecedented detail, going beyond the visible spectrum to give you information that the human eye cannot see. The remote desktop access to satellite imagery can also reduce and mitigate field risks to personnel. Although satellite imagery may be an effective solution for you, other remote sensing methods may be applicable. Click below to find out more about our piloted aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and aquatic remote sensing solutions.
Flexible programmed spaces We're also seeing wellness incorporated in the workplace programmatically via flexible spaces that can contribute to people's wellness in multitude of ways. For example, small privacy rooms meant for a single person can be used for anything from a mother's room to a meditation space, to a room for rest or focused work, and of course to make private calls. Programming these rooms for multiple uses isn’t hard, but it can have a big impact on how employees perceive wellness.
Boutique fitness on demand Essentially, the on-demand fitness space is a room that enables employees to access a variety of different fitness programs digitally, take instruction from a big flat screen, and workout in a flexible fitness space. It’s a concept that started in the hospitality world and transferred over into residential that’s now entering the workplace. People are working longer hours at the office, while some also often have the option or obligation to work at home. This puts pressure on the workplace to offer some of the advantages available at home for those in the office and make it a destination for those that have flexibility to work elsewhere. Amenities like on-demand fitness offerings make the workplace more appealing. Workouts are likely to be done with co-workers. So, on-demand fitness spaces are an opportunity to build culture in the workplace, which is as important to a sense of well-being and mission as it is to productivity.
Giving the weekends back with services If we think more broadly about wellness, we begin to think about work/life balance. That’s where services come in. With the BEAT or suburban office campuses, we see the need to create small town centers or small urbantype environments and campuses that bring all the food, fitness, fun, as well as services closer to the workplace. You may not think of having dry cleaning in a workplace development as healthrelated, but it contributes to wellness. As one of my clients put it, it gives them their weekends back. If you can do small little day-to-day, personal things while you're on the corporate campus or your workspace offers services like car tune-ups or dental cleanings, that helps folks gain some balance. Bringing in services can alleviate stress and contribute to workers' well-being.
Eating right, even on islands Corporate campuses, academic institutions, new office developments in urban areas all host lots of people working in offices. Generally, they need the same things. At the BEAT we are creating a corporate campus in the former Boston Globe headquarters. But the location is locked in by transit and geography, so despite its urban setting it doesn't have access to typical city amenities like great food. So, the design conversation for the BEAT is about building in access to really good local and healthy food options beyond the fries and pizza typical of some corporate cafeterias. The transformation is widespread within the industry, we’re seeing existing corporate cafeterias transforming themselves too to compete for patrons—we’re seeing existing corporate cafeterias transforming themselves as well to compete for patrons—taking inspiration from the dynamic food halls you see in vibrant urban centers.
Satellites
Satellites or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles may be the best solutions for your project.
Satellites and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) cover larger areas in less time than traditional ground surveying, saving you money.
Satellites and UAVs offer a view of your project from high above. Depending on specific factors, such as coverage area, asset size, and monitoring frequency, these two platforms may be best suited for your project. UAVs carry sensors such as infrared, multispectral, gas, thermal, and RGB cameras. The key is to determine which sensor best suits your project’s needs. UAVs can capture everything from high-resolution, oblique imagery or HD video, to leak and heat detection. With new sensors regularly hitting the market, the doors are opening to better, faster, and more accurate data collection. Satellites acquire imagery at various frequencies—daily, weekly, monthly, or even annually—and at resolutions from one foot to one kilometer (0.62 of a mile). Cost is based on various factors, including frequency and area of coverage. Some satellites have gathered data as far back as the 1970s, making retroactive analysis possible.
Satellite imagery provides a unique perspective of your business operation while saving time and money. Satellites give us the ability to cover massive expanses of land on a daily basis with unprecedented detail, going beyond the visible spectrum to give you information that the human eye cannot see. The remote desktop access to satellite imagery can also reduce and mitigate risks to personnel. Although satellite imagery may be an effective solution for you, there are others. Click below to find out more about our manned airplane, unmanned aerial vehicle, and marine remote sensing solutions.
Archeology Digs By examining vegetative properties, we can identify underlying archeological features not detectable from the ground.
Wetland Classifications ExtractX can help to delineate and quantify detailed wetland vegetation community types.
Change Detection Analysis ExtractX performs quantitative analysis, eliminating human bias and allowing for accurate detection.
Invasive Species The unique colors and textures of vegetation species allow ExtractX to delineate rehabilitation of native species in previously disturbed lands.
We analyze imagery and data collected by satellites, planes, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA). OBIA is a form of artificial intelligence that breaks down images into objects using color, texture, shape, size, and proximity characteristics. Project-specific features are then identified and defined that have either been previously ground-truthed or can serve as a basis for focused field verification. We’ve used ExtractX to identify native and non-native vegetation species and monitor biomass reclamation for environmental assessments. ExtractX can use imagery for water quality monitoring of turbidity, surface temperature, and organic matter and to efficiently track construction progress and impacts.
ExtractX™
Piloted Aircraft imagery may be the best solution for your project.
Archeology Digs By examining vegetative properties, we can identify underlying archeological features not observable from ground.
Wetland Classifications ExtractX can help establish baseline conditions of bogs, fens, marshes, swamps, or shallow open water.
Change Detection Analysis ExtractX performs quantitative analysis, eliminating human bias and allowing for accurate feature identification and definition.
Native Species The unique colors and textures of vegetative species allow ExtractX to delineate rehabilitation of native species in previously disturbed lands.
Environmental assessment and monitoring projects, archeology assessments, vegetation identification, wetland classifications, air emissions monitoring, topography and much more—piloted aircraft gather the necessary data needed to help maintain and move your project forward. Sensors on piloted aircraft provide infrequent, high resolution data to help you make informed decisions. Although piloted aircraft may be an effective solution for you, other remote sensing methods may be applicable. Click below to find out more about our satellite, unmanned aerial vehicles, and aquatic remote sensing solutions.
Piloted aircraft provide clients around the world with an effective way to scan, detect, and identify changes in the environment. We use aircraft to capture images and elevation data of your sites and projects from above at increased spatial resolution, allowing you to see finer detail than satellites.
Piloted Aircraft
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles imagery may be the best solution for your project.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, more commonly known as drones, can cover larger areas in less time than traditional ground surveying methods. UAVs carry sensors such as infrared, multispectral, gas, thermal, and RGB cameras. A key decision is to determine the sensor(s) that best suit your project needs. UAVs can capture everything from high-resolution, oblique imagery or HD video, to leak and heat detection. With new sensors regularly entering the market, the doors are opening to better, faster, and more accurate data collection.
Wetland Classifications ExtractX can help delineate and quantify detailed wetland vegetation community types.
Invasive Species The unique colors and textures of vegetative species allow ExtractX to delineate rehabilitation of native species in previously disturbed lands.
Environmental assessment and monitoring projects, archeology assessments, vegetation identification, wetland classifications, air emissions monitoring, topography and much more—UAVs can gather the necessary data needed to help maintain and move your project forward. Sensors on UAVs can provide frequent, high resolution data to help you make informed decisions. Although UAVs may be an effective solution for you, other remote sensing methods may be applicable. Click below to find out more about our satellite, piloted aircraft, and aquatic remote sensing solutions.
UAVs carry sensors such as infrared, multispectral, gas, thermal, and RGB cameras. The key is to determine which sensor best suits your project’s needs. UAVs can capture everything from high-resolution, oblique imagery or HD video, to leak and heat detection. With new sensors regularly hitting the market, the doors are opening to better, faster, and more accurate data collection.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Satellite, manned aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and aquatic remote sensing technologies may be the best solution for your project.
Depending on your project’s unique needs, we can deploy a range of remote sensing technologies for aquatic environments.
Whether working on large-scale, offshore energy development programs, or small coastal construction projects, aquatic remote sensing solutions can provide valuable data for your project. Our remote sensing solutions produce data that can help you develop regulatory strategies, appropriately engage stakeholders and communities, accurately document field conditions, assess project effects, provide scientifically defensible data, and develop efficient and innovative solutions to project challenges. We use a broad range of data collection systems to help with characterizing aquatic environments including satellites, moorings and gliders.For more information click on the tabs below.
Aquatic remote sensing can bring value to your project. From monitoring plankton, fish, birds, and marine mammals, to baseline data for key parameters like sediments, water quality and other chemical and physical water properties and habitats, remote sensing can help. Our teams work on many projects with the potential to affect aquatic environments, from ports to underwater pipelines, energy terminals, and desalination plants, located in environments such as harbors, lakes, rivers, and oceans. Although aquatic remote sensing may be one approach to enhancing your project, there may be others. Click below to find out more about our other available remote sensing solutions.
Gliders Traditional aquatic remote sensing technologies include underwater gliders, and automated underwater vehicles. These can be remotely guided through telemetry to detect physical and chemical water characteristics, including major nutrients over large areas. Using acoustic measurements, we can also gather biological data, including the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish.
Moorings We use a series of moored instruments to measure the physical, chemical and biological characteristics in different bodies of water over long periods of time. We can also monitor other aspects of the aquatic environment through moorings, including ocean acidification, current strength, and water masses. Sensors include acoustic equipment that give us information on phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, and marine mammals.
Water temperatures/Organic matter We have used satellite imagery for water quality projects such as baseline studies, environmental effects monitoring from construction activities and accidental releases.
Identification of submerged vegetation Satellites measure sea surface temperatures, sea surface heights, ocean colors for primary production, and provide visual imagery for things such as ice. Together satellite data provide key information about physical and biological drivers of the aquatic environment that help structure the ecosystem. This includes detection of shallow submerged vegetation in aquatic systems.
Aquatic Remote Sensing
Whether working on large-scale, offshore energy development programs, or small coastal construction projects, aquatic remote sensing solutions can provide valuable data for your project. Our remote sensing solutions produce data that can help you develop regulatory strategies, appropriately engage stakeholders and communities, accurately document field conditions, assess project effects, provide scientifically defensible data, and develop efficient and innovative solutions to project challenges. We use a broad range of data collection systems to help with characterizing aquatic environments including satellites, moorings and gliders. For more information click on the tabs below.
