True Color (RGB)
The swinglet CAM True Colour image is how the fields appear to the naked eye as if you were sitting in the plane and looking out the window on the day of capture. Easily define sloughs, drainage ditches, sandy patches, or different colored plants or weeds.
Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI)
The Aerial Imager NDVI is the image from which most users extract the maximum value. It is a calculated vegetative index which shows you the variability in plant biomass density and plant health across the field. It picks up subtle differences between plants, soil, and water, and allows us to more easily define field variability. It's Aerial Imager NDVI that is most commonly used for management zone creation.
False Color Infrared (FCIR)
The Aerial Imager FCIR image is used to analyze and distinguish differences between plant health variability and soil moisture differences. Having a FCIR image to compare against NDVI and True Color will add that extra layer of help to distinguish your field problems.
Raw 3-Band Product
For the more advanced users and those who may want expandibility with swinglet CAM imagery, you will also receive the raw file format of your Aerial Imager images. The file type can be a 3-Band GeoTiff or GeoJpeg and will allow you to store for later use, or import into most common GIS programs.
Using a high-tech model airplane flying between 80 m and 1200 meters and without cloud cover or shadows, with less than 25 km wind. Swinglet CAM images are captured with automated GPS equipment. After landing all images are stitched with special software for high resolution format and GPS coordinate for pinpoint accuracy.
Groundtruthing:
When you've received back the aerial imagery products, you are presented with a variety of options that can lead to a variety of results. The first step recommended is to "Ground-Truth" the images. This step can involve taking the geo-referenced swinglet CAM image product, commonly the NDVI to the field and using your eyes and knowledge to help you figure out why the variability exists. Coupling this step with readings from SPAD meters, tissue and soil tests, LAI counts, plant height readings, or compaction meters, the ground-truthing truly will prove valuable and make your decisions easier.
Management Zones for Variable Rate:
When you begin to understand what is causing the field variability, the next step may be to create management zones. Through online tools, you are able to automatically create between 2 and 22 classified management zones based on the NDVI or FCIR image. These management zones can be used for in-season application correction of fertilizer or fungicide, or used later in the fall for zone soil sampling.
