Developing instruments and algorithms for remote sensing of plastics requires standardised global in-situ observations. Compared to aquatic environments, dry shores are more accessible to frequent in-situ observations. The HyperDrone project aimed to develop a standardised indicator for in-situ radiometric detection of plastic debris with the view to be deployed globally on different platforms.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), with the support of the NERC Field Spectroscopy Facility and the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), undertook field campaigns collecting radiometric data using handheld spectrometer and hyperspectral images from sensors mounted on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). To make a robust dataset, the data was collected along the shore in real environmental conditions and uncertainty budgets were tailored for those acquisitions.

The data collected are made freely available in the Centre for Environmental Data Analysis Archive (CEDA Archive, UK) along with the uncertainty budgets to encourage other researchers to test their methods or design new sensors. Find out more here.

The project was funded through the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities. It was selected through an Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) call for ideas on remote sensing of plastic marine litter.

Access the other Final presentations of ESA Discovery element activities videos.