High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Energy Flux Mapping of Different Land Covers Using an Off-the-Shelf Unmanned Aerial System

With the development of low-cost, lightweight, integrated thermal infrared-multispectral cameras, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have recently become a flexible complement to eddy covariance (EC) station methods for mapping surface energy fluxes vegetated areas. These sensors facilitate measurement several site characteristics in one flight (e.g., radiometric temperature, vegetation indices, structure), which can be used alongside in-situ meteorology data provide spatially-distributed estimates at very high resolution. Here we test such system (MicaSense Altum) into an off-the-shelf long-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicle, apply evaluate our method by comparing flux with EC-derived data, specific novel focus on heterogeneous communities three different sites Germany. Firstly, present empirical calibrating airborne temperature standard units (K) using Altum multispectral infrared instrument. Then detailed two-source balance model (TSEB) net radiation (Rn), sensible (H), latent (LE) ground (G) heat <0.82 m resolution, root mean square errors (RMSE) less than 45, 37, 39, 52 W m?2 respectively. Converting resulted 19% reduction RMSE across all compared conversion equation provided manufacturer. Our results show potential this UAS resolution over large areas conditions, but also highlight need further surveys types land uses.