Remote Sensing from Unoccupied Aerial Systems: Opportunities to Enhance Arctic Plant Ecology in a Changing Climate

The use of remote sensing instruments on small UASs has emerged as an important tool to bridge the gap between detailed, spatially limited ground-level measurements and lower-resolution, spatially expansive high-altitude airborne and satellite observations. Here, the team reviewed how established and emerging UAS remote sensing technologies can enhance Arctic plant ecological research by quantifying fine-scale vegetation patterns and processes, and by enhancing the ability to link ground-based measurements with broader-scale information obtained from airborne and satellite platforms. The team shared recommendations to better enable and encourage the use of UASs to improve the description, scaling, and model representation of Arctic vegetation.