Successful test flights of HySpex

In December 2011, the EOC acquired a new airborne hyperspectral sensor. The HySpex system, developed by the Norwegian company Norsk Elektro Optikk (NEO), comprises two imaging spectrometers with spectral ranges of 400 – 1000 nm and 1000 – 2500 nm. Airworthiness certification and initial test flights onboard DLR's Cessna C 208B were performed in March 2012. NEO accompanied the flights, which also served as final system acceptance. These flights included the acquisition of over 80 GB of hyperspectral image data that was collected at different flight altitudes and sensor settings (binning, field of view, framerate) in order to optimize  the sensor for future flights. During overflight DLR personal on the ground made accompanying measurements using a field spectrometer to determine the spectral and radiometric accuracy. In addition, the flights above DLR's test field in Kaufbeuren allow for an assessment of the sensor’s  geometric properties.