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The objective of the undertaken research was to characterize and evaluate the impact of weather and lighting conditions on recording terrain anomalies in the photographs obtained during a UAV photogrammetric flight. The present work describes the use and capabilities of the UAV in the mapping of photo acquisition conditions similar to those performed during inspection flights with the use of a manned helicopter equipped with a hyperspectral camera, in the target range of visible light. The research was conducted in the southern part of Poland (between Gliwice and Katowice), where 7 routes were selected, differing from one another in terms of terrain anomalies (buildings, types of land areas, vehicles, vegetation). In the studies, which involved photogrammetric flights performed using a UAV, different seasons and times of day as well as changes in light intensity were taken into account. The flight specification was based on the main parameters with the following assumptions: taking only perpendicular (nadir) RGB photographs, flight altitude 120 m AGL, strip width 160 m, GSD =0.04 m and overlap ≥83%. The analysis of the photographic material obtained made it possible to correct the catalog of anomalies defined previously, since the recognition of some objects is very difficult, being usually below the orthophotomap resolution. When making and evaluating orthophotomaps, problems with mapping the shape of objects near the edges of the frame were found. When a 12 mm lens is used, these distortions are significant. It was decided that for the purpose of generating training data from orthophotomaps, only the fragments containing objects which shape would be mapped in accordance with the real one would be used. Thus, the effective width of orthophotomaps obtained from simulated flights will be approximately 100 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes the problem and effects of water scarcity and the possibility of rational use of this resource in the idea of a Circular Economy (CE) and sustainable development. Rational water management requires innovation, due to the growing demand for this raw material. It seems that water is widely available, e.g., in Poland, there is no problem with drought. Unfortunately, Polish water resources are shrinking and modern solutions, as well as the construction of new and modernisation of old infrastructure, are some of the few solutions that can protect against a shortage of potable water. Water is also an essential resource for economic development. It is used in every sector of the economy. Limited water resources lead to an inevitable energy transformation because, in its present state, the Polish energy industry consumes huge amounts of water. Due to the above statements, the authors propose a solution in the form of an interactive shower panel that contributes to more rational water management (e.g., in households or hotels) based on the latest technological achievements. This device enables the creation of water consumption statistics based on accurate liquid flow measurements and the transfer of data to the user's mobile device. This innovation aims to make the user aware of the amount of water used, which in turn can contribute to lower water consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very simple algorithm with which to assess cloudiness over the Baltic Sea has been developed. The algorithm involves analysis of cloud longwave emissivity, supplemented with available information on shortwave emissions. The simple classification method is based on the split-window technique and compares a signal recorded in the neighbouring spectral bands with results of cloud-free atmosphere modelling. The algorithm was tested using data from the SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager) satellite radiometer, but the method can be easily implemented for other data sources. Compatibility with instant shipborne radiation measurements was obtained. The effectiveness of the comparison was determined from the Hanssen–Kuiper score. The CM SAF (Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring) data comparison shows that the system correctly classified areas in 88%, the satellite map accuracy was 46% with a 54% overvaluation error. The accuracy of the detection system was 44%, and the underestimation error was 56%. The comparison of modelling results showed 71% of correctly classified areas, the accuracy of the satellite map was 35%, and the repricing error was 65%. The accuracy of the detection system was 36%, and the underestimation error was 64%. The concordance of satellite measurements (Cohen's kappa coefficient) was at a level of 98% and 99% between the satellite and model. Statistically, the analysis is based on the results of measurements for the Baltic Sea basin in 2015. The obtained data on the monthly cloudiness was compared with the operational, model and lidar data. A difference between the solution proposed and the approaches derived from prognostic models is demonstrated. The regional scale solution is shown to be a better representation of the true state of the atmosphere, compared to global-scale models. The results obtained show cloudiness assessments to differ depending on the model applied (CM SAF, UMPL – Unifed Model for Poland). The average annual cloudiness of the Baltic Sea is around 58.5%. It is a repeatable value by other solutions based on various methods and sources (MODIS – Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), including lidar ones (CALIPSO – Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation). In addition, a potential for applying the regional cloudiness assessment to estimate the top-down components of the radiation budget is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]