Development and applications of an integrated space-air-ground observation network in natural resource monitoring and supervision

Timely and accurate monitoring is a prerequisite to survey the types, quantities, quality, and distribution of various natural resources. Currently, satellite remote sensing is the major observation method, which has advantages in observation scale, fast speed, and low cost. However, with the increasingly precise management of natural resource, satellite remote sensing faces some shortcomings in observation timeliness, dynamism, and accuracy. To solve these problems, combining space-based, air-based, and ground-based observation technologies can offer an effective approach by taking the advantages of each technology. This study focuses on development and applications of an integrated space-air-ground observation network to avoid the insufficiencies of individual monitoring method in natural resource monitoring and supervision. In this paper, we combined satellite remote sensing, drone photography, video surveillance, and field survey to establish an integrated space-air-ground observation network, proposed a cooperative observation mechanism in observation task, scale, and time. Then monitoring indicators and supervision process was established via indicator library and workflow engine, realizing closed-loop management of “discovery, analysis, verification, disposal, and cancellation” for natural resource monitoring and supervision. Afterward, by connecting the observation network and following the closed-loop management process, a cross terminal software was designed and developed to achieve process automation of natural resource monitoring and supervision. Finally, the observation network and software was put into practice, and the results indicate that the integrated space-air-ground observation network can effectively improve the efficiency and accuracy of natural resource of monitoring and supervision.