About the Series
Starting 10 October, WILDLABS and the Satellite Applications Catapult are proud to announce our new virtual course: Earth Observation 101. This four-part lecture series from Dr Cristian Rossi explores the technologies and the algorithms behind remote sensing and gives an overview of several applications using RS data, including practicalities about data access and processing.
Are you new to Remote Sensing, or want to know more about the applications of the technology? Then this series is for you! This series will give you the practical knowledge base you need to understand the current state of Earth Observation for Conservation and where the field is headed.
Remote Sensing (RS) is the science of obtaining information about the Earth’s physical, chemical, and biological systems without physical contact. It employs sensors that measure the electromagnetic radiation which interacts with land, ocean, and atmosphere. It is used in a diverse set of applications, such as forestry, agriculture, geology, hydrology, archaeology, meteorology, oceanography, zoology, glaciology, and many other disciplines.
RS history dates back over 200 years, with the first photographs capturing landscapes from balloons, kites and even pigeons. Many years later the systematic use of this technology was deployed for surveillance purposes during the two world wars. With rapid scientific progress, the global utilisation of this technology was finally reached in the 70s, with the development of satellites orbiting around the Earth and the establishment of several space agency programmes that provide useful data for research and development. Nowadays, many commercial companies own satellite constellations and the combined data availability from public and private sources is hitting global coverage with hourly acquisitions. This lecture series explores the technologies and the algorithms behind remote sensing and gives an overview of several applications using RS data, including practicalities about data access and processing.
This lecture series is free and allows you to move at your own pace with videos available to all on the WILDLABS YouTube channel. Course content will also be posted in this group so you can navigate through all the content, engage with other participants, and reach out to the course instructor directly.
To join this virtual course, register here!

The Series Schedule
- Part 1: How does it work? (10 October)
The first part of the lecture series is focused on exploring the physical fundamentals of the main two earth observation technologies: optical and radar. We will cover the remote sensing process, from data acquisition to result presentation; the main theoretical concept behind remote sensing imaging, i.e. the electromagnetic spectrum; and we finally will explore the basic properties of optical and radar imagery. - Part 2: What can it do? (17 October)
The second part of the lecture series is dedicated to present an overview of many applications where remote sensing data has been used. After a general overview, we will enter more in detail into applications using optical data, with an introduction to vegetation mapping, and finally into radar applications, where we describe the complementarity of these two technologies. - Part 3: How is it being used? (24 October)
The third part of the lecture series covers two specific case studies: an environmental one, i.e. the search for lithium in Cornwall, and a conservation one, i.e. the monitoring of wildlife corridors. The case studies are covered in depth, with a description of the remote sensing process behind them. - Part 4: How do I get started? (31 October)
The last part of the lecture series is the practical one. We will discover how to access earth observation data from both public and commercial providers; we will describe in detail the main public satellite missions; we will discover existing products generated with earth observation data and finally we will briefly describe available tools and platform for data processing.
Meet your course instructor
Dr Cristian Rossi - Satellite Applications Catapult & University of Oxford
Cristian Rossi received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in telecommunication engineering from the Polytechnic of Milan, Italy and the Ph.D. degree in remote sensing technology from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. He is currently the Geospatial Science Lead at the Satellite Applications Catapult, where he is coordinating with research and academic communities to ensure pull through of science to support organisation activities and he is technically leading several national and international projects focused on the exploitation of remote sensing data for land and ocean applications.
Among his other tasks, Cristian is also responsible of teaching about Earth observation data and algorithms through courses and seminars for industry and academia at all levels and he regularly supports business development and government operations. He is a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Oxford, and he is supervising data science PhD students. He is member of several scientific committees, including UKRI consultations for shaping future research funds, and several Centres for Doctoral Training steering boards. Before moving to the UK, he was a Research Scientist with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), where he was involved in the development of novel algorithms for Earth observation missions. His research interests are focused on data science for sustainable applications and climate change adaptation. He has authored or co-authored more than 90 publications in international journals, conferences, and book chapters.
Group curators
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- @carlybatist
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Science Outreach Lead-Rainforest Connection (RFCx) & Arbimon
Ecoacoustics, biodiversity monitoring, primates, lemurs
- 65 Resources
- 241 Discussions
- 18 Groups
- @KimLane
- | She/Her
Sustainability Manager for CERES Tag LTD. An animal health company; animal monitoring, conservation, & anti-poaching/ rural crime. Wildlife, livestock, equine & companion. #CeresTrace #CeresWild #CeresRanch #SalusPet
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Technologist and Visual storyteller focusing on social, conservations issues.
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- 1 Groups
- @Lindakim
- | She
I am a GIS analyst in the field of conservation
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- 8 Groups
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- 3 Groups
UX Designer, Artist, Reader, and more.
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Conservify
Community Manager for FieldKit
- 4 Resources
- 2 Discussions
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- @Hariprasath
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Researcher
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- @truphena_k
- | turu
conservation and climate change research/tech at NORTHERN RANGELANDS TRUST
- 0 Resources
- 6 Discussions
- 5 Groups
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Welcome to week 4 of our Earth Observation 101 Virtual Course! In this final week we discover how to access earth observation data from both public and commercial providers; describe in detail the main public satellite...
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This SPACES paper aims to inspire the audience to use spatial intelligence as an enabler for integrated nature and climate action. It showcases ’emerging’ data sources and digital technology in the nature and climate...
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Welcome to week 3 of our Earth Observation 101 Virtual Course! This week we explore how remote sensing data is used in both environmental and conservation case studies.
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November 2023
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July 2023
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Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
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Hey everyone!I am brand new to conservation technology and I am trying to find my way. I currently work in a different field and want to... |
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AI for Conservation, Climate Change, Conservation Tech Training and Education, Drones, Early Career, Earth Observation 101 Community, Emerging Tech, Open Source Solutions, Remote Sensing & GIS, Sensors, Software and Mobile Apps | 1 week 5 days ago | |
Hi Jeremy, With a quick search I've found the paper linked below. It looks like equipments such as Livox MID are sufficient for plot-level analyses, but not for individual... |
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Drones, Earth Observation 101 Community, Emerging Tech, Remote Sensing & GIS, Sensors | 5 months 2 weeks ago | |
Hello EO101 community!We hope you have enjoyed the EO101 lecture series! With all four parts now available on the WILDLABS YouTube channel... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community, Community Base | 10 months 3 weeks ago | |
Hello EO101 Community!We'll be hosting a live chat on YouTube as part of our watch party of Part 4 on the WILDLABS YouTube channel.... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 10 months 3 weeks ago | |
Ok no problem! Let me know if you have trouble viewing one of the specific figures/diagrams clearly though and I can try reaching out to the speaker to see if they would be... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 10 months 4 weeks ago | |
Hello EO101 Community!We'll be hosting a live chat on YouTube as part of our watch party of Part 2 on the WILDLABS YouTube channel.... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 11 months 1 week ago | |
To start a completely new discussion, click the post button in the top menu then select the EO 101 community group to have the discussion appear here! |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 11 months 2 weeks ago | |
Also this: "Earth observation for ecosystem accounting: spatially explicit national seagrass extent and carbon stock in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar" |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 11 months 2 weeks ago | |
Hi Robin, you can watch full part 1 video after the premiere or the individual lectures anytime (details below)we have also set up a discussion thread if you have any comments or... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 11 months 2 weeks ago | |
For anyone interested we have decided to try a YouTube premiere for each part of the course. For the first part of the course visit our YouTube channel at 3:00pm BST on Monday 10... |
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Earth Observation 101 Community | 11 months 2 weeks ago |
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Discover Landsat data available through Digital Earth Africa
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Landsat data is accessible to all users, regardless of your level of technical competency. The new ARD can be used to map and mitigate a number of challenges, such as monitoring rangelands which will help to preserve this essential terrain and could provide a key input for wildlife conservation efforts.
Visit Digital Earth Africa Docs for more information on Landsat Surface Reflectance and Landsat Surface Temperature. Digital Earth Africa provides a free self-paced training course, making Earth observation data accessible to problem-solvers worldwide.
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Advice on afforable LiDAR scanners for Amazon forest surveys
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Due diligence for Nature Based Solutions
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Earth Observation 101 - Part 4: How do I get started?
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EO101 Part 3: How is it being used? - Discussion
24 October 2022 10:40am
25 October 2022 9:49am
Hi Shani, great to hear you are enjoying the series!
We're happy to share slides if our speakers give permission, in this case however the speaker has elected not to because of some of the content in the slides.
Was there anything specific you had trouble viewing and wanted to look at in more detail?
27 October 2022 4:39am
No, just in general it's easier for me to absorb information when I can look at it at my own pace (like some things from the first lecture, trying to remember the different types of sensors and their strengths, etc). But no problem at all, I understand- I can always scroll through the video and also do other research online. Thanks for getting back to me!
27 October 2022 2:49pm
Ok no problem! Let me know if you have trouble viewing one of the specific figures/diagrams clearly though and I can try reaching out to the speaker to see if they would be willing to provide a higher resolution version.
Earth Observation 101 - Part 3: How is it being used?
24 October 2022 10:45am
Earth Observation 101 - Part 2: What can it do?
17 October 2022 12:50pm
EO101 Part 2: What can it do? - Discussion
17 October 2022 12:22pm
6 April 2023 6:21pm
Hi Jeremy,
With a quick search I've found the paper linked below. It looks like equipments such as Livox MID are sufficient for plot-level analyses, but not for individual trees. Also, it has performed worse in dense canopies and broadleaf forest, thus I believe we won't have a technology capable of doing what you aim for this amount of money (< $1000) in a few years from now.
I hope someone give us an alternative, though. :D
Best,