VEGETATION INDEX

Using a DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral will result in vegetation index mapping for the following indexes:

which will help manage crop health and monitoring.

The creation of these vegetation maps accomplish:

Vegetation indexes measure the health and density of vegetation by comparing the reflection and absorbtion of various RGB light and NIR by healthy plants.
It helps detect plant stress (from drought, pests, disease, nutrient deficiency, compaction, etc.) before it's easily visible to the human eye.
This allows for proactive, targeted management – applying water, fertilizer, or treatments only where needed, saving resources and improving turf consistency.

Formula: NDVI=NIR+RedNIR−Red
- NIR = Near-Infrared band
- Red = Red band
What it measures: NDVI is a widely used index that quantifies vegetation greenness or health. It exploits the contrast between the strong absorption of red light by chlorophyll and the high reflectance of near-infrared light by healthy plant canopies.
Values: Ranges from -1 to +1.
- Negative values (around -1 to 0) typically represent non-vegetated surfaces like water, snow, or bare soil.
- Values close to 0 indicate sparse or stressed vegetation.
- High positive values (closer to +1) indicate dense and healthy vegetation.
Applications: Monitoring vegetation health, biomass estimation, land cover classification, drought detection, and agricultural monitoring, especially in early to mid-growth stages.

April 19, 2025 - Southern NH

Formula: GNDVI=NIR+GreenNIR−Green
NIR = Near-Infrared band
Green = Green band
What it measures: Similar to NDVI, GNDVI is a vegetation index that estimates photosynthetic activity and is more sensitive to chlorophyll content than NDVI. It uses the green band instead of the red band.
Values: Ranges from -1 to +1, with higher values indicating greater photosynthetic activity and healthier vegetation.
Applications: Assessing vegetation health, particularly chlorophyll content, leaf area index, and nitrogen uptake in plant canopies, often used in later growth stages when NDVI might saturate.

April 19, 2025 - Southern NH

Formula: NDRE=NIR+Red EdgeNIR−Red Edge
NIR = Near-Infrared band
Red Edge = The spectral region between the red and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (approximately 700-730 nm)
What it measures: NDRE is sensitive to chlorophyll content and is particularly useful for monitoring vegetation health in mid to late growing seasons when the canopy is denser. The red-edge band can penetrate deeper into the canopy than the red band, making it less prone to saturation.
Values: Ranges from -1 to +1, with higher values indicating higher chlorophyll content and healthier vegetation.
Applications: Monitoring crop health in later growth stages, assessing nitrogen status, variable rate fertilization, and detecting stress in dense canopies where NDVI might be less effective.

April 19, 2025 - Southern NH

Formula: LCI=Red EdgeNIR
NIR = Near-Infrared band
Red Edge = The spectral region between the red and near-infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum (approximately 700-730 nm)
What it measures: LCI is an index specifically designed to estimate leaf chlorophyll content. It is sensitive to variations in chlorophyll and can be useful for assessing plant nutritional status and stress levels.
Values: Typically greater than 0, with higher values indicating higher leaf chlorophyll content. The exact range can vary depending on the sensor and vegetation type.
Applications: Precision agriculture for monitoring nitrogen needs, assessing plant stress related to nutrient deficiencies or diseases, and studying vegetation physiology.

April 19, 2025 - Southern NH

Formula: OSAVI=NIR+Red+LNIR−Red×(1+L)
NIR = Near-Infrared band
Red = Red band
L = An adjustment factor to minimize soil background influence (often set to 0.16)
What it measures: OSAVI is a modification of the NDVI that aims to reduce the influence of soil brightness on vegetation indices. This is particularly useful in areas with sparse vegetation or during early growth stages when soil is more visible.
Values: Ranges from -1 to +1, similar to NDVI, but with reduced soil background effects. Higher values indicate healthier vegetation.
Applications: Vegetation monitoring in areas with significant bare soil, early-season crop monitoring, and biomass estimation where soil background can confound results from NDVI. The 'L' factor helps to optimize the vegetation signal by minimizing soil noise.
In summary, these vegetation indices utilize different combinations of spectral bands to highlight specific aspects of vegetation health, density, and physiological status. The choice of index depends on the specific application, the growth stage of the vegetation, and the amount of soil background present.

April 19, 2025 - Southern NH

SKYDOG ATI LLC