{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]],"date-time":"2026-04-18T18:03:48Z","timestamp":1776535428591,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,2]],"date-time":"2023-06-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1685664000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012331","name":"Flanders Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["HBC.2019.2600"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["HBC.2019.2600"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012331","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The development of UAVs and multispectral cameras has led to remote sensing applications with unprecedented spatial resolution. However, uncertainty remains on the radiometric calibration process for converting raw images to surface reflectance. Several calibration methods exist, but the advantages and disadvantages of each are not well understood. We performed an empirical analysis of five different methods for calibrating a 10-band multispectral camera, the MicaSense RedEdge MX Dual Camera System, by comparing multispectral images with spectrometer measurements taken in the field on the same day. Two datasets were collected, one in clear-sky and one in overcast conditions on the same field. We found that the empirical line method (ELM), using multiple radiometric reference targets imaged at mission altitude performed best in terms of bias and RMSE. However, two user-friendly commercial solutions relying on one single grey reference panel were only slightly less accurate and resulted in sufficiently accurate reflectance maps for most applications, particularly in clear-sky conditions. In overcast conditions, the increase in accuracy of more elaborate methods was higher. Incorporating measurements of an integrated downwelling light sensor (DLS2) did not improve the bias nor RMSE, even in overcast conditions. Ultimately, the choice of the calibration method depends on required accuracy, time constraints and flight conditions. When the more accurate ELM is not possible, commercial, user-friendly solutions like the ones offered by Agisoft Metashape and Pix4D can be good enough.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs15112909","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,2]],"date-time":"2023-06-02T10:08:41Z","timestamp":1685700521000},"page":"2909","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":68,"title":["Identifying the Optimal Radiometric Calibration Method for UAV-Based Multispectral Imaging"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-8213-6051","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Louis","family":"Daniels","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Applied Mycology and Phenomics, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"},{"name":"BMS Micro-Nutrients NV, Rijksweg 32, 2880 Bornem, Belgium"},{"name":"UAV Research Centre, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-0412-9522","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eline","family":"Eeckhout","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UAV Research Centre, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}]},{"given":"Jana","family":"Wieme","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UAV Research Centre, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}]},{"given":"Yves","family":"Dejaegher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"BMS Micro-Nutrients NV, Rijksweg 32, 2880 Bornem, Belgium"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8791-1282","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kris","family":"Audenaert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory for Applied Mycology and Phenomics, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}]},{"given":"Wouter H.","family":"Maes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UAV Research Centre, Department of Plants & Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tplants.2018.11.007","article-title":"Perspectives for Remote Sensing with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Precision Agriculture","volume":"24","author":"Maes","year":"2019","journal-title":"Trends Plant Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1016\/j.isprsjprs.2014.02.013","article-title":"Unmanned aerial systems for photogrammetry and remote sensing: A review","volume":"92","author":"Colomina","year":"2014","journal-title":"ISPRS J. 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