The project aims to develop algorithms, evaluate the accuracy and produce two output processing pipelines to complete:

1. Native vegetation community and key species mapping needs for South Australian government using Kanyini Hyperscout 2 and compare these results to both ground-based (botanical survey) and drone assessment.
2. Key native, invasive and forestry vegetation type mapping for DEW and PIRSA using Kanyini Hyperscout 2 with an emphasis on determining l variations in the condition of vegetation types and determining relationship to a more variable and changing climate. Where possible, results will be compared and validated with drone assessments at PIRSA and partners’ trial sites.Secondary project outputs are:
3. To validate Kanyini’s spectral response against a minimum of two other satellite instruments, one hyperspectral and one multispectral (e.g., Sentinel, Landsat, and hyperspectral missions such as EMIT, PRISMA, and PACE), for the purposes of cross-calibration that will form part of the Kanyini on-orbit calibration and validation plan.
4. Identify and use the images from these additional (two) satellite instruments to map native vegetation communities, the presence of invasives, and forestry plantation types and compare these to the results from both ground-based assessment and the mapping from Kanyini. This step will inform a data comparison to understand the suitability of Kanyini for vegetation community mapping.

The study will use airborne (including drones), ground-based fieldwork, and satellite hyperspectral imagery to focus primarily on sites such on Kangaroo Island and other strategic locations within SA. By comparing the Kanyini imagers’ capabilities with those of other instruments, including drones and existing satellite imagery, the project aims to advance the science of discriminating difficult-to-identify species and enhance ecological biodiversity mapping.

As a preliminary project step, the project research team should identify the specific spectral bands useful for native vegetation community mapping. Wavebands known to be sensitive to detecting more vegetation stress / condition in the key vegetation types of interest to DEW and PIRSA will also be identified. This may be informed by consultation with experts within PIRSA and DEW already familiar with this problem area.

The outputs of the native vegetation mapping will seek to align with DEW’s Vegetation Community Mapping and PIRSA’s carbon sequestration monitoring objectives. The outputs of the early indicators of vegetation stress / condition relating to variations in climate will seek to align with PIRSA’s key vegetation identified as most sensitive to climate variations and be informed by DEW’s Sentinel-2 outputs identifying differences in key South Australian vegetation types.