Remote sensing technician

Description

Remote sensing technicians collect airborne data. They utilise equipment aimed for the collection of data and determination of geographical points in order to help in a variety of operations such as land conservation, urban planning, and military operations.

Remote sensing technicians typically do the following duties:

  • Prepare images, graphic reports, maps, and charts.
  • Build photo mosaics of large areas like cities and parks.
  • Operate remote sensing equipment to gather airborne, ground-based, and satellite data.
  • Make sure the data obtained from remote sensing systems are accurate.
  • Assist with the management of natural disasters such as floods, fires, earthquakes, oil spills, and hurricanes.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to remote sensing technician:

remote sensing technology studies scholar
remote sensing technology research scientist
remote sensing technology studies research scientist
remote sensing technology studies analyst
remote sensing technology scientist
remote sensing technologist
remote sensing technology scholar
remote sensing technology science researcher
remote sensing technology studies researcher
remote sensing technology research analyst
remote sensing technology researcher
remote sensing technology analyst
remote sensing technology studies scientist
remote sensing technology studies research analyst

Minimum qualifications

An associate’s degree in geographical information systems, remote sensing, geography, geology, natural resource management, earth sciences, or a related field is generally the minimum required to work as a remote sensing technician.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Remote sensing technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Remote sensing technician career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to remote sensing technician.

surveying technician
hydrographic surveying technician
geology technician
soil surveying technician
civil drafter

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of remote sensing technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of remote sensing technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

geographic information systems specialist
hydrographic surveyor
land surveyor
cartographer
geographer

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of remote sensing technician.

  • Geomatics: The scientific discipline that studies gathering, storing, and processing geographic information.
  • Photogrammetry: The science of taking photographs from at least two different locations in order to measure land surfaces to be represented in a map, 3D model or physical model.
  • Surveying: The technique of determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them.
  • Geographic information systems: The tools involved in geographical mapping and positioning, such as GPS (global positioning systems), GIS (geographical information systems), and RS (remote sensing).
  • Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
  • Geodesy: The scientific discipline that combines applied mathematics and earth sciences in order to measure and represent the Earth. It studies phenomena such as gravitational fields, polar motion, and tides.
  • Remote sensing techniques: The different techniques to obtain information on objects and phenomena on Earth’s surface without having physical contact with them, such as electromagnetic radiation, radar imaging, and sonar imaging.
  • Geography: The scientific discipline that studies the land, phenomena, characteristics and inhabitants of Earth. This field seeks to understand the natural and man-made complexities of Earth.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of remote sensing technician.

  • Possess visual literacy: Interpret charts, maps, graphics, and other pictorial presentations used in place of the written word. The graphics used vary from process to process; therefore, the professional must have sufficient knowledge of the field in order to follow and use the information presented.
  • Execute analytical mathematical calculations: Apply mathematical methods and make use of calculation technologies in order to perform analyses and devise solutions to specific problems.
  • Keep task records: Organise and classify records of prepared reports and correspondence related to the performed work and progress records of tasks.
  • Use geographic information systems: Work with computer data systems such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
  • Study aerial photos: Use aerial photos to study phenomena on Earth’s surface.
  • Collect data using gps: Gather data in the field using Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.
  • Study radar images: Analyse radar images to study phenomena on Earth’s surface.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of remote sensing technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
  • Cartography: The study of interpreting the elements depicted in maps, the measures and technical specifications.
  • Topography: Graphic representation of the surface features of a place or region on a map indicating their relative positions and elevations.
  • Civil engineering: The engineering discipline that studies the design, construction and maintenance of naturally built works such as roads, buildings, and canals.
  • Geophysics: The scientific field that deals with the physical processes and properties of, and spatial environment surrounding Earth. Geophysics also deals with the quantitative analysis of phenomena such as magnetic fields, the internal structure of Earth, and its hydrological cycle.
  • Geology: Solid earth, rock types, structures and the processes by which they are altered.
  • Earth science: The science preoccupied with studying planet earth, this includes geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. It also includes the composition of the earth, earth structures, and processes.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of remote sensing technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Operate remote sensing equipment: Set up and operate remote sensing equipment such as radars, telescopes, and aerial cameras in order to obtain information about Earth’s surface and atmosphere.
  • Collect mapping data: Collect and conserve mapping resources and mapping data.
  • Conduct research on climate processes: Conduct research on the characteristic events occurring in the atmosphere during the interactions and transformations of various atmospheric components and conditions.
  • Compile gis-data: Gather and organise GIS-data from sources such as databases and maps.
  • Develop geological databases: Develop geological databases in order to acquire and organise information.
  • Create strategic maps: Create maps which outline the positions of friendly and enemy troops and vessels, pinpointing their location as precisely as possible using appropriate systems, in order to ensure the maps can be used for strategic and tactical purposes.
  • Apply digital mapping: Make maps by formatting compiled data into a virtual image that gives a precise representation of a specific area.
  • Research remote sensing technologies: Perform research in order to develop new remote sensing techniques and equipment.
  • Create thematic maps: Use various techniques such as choropleth mapping and dasymetric mapping to create thematic maps based on geospatial information, using software programmes.
  • Use CAD software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
  • Interpret geophysical data: Interpret data of a geophysical nature: Earth’s shape, its gravitational and magnetic fields, its structure and composition, and geophysical dynamics and their surface expression in plate tectonics.
  • Create GIS reports: Use relevant geographic informations systems to create reports and maps based on geospatial information, using GIS software programmes.
  • Assist scientific research: Assist engineers or scientists with conducting experiments, performing analysis, developing new products or processes, constructing theory, and quality control.
  • Create cadastral maps: Create maps using data gathered during surveying and measurement activities and specialised software which outline a region’s constructions’ and buildings’ boundaries.
  • Prepare geological map sections: Prepare geological sections, a vertical view of the local geology.

ISCO group and title

3111 – Chemical and physical science technicians


References
  1. Remote sensing technician – ESCO
  2. Remote Sensing Technologist – ECO Canada
  3. Featured image: By National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office, Public Domain
Last updated on February 12, 2023