GPR and UAV Remote Sensing for Detecting Changes in Soil Moisture Across a Heterogeneous Agricultural Field

We compared past satellite images with new UAV thermal mapping results and GPR measurements, carried out on a heterogeneous agricultural field with areas of poor crop growth. Combining all three methods and comparing their results made it possible to determine, which methodology is most efficient for analysing soil properties in such settings. Results from applied methodologies correlate well with each other as well as with actual field conditions in areas of poor vegetation growth. Infrared and multispectral UAV mapping provide results with the highest contrast, making the differences in the field conditions most visible. Visual mapping of the bare soil gave the least information on the soil conditions, while GPR measurements confirmed the presence of higher amounts of water and/or clay due to GPR signal attenuation. In future research, additional analyses of soil samples, pedological profiles, data from lysimeters and dielectric probes as well as periodical UAV mapping for crop growth monitoring will be carried out. The obtained results will help determine the advantages and disadvantages of different remote sensing techniques and improve the field methodology needed for implementing precision agriculture in areas with changing soil conditions.