IN FOCUS: Why GRSS Standards Matter
By Joanne Van Voorhis
IEEE has a long-standing tradition of advancing technical standards, which play a vital role in driving the adoption of new technologies and ensuring seamless, safe interoperability between devices and systems. Typically developed by volunteers, these standards serve as the foundation for product development, providing clear, consistent protocols that are widely understood, adopted, and continuously refined. In practice, they enable smooth connectivity between products and systems – like the ability of multiple products to connect effortlessly via Bluetooth technology. Volunteer Working Groups Support Global ChallengesRecognizing the importance of standards development, the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society formed the Standards for Earth Observations (GSEO) Technical Committee in 2017 to support the development and promotion of technical standards related to the generation, distribution, and utilization of interoperable data products from remote sensing systems. These standards provide essential guidance for product and system development while enhancing the safety, reliability, and consistency of globally collected and shared data. Currently, GSEO is focusing on many standards development projects, with volunteer working groups dedicated to each.
Dr. Siri Jodha Khalsa, Senior Research Scientist Emeritus at the National Snow and Ice Data Center is the Chair of the GSEO. He explains why the development of standards is central to the work of the GRSS. “Our standardization initiatives have broad, global impact,” he explains. “For example, we are starting a project that will enhance disaster management and early warning systems and another that will optimize natural resource use, including agricultural productivity. These are important contributions for an organization to make to support our global community – they make a difference,” he adds.
Calibration of Hyperspectral Imaging Devices
A good example of a working group within GSEO is the Characterization and Calibration of Hyperspectral Imaging Devices Working Group (P4001), which has over 230 members from around the world. The IEEE P4001 project will standardize the characterization and calibration of hyperspectral imaging devices, which is needed because current practices vary in the way hyperspectral camera performance is characterized. The standard encompasses terminology, device classes, laboratory tests, and recommended practices, with a focus on the 250 to 2500 nm spectral range. Hyperspectral imaging devices are useful in many applications including remote sensing of vegetation, surface minerals and environmental changes, as well as surveillance and military tasks. Establishing a common language for technical specification, testing criteria, and image metadata is a main focus of this standard, which will be applicable to instruments deployed on spaceborne, airborne, handheld, or benchtop platforms. The standard is in final form and will be published soon.
Protocol for Measuring Soil Spectroscopy
Another example is the Protocol for Measuring Soil Spectroscopy Working Group (P4005), which is working to create a reliable and widely accepted method for measuring soil reflectance in both the field and in the laboratory. With growing global challenges like climate change, food security, and sustainable land management, the need for accurate soil information is more critical than ever. Even under controlled lab conditions it is difficult to achieve consistent results when obtaining spectra of soils. Field measurements are even more challenging due to factors like instrument stability, soil surface variations (e.g., moisture, dust, stones), sun angle, atmosphere, and soil footprint size, which complicate data consistency across users, times, and locations. However, field measurements are essential as they reflect real-world soil conditions and help validate remote sensing data. A robust field method is needed to maintain field-specific details while aligning with lab standards. The work encompasses assessing measurement stability and reproducibility under various instrumentations, the development of quality assurance and control indicators for soil properties prediction models, and identifying the minimum required set metadata for each measurement. The standard is under development and currently in the technical editing phase.
Supporting the Open Geospatial Consortium
Dr. Khalsa is also the GRSS liaison to ISO/TC211 and the Open Geospatial Consortium, both international organizations that develop and promote open standards for geospatial data and services. These standards enable the seamless sharing, processing, and integration of geographic information across different platforms, systems, and applications. ISO/TC 211 is concerned with the standardization in the field of digital geographic information. This work aims to establish a structured set of standards for information concerning objects or phenomena that are directly or indirectly associated with a location relative to the Earth. The effort will link to appropriate standards for information technology and data where possible and provide a framework for the development of sector-specific applications using geographic data.
Collaborating on Standards Development
Standards development within GRSS is a collaborative, volunteer-driven process that relies on the collective expertise and contributions of many individuals who contribute their time for the greater benefit. For many volunteers, contributing to standards development is a career highlight, as it allows them to shape emerging technologies and enhance existing products and systems. It requires working as a team and bringing all your experience to the table and can be very rewarding.
Dr. Khalsa explains why he is involved with standards: “I have found it incredibly rewarding to participate in standards development – it has exposed me to emerging technologies, demonstrated how standards can translate theoretical advances into practical applications, led to cross-disciplinary networking, and brought me into contact with a lot of brilliant people.”
How to Participate
If you would like to dedicate some time and your expertise to developing standards within GRSS, explore the various working groups and contact the group chair for more information.
