Remote sensing is the process of acquiring information about objects or areas from a distance.

In broad terms, as you read this sentence, you are performing a type of remote sensing. Your eyes collect visible light waves reflected by the dark and light shapes in front of you, and your brain analyzes this information, assigning letters, words and meanings to the patterns. 

In a geospatial context, remote sensing is defined as the collection of information about the Earth using satellites, aircraft, or drones.

A picture is worth a thousand words. We’re all familiar with this phrase used to capture the essence of a photograph. How much more would a picture be worth if it not only showed the presence of an object, but also contained information on its precise location, distance, speed and direction of movement? This is exactly what is captured through synthetic aperture radar (SAR).