Remote sensing scientists and technologists use devices and sensors to see the features of an area, its resources, or to measure its size and shape.

Remote sensing scientists and technologists gather data that can be used to:

• Get information about drought areas
• Map ocean currents
• Evaluate climate changes
• Predict weather

Remote sensing scientists and technologists determine what kind of information is required for a project and then figure out which type of sensor or device to use to get the information. Tools they use for gathering information include:

• Aerial photography
• Satellite images
• Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Scientists use these tools to collect data from places where humans cannot go, like space or the bottom of the ocean. Sometimes scientists and technologists go to a location to compare what they see there with the data they gather from the sensing devices.

Remote sensing scientists and technologists use computers and mathematical models to interpret data or create maps. They also use the data to write reports.