SUR4380 REMOTE SENSING – SYLLABUS (2026 example)

​Online Asynchronous (3-credits)

Student comments (2026) from anonymous course evaluations:
  • Very nice guy, extremely passionate about his job.
  • gave lectures with relevant info and not much useless stuff
  • Easy to contact
  • Dr. Broadbent was very enthusiastic about this subject, which made the course very interesting.
  • Easy to communicate with the instructor and responds in a timely manner. He is very knowledgeable and helpful with any assignments.
  • Very good at communicating
  • His instruction is the best I have encountered. It really works for me. The lectures including the assignments along the way.
  • Instructor does great in their ability to keep consistent open communications for any questions students may have regarding course work.
  • The lecture videos were done very well. I liked the progress of going through the video and stopping to do little assignments.
  • Professor Eban is great!!! He is extremely smart and loves his job. We need more people like this at UF
  • Easily accessible.
  • Course organization and content made sense. videos were newly recorded and relevant.
  • Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject matter
  • knowledageble, understanding, etc
  • Best UF professor I've had. Was incredibly flexible with his office times and due dates. In return, having that extra time and flexibility
  • allowed me to study the topics more and put more effort into projects. I found myself not stressing to finish topics but rather exploring further. This is something I really wish other professors would try to adopt, less rigidity!
2026 Spring Syllabus provided below, however, is subject to change each year and is informational only.


Contents
INSTRUCTOR.. 3
OFFICE HOURS. 3
COURSE DESCRIPTION.. 3
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES. 4
GOAL & OBJECTIVES. 4
Goal: 4
Objectives of Course: 4
Topics: 4
LECTURES AND DISCUSSION.. 5
SCHEDULE.. 6
INSTRUCTOR INTERACTION PLAN.. 6
COURSE MATERIALS. 7
GRADE EVALUATION / ASSESSMENTS. 8
GRADING SCALE.. 9
NETIQUETTE.. 9
LEARNING STRATEGIES. 10
UF HONOR CODE.. 10
AVOIDING PLAGIARISM... 10
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT.. 11
UF WRITING STUDIO.. 11
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. 11
U MATTER, WE CARE.. 11
COUNSELING AND WELLNESS. 12
TEACHING EVALUATIONS. 12
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & INFORMATION.. 12
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS. 13
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND RESOURCES. 13
CAMPUS HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCES. 13
SOFTWARE USE.. 13
PRIVACY AND ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES. 14


INSTRUCTORDr. Eben N. Broadbent, https://ffgs.ifas.ufl.edu/faculty/broadbent-eben/Links to an external site. 
Spatial Ecology & Conservation Lab, www.speclab.orgLinks to an external site.
303 Reed Lab, School of Forest Resources and Conservation
Mobile: 1-650-204-1051 (text or call as necessary).
Email: Please use Canvas mail as general emails may get lost in my other correspondence, but if needed, for some reason, it is [email protected]. Also, if needed, my cell is: 1-650-204-1051.
OFFICE HOURS Tuesdays, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, and via special appointment. I will be in-person in my office during this time and, by appointment (email, phone call), can be logged into a Zoom session with a waiting room for a virtual appointment. Most efficient is to email me via Canvas in advance to schedule an appointment to ensure you have a spot and that I am available with the Zoom room available. In addition, there will be periodic Zoom sessions scheduled on Tuesday's at 2 PM depending on student interest.
Office hours are available both in-person and virtually. Please schedule a virtual appointment with me during this time or another time if needed, and I will provide a Zoom link and password.
In-person location: 303 Reed Lab; see the Google Map link below for the approximate location:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir//29.6480108,-82.3480838/@29.6480842,-82.3473972,19zLinks to an external site.
Figure: A 3D view of Dr. Broadbent's office (blue star) and two entrances (red arrows) to access the '3rd' floor. The office door is directly across from the Geomatics administrator's main office.


COURSE DESCRIPTION The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the scientific and engineering principles behind remote sensing and of the current state of the art in the field. Topics include remote sensing systems, ground-truthing procedures, air photo interpretation, satellite image processing and classification, radar imagery, lidar, satellite-, aircraft-, and drone-borne platforms, cloud-based computing for remote sensing, applications of remotely sensed imagery, and integration with geographic information systems. 
The approach is based on lecture materials, lecture and lab style activities, and assessments through in-class polls, quizzes, assignments and projects, and with assigned readings providing support to lecture and activities by covering topics in more detail. KEY to success in this course is understanding that the successful application of remote sensing requires understanding concepts and theories, but also a general overview of a suite of key software packages used for remote sensing analyses. An important part of the experience is solving issues with software and associated datasets, and use of new format and potentially large size datasets (with associated issues related to internet access and storage), as is typical of all remote sensing activities. Consider these challenges as an integral component of Remote Sensing and a part of what you will learn in this course. 
In some cases, assignments provide detailed workflows, in others, there may be no specified objective, but rather to learn through creatively applying your knowledge and skills to explore a range of datasets, software features, and potential applications. Working with remote sensing and geospatial data is a constant process of problem-solving, self-learning, and key is having a positive and professional behavior and attitude and using adaptation during the process - and that is part of what I look forward to seeing all students do in this class.
Course Prerequisites: As provided by registrar.


COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVESGOAL & OBJECTIVESGoal: The goal of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the scientific and engineering principles behind remote sensing and to provide an understanding of the state-of-the-art of remote sensing.
Objectives of Course: (1) Provide an understanding of the principles of electromagnetic radiation pertaining to remote sensing. (2) Provide an understanding of instruments currently used in remote sensing and their appropriate application. (3) Demonstrate computer hardware and software used in remote sensing.
Topics: Overall: The course covers remote sensing systems, ground-truthing procedures, air photo interpretation, and satellite image processing and classification. It also addresses radar imagery, applications of remotely sensed data, and integration with geographic information systems.
Specifically: A comprehensive overview of flight platforms, from space-based systems such as satellites and the space station, high-altitude platforms including balloons, aircraft platforms including fixed-wing and copter systems, drone platforms including fixed-wing, VTOL, and copter configurations, and terrestrial platforms, such as tripods or cranes.
Passive remote sensing will be covered starting with the fundamentals of the electromagnetic spectrum, including energy sources and radiation principles, energy interactions in the atmosphere, and energy interactions with the Earth’s surface. Visual imaging as a passive sensing method will be covered through photography, film types (black and white, color, and color infrared), formats and scale for cameras, digital imaging, data formats, and the storage and manipulation of imagery. Applications of photographic results will be explored along with topographic and planimetric mapping, environmental monitoring, and the processing of visual and other imagery, including geometric correction, orthorectification for both satellite and aircraft-borne data, and photogrammetry for satellite and drone-borne systems. The course will also cover applications including, digital elevation models, digital surface models, and multi- and hyperspectral imaging using passive sensors, including platforms, preprocessing, radiometric correction, radiance-to-reflectance conversion, tarps, atmospheric models, in situ sensors, spatial and spectral enhancement, pan-sharpening, and classification methods, including unsupervised approaches.
Classification techniques covered include ISODATA, supervised classification, nearest neighbor classification, and accuracy assessment. Applications of these methods will be emphasized throughout.
The thematic application areas will include vegetation, mineralogy, and thermal remote sensing. This includes thermal infrared imaging, the principles of thermal infrared radiation, radiant versus kinetic temperature, and their applications. These topics will be linked to conservation biology, human presence monitoring, plant health assessment, and fire dynamics.
Active remote sensing will be introduced with a focus on radar and lidar systems. Radar topics will include satellite and aircraft-borne systems, resolution, azimuth, range, terrestrial-borne systems, and ground-penetrating radar. Lidar will be discussed alongside the general applications of active systems, including terrain analysis, pollution detection and monitoring, moisture assessment, target recognition, and data fusion.
Data fusion will be addressed through the integration of active and passive systems, including aircraft-borne, NEON airborne observation platform (AOP), and drone-borne data, with a potential specific case study being the GatorEye Unmanned Flying Laboratory. Image segmentation using eCognition or another segmentation capable software (e.g., ENVI or SAM) will be covered, along with global cloud-based analyses and the use of Google Earth Engine (GEE).
Artificial Intelligence (AI) credit (Enable-AI): Support AI through related knowledge and skill development, such as programming or statistics. AI course content is 10-49%.
LECTURES AND DISCUSSION
  • As of 2026, Remote Sensing is being offered in the format of asynchronous online, which best accommodates our upper-level Geomatics students who are frequently engaged in full-time work positions, with challenging schedules, and are located throughout the state.
  • To participate fully in lectures, laboratory activities, and all other course components, students are required to attend using a computer (PC or laptop) from an appropriate location with sufficient and stable internet bandwidth, and with a webcam and microphone available as needed. These are necessary to engage in real-time lectures, instructional materials, assignments, presentations, question-and-answer sessions, and in-class activities. Participation modes that limit engagement, including multitasking, audio-only attendance, or attempting to attend while driving or otherwise distracted, are not recommended nor supported and are incompatible with the level of interaction and attention required for this course.
  • When you conduct the course activities, please do so in a location appropriate for video and audio communication as it may be required to record small videos or post other similar responses. During optional synchronous sessions the expectation is that unless good reason exists you will have your camera on and be able to respond to questions and interact with other participants.
  • Students are expected to fully view all lectures and overviews, engage in all class components, discussions, projects, and activities, and carefully complete all required Zoom polls and submissions by the deadlines posted in Canvas. Students are responsible for checking Canvas email regularly and communicating with the instructor promptly with any questions or support needs.
SCHEDULESee the latest version of the course schedule under the Canvas 'Pages' section (link here). Exam dates and due dates are provided in this schedule, as well as are posted and updated in the Canvas calendar section. The week’s module content for the following week is released each Tuesday at 2 pm on Canvas. Complete watching all lecture recordings and lecture and lab activities prior to the subsequent Tuesday, unless the deadline is otherwise indicated on Canvas. The schedule is updated frequently, so be sure to check it every Tuesday to ensure you view the correct recordings and complete the assigned activities.
The PC Lab in Reed Lab is available as is needed for students, specifically we have it reserved from 2-5 PM every Tuesday. That is on the 4th floor of Reed Lab (see directions in my office hours description above) and has a number of sufficiently powerful PCs with monitors and internet access as is necessary to complete course activities.
INSTRUCTOR INTERACTION PLANIn addition to office hours, a course Zoom room will be available to students every Tuesday from 2–5 PM. The instructor, Dr. Eben Broadbent, intends to be available in the Zoom room at 2:00 pm for many sessions, contingent on student interest. If no students are present at that time, the instructor will log off, but the Zoom room will remain open for student use. On some occasions, the instructor may not be available during this period.
This time may be used to discuss course materials, activities, hardware or software issues, or any other matters related to the course. Meetings may take place in the main Zoom room, in a private Zoom breakout room, or in another format as preferred. Students who specifically wish to ensure meeting with the instructor are encouraged to send a message via Canvas email in advance to help ensure availability. The Zoom room may also be used by students for peer discussion and collaboration as needed.
To attend an optional Zoom meeting, please register in advance for the course Zoom meetings (link below). Please use your full name in this process. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You must register using your UFL email. You can also find the links for the Zoom sessions in the Canvas course under the Zoom page.
Registration link: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/hi1o6IHIQMOKn1sHK55K2QLinks to an external site. 
Meeting ID: 924 0835 4855
Zoom passcode: 004520
COURSE MATERIALSAssigned readings are listed on the most current Schedule page in Canvas. These readings are intended to be completed prior to viewing the associated lectures and course materials. Students are expected to review the assigned content to become familiar with the topics and concepts being introduced; however, memorization or full mastery of all details is not required, such as such as complex equations or highly specialized content that may be encountered in the readings.
Textbooks (required): (1) Remote Sensing and Image Interpretation by Lillesand, Kiefer, and Chipman, 7th Edition, 2015. Wiley, and Sons. ISBN: 9781118343289. (2) Remote sensing of vegetation: Principles, techniques, and applications by Jones & Vaughan. 1st Edition, 2010. Oxford University Press. ISBN:9780199207794.
Textbooks (optional): (1) Remote Sensing: Principles, Interpretation, and Applications, by Sabins & Ellis. 4th edition, 2020.
Course website: In Canvas.
Software: Access to ENVI and ArcGIS software is required for this course. ENVI can be accessed by purchasing a student ENVI license or using the UFApps at: https://info.apps.ufl.edu/Links to an external site., and it can be accessed from any computer using VPN or on-campus directly, using your UFL login information. A free student version of ArcGIS can be obtained at the following link https://www.geoplan.ufl.edu/software/Links to an external site. or via UFApps as described above. If you decide to purchase a license for use on your personal computer, then you can do so at the following link. If you decide to do this, let me know, and they have changed their system recently. https://www.nv5geospatialsoftware.com/Solutions/AcademicLinks to an external site.
Download and installation of required software packages and datasets, and efficient access to UF resources (including Apps), are required for this course. Please be prepared to do so, including, if required, accessing computer resources on the UF campus and/or the Geomatics computer lab (contact me if you don't have and would like access, and I will make this happen).
Canvas will describe additional requirements and how to enable them as they become necessary, including access to the campus R drive, Google enabling your UFL email for use of Google Docs in assignments, and other items.
GRADE EVALUATION / ASSESSMENTSEach of the assignments will be evaluated as part of the course grade; please manage your time wisely. The overall grade will be based on the weighted activities indicated below:
Activity
Grade weight (%)

Lecture polls and activities
25%               

Lecture projects
25%     

Midterm and Final exams
30%

Independent projects and presentations
20%

TOTAL
100%


Excellent submissions of any assignment may be used as reference examples for current and future remote sensing courses and shared with students on the Canvas course page.
Lecture polls and activities: This includes polls which will be asked during lectures, and which may take the form of true/false, multiple choice, short response, or otherwise. In addition, the instructor may use other graded forms to assess understanding and participation. 
Lecture projects: Start during the lecture period and may extend in some cases outside the lecture period as you require. You will work on various tasks involving data acquisition, understanding, theory, analysis, applications, etc., and with delivery via assigned uploading and/or sharing of recorded presentations. There may be a number of these during each lecture period related to various topics thematically related to the topics being discussed. 
Midterm / Final exams: Typically takes less than 60 minutes, has between 30 to 60 questions (true/false, multiple choice, short response), and is conducted using Honor Lock and require a web cam and suitable setting to meet Honor Lock requirements. These are closed-book exams (e.g., no internet, no notes, no book) – meaning nothing but your memory.
Independent projects and presentations: Working during within and outside lecture periods as needed, you will work to develop a study using remote sensing data and theory, the methods, implement the methods, and then present (5 minutes) to the class via submission of a recorded Zoom presentation, your results using a standard format PPT or Google Slide presentation, with key sections being: title, introduction, question/hypothesis, methods, results, discussion, conclusions - and with a least one map, table, and additional figure, as well as at least three peer-reviewed article citations/references (as found on Google Scholar).
Etiquette: Any submissions displaying unprofessional unconstructive behavior may be graded an immediate 0. Unprofessional behavior will result in warnings and may result in a grade of 0 for associated activities. Repeated, unprofessional unconstructive behaviors or submissions may result in the student being removed from the course.
GRADING SCALEThe following grading scale will be used to determine end-of-semester performance. Each of the assignments will be evaluated as part of the course grade; please manage your time wisely. 
Letter Grade
Percentage Range
A
93% and above

A-
90% to 92.99%

B+
87% to 89.99%

B
83% to 86.99%

B-
80% to 82.99%

C+
77% to 79.99%

C
73% to 76.99%

C-
70% to 72.99%

D+
67% to 69.99%

D
63% to 66.99%

D-
60% to 62.99%

F
Below 60%
NETIQUETTECommunication Courtesy: All class members are expected to follow common courtesy rules in all email messages, threaded discussions, and chats.
When communicating online, you should always:
  • Treat everyone with respect, even in email or in any other online communication.
  • Use clear and concise language.
  • Remember that all college-level communication should have correct spelling and grammar.
  • Avoid slang terms such as “wassup?” and texting abbreviations such as “u” instead of “you.”
  • Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman and use a size 12 or 14 pt. font.
  • Avoid using the caps lock feature AS IT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS YELLING.
  • Be cautious when using humor or sarcasm, as the tone is sometimes lost in an email or discussion post, and your message might be taken seriously or offensive.
  • Be careful with personal information (both yours and others).
When posting on the Discussion Board in your online class, you should:
  • Make posts that are on-topic and within the scope of the course material.
  • Take your posts seriously and review and edit your posts before sending them.
  • Be as brief as possible while still making a thorough comment.
  • Always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source.
  • Be sure to read all messages in a thread before replying.
  • Don’t repeat someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it.
  • Avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” Include why you agree or add to the previous point.
  • Always be respectful of others’ opinions even when they differ from your own.
  • When you disagree with someone, you should express your differing opinion in a respectful, non-critical way.
  • Do not make personal or insulting remarks.
  • Be open-minded.
LEARNING STRATEGIES
  • Save files such as readings/handouts to your own computer so that you can access them later after the course has closed. Courses close about a week after the semester ends, and you will not be able to be “added back” to previous courses in order to study for a final exam or defense.
  • Check out the UF Writing Studio (online appointments are available).
  • Explore Lynda.com – log in with your gatorlink towards the right on the main eLearning page for free training and tutorials on hundreds of subjects and programs like Excel, Python, Photoshop, AutoCAD, etc.
UF HONOR CODEAs a result of completing the registration form at the University of Florida, every student has signed the following statement: "I understand that the University of Florida expects its students to be honest in all their academic work. I agree to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University."
The instructors of this course fully support the intent of the above statement and will not tolerate academic dishonesty. We, the members of the University of Florida Community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
All students are expected to follow the University of Florida Honor Code (excerpt above). Read more: https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
AVOIDING PLAGIARISMDuring your academic coursework, you will be expected to use a variety of resources, publications, and references to support your assumptions and conclusions. Failure to attribute credit to your sources is a violation of UF’s Honor Code and can carry serious consequences. It is vital that you properly credit and cite your sources in every instance in which you include: direct quotations, ideas from other sources, whether paraphrased or summarized, and/or
facts that are not considered common knowledge.
If you use someone else’s words, ideas, or even if you simply gather facts, you must give the original source credit. Whenever you are in doubt about a particular item, cite it! This serves an important purpose in addition to preserving academic integrity. Along with your bibliography, it indicates to your reader the extent of your research; it also allows the reader to pursue aspects of your topic on their own.
For specific rules on citation formatting, you should follow the guidelines provided by your individual instructors. For more information about plagiarism and academic honesty, visit the UF Library Guide: Attribution & Plagiarism (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACADEMIC MISCONDUCTAcademic honesty and integrity are fundamental values of the University community. Students should be sure that they understand the UF Student Honor Code at https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/policies/student-honor-code-student-conduct-code/. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
UF WRITING STUDIO A campus resource available for students wanting to become better writers.  Students have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a consultant on issues specific to their own particular development.  To get more information or schedule an appointment, visit http://writing.ufl.edu/writing-studio/. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIESStudents with disabilities requesting accommodations should first register with the Disability Resource Center (352-392-8565,  disability.ufl.edu (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.) by providing appropriate documentation. Once registered, students will receive an accommodation letter which must be presented to the instructor when requesting accommodation. Students with disabilities should follow this procedure as early as possible in the semester.
U MATTER, WE CAREThe U Matter, We Care initiative is committed to creating a culture of care on our campus by encouraging members of our community to look out for one another and to reach out for help if a member of our community is in need.  If you or a friend is in distress, please contact [email protected].  A nighttime and weekend crisis counselor is available by phone at 352-392-1575. 
COUNSELING AND WELLNESSStudents experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being are encouraged to utilize the university's counseling resources. Both the Counseling Center and Student Mental Health Services provide confidential counseling services at no cost for currently enrolled students. Resources are available on campus for students having personal problems or lacking clear career or academic goals, which interfere with their academic performance. Other centers TEACHING EVALUATIONSThe School of Forest Resources & Conservation cares about your experience and we will make every effort to address course concerns. We request that all of our online students complete a course satisfaction survey each semester, which is a time for you to voice your thoughts on how your course is being delivered. If you have a more urgent concern, your first point of contact should be our Distance Education Coordinator for the SFRC, Rhiannon Pollard. You may also contact the Graduate or Undergraduate Coordinator for the program offering the course, if you prefer. More information on the University of Florida student complaint process can be found here. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & INFORMATION TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
  • Canvas supports only the two most recent versions of any browser software. Safari, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge are not recommended. What browser am I using?
  • For this course, you will also need to use Adobe Reader and Microsoft Office or equivalent. Login to Office365 at UFLinks to an external site.
  • You may need a headset microphone and webcam. Lectures are normally live, not downloaded, and require a fast, low-latency, and reliable internet connection. Closed captioning is available on some prerecorded lectures. They can be toggled on/off by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen.
  • A wired connection may be required for quizzes and exams. If technical issues arise during the exam, you must call the UF Helpdesk for a time-stamped ticket at 352-392-4357.
  • If accessing the course on a mobile device, you can download the free Canvas app. Do not use the app for submitting assignments or exams. We do not recommend using the app for viewing recorded lectures and presentations.
  • Connecting to UF Library Resources from Off Campus (using Course Reserves / ARES)
ACADEMIC POLICIES AND RESOURCESAcademic policies for this course are consistent with university policies. See https://syllabus.ufl.edu/syllabus-policy/uf-syllabus-policy-links/Links to an external site.
CAMPUS HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCESVisit https://one.uf.edu/whole-gator/topicsLinks to an external site. for resources that are designed to help you thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally at UF.  
Please contact UMatterWeCareLinks to an external site. for additional and immediate support.
SOFTWARE USEAll faculty, staff and students of the university are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against university policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate.
PRIVACY AND ACCESSIBILITY POLICIESUF Resources: PrivacyLinks to an external site. | AccessibilityLinks to an external site.
Microsoft PrivacyLinks to an external site. | AccessibilityLinks to an external site.
Zoom Privacy Statement Links to an external site. | AccessibilityLinks to an external site.
Mediasite Privacy StatementLinks to an external site. | Accessibility.Links to an external site.
Instructure (Canvas) Privacy Statement | AccessibilityLinks to an external site.
Honorlock Privacy StatementLinks to an external site.  |  AccessibilityLinks to an external site.
YouTube: PrivacyLinks to an external site.