--- title: "Short note: Applications of remote sensing" subject: "Surveying II" chapter: 7 key: "semester_4/surveying_ii:remote-sensing-applications" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_4/surveying_ii/remote-sensing-applications site: BCT Engineering --- # Short note: Applications of remote sensing Surveying II · Chapter 7: Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing - Asked in: 2079 Jestha, 4 marks; 2078 Poush; 2078 Baisakh; 2077 Chaitra, 4 marks; 2074 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2073 Magh, 4 marks; 2073 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2072 Asoj, 4 marks; 2072 Magh, 4 marks; 2071 Bhadra, 4 marks; 2071 Magh, 4 marks; 2068 Bhadra, 8 marks; 2065 Kartik (old course), 8 marks; 2076 Baisakh, 4 marks; 2076 Bhadra, 4 marks (asked 15 times) - Video: [SUVEYING AND GEOMATICS - REMOTE SENSING AN ITS APPLICATION](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiYOmWNFbII) — CIVIL MAX - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_4/surveying_ii/remote-sensing-applications - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_4/surveying_ii/chapter-7 ## Question Write a short note on the applications of remote sensing in civil engineering. ## Short answer Remote sensing provides cost-effective multi-temporal data for land use mapping, route and site selection, water resources assessment, geology and soil studies, disaster management, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and topographic mapping and DEM generation in civil engineering. ## Answer Remote sensing is the science of obtaining information about an object or area without physical contact, by recording the electromagnetic radiation reflected or emitted from the Earth's surface with sensors on satellites, aircraft or drones. It gives repeated coverage of large and inaccessible areas at low cost. #### Applications in civil engineering - **Land use and land cover mapping:** classification of urban, agricultural, forest and water areas from multispectral images. - **Route and site selection:** alignment of roads, canals, pipelines and transmission lines, and choice of dam, bridge and airport sites using terrain, drainage and geology. - **Water resources:** mapping of rivers, lakes and catchments; snow and glacier monitoring; flood extent and flood-plain mapping; watershed management. - **Geology and soil:** identification of rock types, faults and lineaments, landslide-prone slopes and soil types for foundation and slope-stability studies. - **Disaster management:** assessment of damage after earthquakes (e.g. Gorkha 2015), floods and landslides, and hazard mapping. - **Urban planning:** monitoring of urban growth, infrastructure inventory, and change detection. - **Environmental monitoring:** vegetation health, erosion, deforestation, pollution of water bodies, and impact assessment of projects. - **Construction and survey:** DEM and contour generation, topographic mapping and quantity estimation. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What defines remote sensing? A. Measuring by direct contact with ground samples B. Obtaining information about an area without physical contact by recording electromagnetic radiation C. Surveying with a total station only D. Drawing maps from field notes Answer: B. Remote sensing records reflected or emitted electromagnetic radiation using sensors on satellites, aircraft or drones, without contact. (Key point: Definition) 2. How is remote sensing used in route and site selection? A. To measure bearings of traverses B. To count vehicles C. To set out pegs D. To judge terrain, drainage and geology for alignments and sites of dams, bridges and airports Answer: D. Terrain, drainage and geology from imagery help align roads, canals, pipelines and choose dam, bridge and airport sites. (Key point: Route and site selection) 3. Which is a disaster-management use? A. Estimating bearing errors B. Damage assessment after earthquakes, floods and landslides C. Designing beams D. Levelling Answer: B. Imagery after events such as Gorkha 2015 shows damage extent and supports hazard mapping. (Key point: Disaster management) 4. Why is remote sensing useful for civil engineering projects? A. It gives exact ground-surveyed dimensions of every wall B. It removes the need for any analysis C. It works only for small plots D. It gives repeated coverage of large and inaccessible areas at low cost Answer: D. Repeated coverage of large, inaccessible areas at low cost is the main benefit. (Key point: Advantage) ## Related in Surveying II - [Remote sensing, types, applications](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Aremote-sensing-types-application-civil) — Surveying II, chapter 7, asked 3× - [Short note: Remote sensing process, applications](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Aremote-sensing-process-applications) — Surveying II, chapter 7, asked 3× - [Short note: Types of remote sensing](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_4%2Fsurveying_ii%3Aremote-sensing-types-application) — Surveying II, chapter 7, asked 2× ## Related in other subjects - [Scope and importance of geology in civil engineering](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fengineering_geology_i%3Ascope-and-importance-of-geology) — Engineering Geology I, chapter 1, asked 24× - [Important properties of civil engineering materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aimportant-properties-civil-materials) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 1, asked 8× - [Importance and scope of civil engineering materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aimportance-scope-subject) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 1, asked 8× - [Classification of civil engineering materials](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_3%2Fcivil_engineering_materials%3Aclassification-civil-materials) — Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 1, asked 2×