A Comprehensive Review of Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence Integration: Advances, Applications, and Challenges
Nikolay L. Kazanskiy, R. M. Khabibullin, Артем Никоноров, Svetlana N. Khonina
Abstract
The integration of remote sensing (RS) and artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized Earth observation, enabling automated, efficient, and precise analysis of vast and complex datasets. RS techniques, leveraging satellite imagery, aerial photography, and ground-based sensors, provide critical insights into environmental monitoring, disaster response, agriculture, and urban planning. The rapid developments in AI, specifically machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), have significantly enhanced the processing and interpretation of RS data. AI-powered models, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms, have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in feature extraction, classification, anomaly detection, and predictive modeling. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of the latest developments at the intersection of RS and AI, highlighting key methodologies, applications, and emerging challenges. While AI-driven RS offers unprecedented opportunities for automation and decision-making, issues related to model generalization, explainability, data heterogeneity, and ethical considerations remain significant hurdles. The review concludes by discussing future research directions, emphasizing the need for improved model interpretability, multimodal learning, and real-time AI deployment for global-scale applications.