Remote Sensing and Satellite Imagery Analysis Training Course

This intermediate course develops technical skills in remote sensing and satellite imagery analysis, covering imagery sourcing, preprocessing, spectral index calculation and land cover classification. Participants work hands-on with real satellite imagery throughout, using freely available Sentinel and Landsat data rather than pre-processed samples, building the judgement to assess their own analysis critically. The course closes with a land cover classification and change detection analysis for a defined area of interest.

Freely available satellite imagery from missions like Sentinel and Landsat has transformed what is possible for organisations without their own remote sensing budgets, but sourcing, preprocessing and correctly interpreting that imagery requires specific technical skills that basic GIS training does not cover.

Remote sensing sits at the intersection of image processing and spatial analysis, and practitioners who skip the fundamentals often produce classifications and indices that look plausible but do not hold up to scrutiny. This intermediate course builds remote sensing skills systematically, from sourcing and preprocessing imagery through to classification and change detection, so participants understand what their analysis is actually showing.

• Explain the fundamentals of remote sensing and satellite sensor types
• Source and download freely available satellite imagery
• Preprocess satellite imagery for analysis
• Calculate spectral indices for vegetation, water and built-up areas
• Perform supervised and unsupervised land cover classification
• Assess classification accuracy against reference data
• Conduct change detection analysis across multiple time periods
• Interpret false colour composites and band combinations
• Integrate remote sensing outputs into broader GIS analysis

This course is suitable for:

• M&E and research staff working with satellite imagery
• Environmental and natural resource management staff
• Agricultural monitoring and early warning staff
• Disaster risk and climate resilience programme staff
• Urban and land use planning staff
• Conservation and protected area management staff
• Researchers incorporating remote sensing into evaluation design
• GIS analysts progressing beyond basic mapping skills

The programme is delivered through facilitator-led hands-on sessions working with real satellite imagery inside QGIS, structured around progressive exercises rather than lecture alone. Each module closes with a short applied task so participants leave with working remote sensing skills rather than notes alone.

Institutions sending staff on this course can expect:

• Reduced dependence on external consultants for remote sensing analysis
• Improved use of freely available satellite imagery for programme monitoring
• Stronger land cover and vegetation monitoring capability
• More credible change detection analysis over time
• Reduced risk of remote sensing outputs that do not withstand scrutiny
• Improved integration of remote sensing into broader M&E and planning work
• Increased in-house geospatial analytical capability
• A documented, reusable remote sensing analysis approach
• Cost savings from reduced reliance on commercial imagery and analysis services

By the end of this course, participants gain:

• Advanced technical skill in satellite imagery sourcing and analysis
• Confidence to calculate and interpret spectral indices
• Sharper land cover classification skills
• Practical experience conducting change detection analysis
• Stronger standing in remote sensing and spatial analysis discussions
• A completed classification and change detection analysis for direct application
• Improved ability to assess classification accuracy critically
• A specialist skill set distinguishing them from basic GIS users
• A foundation for progressing into advanced spatial statistics

At Strategic Revenue Africa, our certification goes beyond proof of attendance—it represents practical competence and measurable capability. Upon successful completion of our training programs, participants are awarded a Certificate of Completion from Strategic Revenue Africa, recognizing their ability to apply acquired knowledge in real-world settings. As an organization focused on architecting sustainable revenue and strengthening organizational performance, our certifications signal that participants are equipped with skills that drive results, not just theory.

Prior QGIS experience is expected, equivalent to completing a QGIS fundamentals course. No prior remote sensing experience is required.