Diploma in Hyperspectral and Thermal Sensors
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in Hyperspectral and Thermal Sensors. 8 modules covering optical and infrared radiation physics, detectors and sensor architectures, radiometric and spectral calibration, atmospheric correction, spectral analysis and classification, platform integration and dual-use applications and ethics, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the physical principles of optical and infrared radiation.
Select suitable detectors according to band and mission.
Calibrate thermal and hyperspectral sensors with traceability.
Apply atmospheric corrections to spectral data.
Classify materials using spectral algorithms.
Integrate payloads on airborne and ground platforms.
Assess the dual use of sensors from an ethical perspective.
Who it's for
- Electro-optical sensor engineers.
- Hyperspectral image analysts.
- Radiometric calibration specialists.
- Payload integrators.
- Advanced thermography technicians.
- Remote sensing consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter defence and security.
What you'll work with
- ASTM E1933 (emissivity measurement with infrared imaging radiometers)
- ISO 18434-1 (condition monitoring: thermography)
- STANAG 4609 (digital motion imagery)
- ASTM E1213 (MRTD of thermal imaging systems)
- ASTM E1311 (MDTD of thermal imaging systems)
- EN 16714-1 (thermographic testing: general principles)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use items)
- ENVI
- Spectral Python (SPy)
- FLIR Research Studio
- MATLAB Hyperspectral Imaging Library
- QGIS
8 modules
1.1The electromagnetic spectrum from VNIR to LWIR1.2Planck's law and the black body1.3Emissivity, reflectance and transmittance1.4Atmospheric transmission windows1.5Spectral radiance and radiometric quantities1.6Spectral signatures of materials1.7Thermal contrast and apparent temperature1.8Photon noise and detection limits1.9Light-matter interaction in vegetation and soils1.10Practical exercise: measuring emissivity with a radiometer
2.1Silicon and InGaAs photodiodes2.2HgCdTe, InSb and T2SL detectors2.3Uncooled microbolometers2.4Stirling cryocoolers and their maintenance2.5Focal plane arrays and ROICs2.6NETD, MRTD and figures of merit2.7Pushbroom and whiskbroom spectrometers2.8Tunable filters and FTIR imaging2.9Germanium and chalcogenide optics2.10Lab: NETD characterisation of an LWIR camera
3.1Calibration with an extended-area black body3.2Two-point non-uniformity correction3.3Defective pixels and their replacement3.4Spectral calibration with emission lamps3.5Integrating spheres and Spectralon references3.6Metrological traceability of measurements3.7Thermal drift and field recalibration3.8Measurement uncertainty according to the GUM3.9MRTD verification with a four-bar target3.10Practical exercise: NUC calibration of a thermal sensor
4.1MODTRAN radiative transfer models4.2Empirical line correction4.3Removal of water vapour absorption4.4Georeferencing and orthorectification4.5Band-to-band and sensor-to-sensor registration4.6Dimensionality reduction with PCA and MNF4.7Temperature-emissivity separation4.8Noise filtering in hyperspectral cubes4.9Data formats and metadata4.10Workshop: pre-processing an airborne hyperspectral cube
5.1Reference spectral libraries5.2Spectral Angle Mapper and SID5.3Linear spectral unmixing5.4RX anomaly detection5.5Matched filters and ACE5.6Supervised classification with SVM5.73D convolutional networks for cubes5.8Specific spectral indices5.9Validation with ground truth5.10Case study: material detection in a rural scene
6.1Payloads on crewed aircraft6.2Integration on fixed-wing drones6.3Sensors on Earth observation satellites6.4Surveillance towers and gimbal mounts6.5Stabilisation and inertial units6.6Thermal management and power consumption6.7Vibration and temperature environmental testing6.8Payload electromagnetic compatibility6.9Data links and compression6.10Workshop: link budget for a payload
7.1Border surveillance and search and rescue7.2Wildfire detection7.3Precision agriculture and water stress7.4Inspection of critical infrastructure7.5Detection of spills and pollution7.6Privacy and thermal image capture7.7Export control of IR detectors7.8Performance assessment and spectral deception7.9Review under international humanitarian law7.10Case study: dual-use report on a sensor
8.1Mission and requirements definition8.2Band and resolution selection8.3Proposed sensor architecture8.4Calibration and validation plan8.5Data processing chain8.6Analysis of expected performance8.7Cost and risk estimate8.8Ethical and legal considerations8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ENVI, Spectral Python (SPy), FLIR Research Studio, MATLAB Hyperspectral Imaging Library and QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: radiometric calibration with a black body, flight campaigns with ground truth and anomaly detection in real scenes. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ASTM E1933, ISO 18434-1, STANAG 4609, ASTM E1213, ASTM E1311, EN 16714-1, Regulation (EU) 2021/821.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with ENVI, Spectral Python (SPy), FLIR Research Studio, MATLAB Hyperspectral Imaging Library and QGIS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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