Glossary · Technology
What is NDVI?
Also called: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Vegetation index
NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) is a satellite measure of how green and healthy vegetation is, calculated from red and near-infrared light, ranging from −1 to +1.
Healthy plants reflect a lot of near-infrared light and absorb red light. NDVI compares the two — (near-infrared − red) ÷ (near-infrared + red) — giving a value between −1 and +1. Dense crops score high; bare soil, buildings and water score low or negative.
By tracking NDVI for your plot across every clear image and season, we can see when a field is being cultivated, left fallow, cleared or built over.
NDVI is one signal among several. A sudden drop can mean a harvest, not an encroachment, which is why every alert is reviewed by a person before it reaches you.
Why it matters if you live abroad
NDVI shows whether someone is farming your land when you thought it was fallow — often the first sign of unauthorised use.
Read the full guide
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