Planet-NeRF : Neural Radiance Fields for 3D Reconstruction on Satellite Imagery in Season Changing Environments

Abstract: This thesis investigates the seasonal predictive capabilities of Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) applied to satellite images. Focusing on the utilization of satellite data, the study explores how Sat-NeRF, a novel approach in computer vision, per- forms in predicting seasonal variations across different months. Through compre- hensive analysis and visualization, the study examines the model’s ability to cap- ture and predict seasonal changes, highlighting specific challenges and strengths. Results showcase the impact of the sun on predictions, revealing nuanced details in seasonal transitions, such as snow cover, color accuracy, and texture represen- tation in different landscapes. The research introduces modifications to the Sat- NeRF network. The implemented versions of the network include geometrically rendered shadows, a signed distance function, and a month embedding vector, where the last version mentioned resulted in Planet-NeRF. Comparative evalua- tions reveal that Planet-NeRF outperforms prior models, particularly in refining seasonal predictions. This advancement contributes to the field by presenting a more effective approach for seasonal representation in satellite imagery analysis, offering promising avenues for future research in this domain.