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Perform image classification

Image classification is a type of image analysis that uses machine learning to identify patterns and differences in land cover in drone, aerial, or satellite imagery. Land cover classification maps can be used to monitor deforestation in vulnerable regions; identify the amount of impervious surfaces on different land parcels for tax and property assessments; create flood maps; aid in watershed monitoring and city planning; and more.

ArcGIS Pro tools and options for image classification can help you produce optimum results.

There are four classifiers available in ArcGIS: random trees, support vector machine (SVM), ISO cluster, and maximum likelihood. Both supervised and unsupervised classification workflows are supported. In supervised classification, you identify classes and provide training samples of each class for the machine learning algorithm to use when classifying the image. This approach is recommended when you understand which classes are present in your region of interest or when you are looking for the presence of specific classes. Unsupervised classification does not require training samples or a given set of classes. Rather, the classifier analyzes the dataset and identifies different statistically significant classes that best fit the dataset. These classes are reported as generic classes, and you must assign them to specific categories (such as vegetation or roads) after the classification is complete.

Classification methods also include pixel-based options, which assign each pixel a class based solely on the characteristics of that specific pixel, or object-based options, which group neighboring pixels with similar characteristics into segments and classify the resulting segments rather than individual pixels. You can also use tools to assess accuracy by comparing the classified image to a reference image.

Image classification can be time consuming and complicated, and it can be difficult to produce accurate results. The Image Classification wizard in ArcGIS Pro provides a simplified user experience to guide you through the classification process.

Explore the following resources to learn more about performing image classification in ArcGIS.

Note:
To use image classification tools or the classification wizard, you'll need ArcGIS Pro with either ArcGIS Image Analyst or ArcGIS Spatial Analyst.

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