Application of remote-sensing technologies for determination of types of land use

Type of land use is a territory of land surface according to its natural characteristics and the current economic use of the land. In relation to the changing economic environment, land monitoring institutions are investigating and implementing methods for obtaining new data on land use pattern. With the development of technologies, research on innovative methods of land resource assessment is becoming more and more relevant, which improves and accelerates the process of determining the land use pattern within the territory. In the article classifications of types of land use in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (hereafter – Baltic countries) have been compared and the possibilities of determination of types of land use applying remote sensing technologies analysed. There Open Source Geographic Information System (QGIS) capabilities are analysed. The results of the research were approbated on the example of rural area within Luznava municipality of Latvia for updating of types of land use within real property land parcel.