True understanding is accomplished only through precise measurement. Though practitioners in the field deploy numerous modalities to obtain this essential information, remote sensing incorporates a spectrum of photonics technologies that is as broad and diverse as it is ubiquitous and effective. Joseph Shaw, director of the Optical Technology Center at Montana State University, overviews remote sensing technology, with a focus on core and novel applications, as well as core methods. In a bonus segment, Sanathana Konugolu Venkata Sekar, cofounder of BioPixS, discusses the company’s biophotonics phantom technology platform.