Journal profile · REMOTE SENSING-IMAGING SCIENCE & PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY
Remote Sensing Letters
ISSN 2150-704X · eISSN 2150-7058 · Taylor and Francis Ltd. · ENGLAND · Founded 2010
Remote Sensing Letters: CAS Zone 4 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.44; subscription journal; APC about USD 800; median 187 days to acceptance (117 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: fairly easy; 121 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Remote Sensing Letters is published by Taylor and Francis Ltd. and is in Zone 4 of Earth Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Remote-Sensing Image Classification, Remote Sensing in Agriculture and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications and Techniques, together about 33.5% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Remote Sensing Letters ( RSL) is a subscription-based peer-reviewed journal publishing rapid communications on the theory, science and technology of remote sensing and novel applications of remotely sensed data. The journal’s focus includes remote sensing of the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and human modifications to the earth system. Principal topics include: Remotely sensed data collection, analysis, interpretation and display. Surveying from space, air, water and ground platforms. Imaging and related sensors. Image processing. Remotely sensed data for tackling environmental and societal challenges. Multidisciplinary remote sensing techniques Geoscience and remote sensing applications Climate change and geospatial intelligence Drones applications Economic surveys and cost-benefit analyses. Letters must not exceed 10 printed pages of the Journal; it may be possible to transfer articles such as those that cannot meet this limit to the International Journal of Remote Sensing ( IJRS). RSPSoc members can publish their work Gold Open Access for a discounted article publishing charge (APC) of $800. Please email apc@tandf.co.uk with your RSPSoc membership number if you would like to choose this option. Readership: Scientists, engineers and managers interested in geophysical and biophysical mapping, as well as monitoring of the environment, renewable and non-renewable resources, and pollution. Peer Review Statement: All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): REMOTE SENSING-IMAGING SCIENCE & PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY
Editor-in-chief Costas A. VarotsosPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 33%); most named Mainland China 1, United Kingdom 1, Greece 1 (3 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Remote-Sensing Image ClassificationEngineering13.6%
- Remote Sensing in AgricultureEnvironmental Science12.2%
- Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications and TechniquesEngineering7.7%
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR ApplicationsEnvironmental Science7.7%
- Remote Sensing and Land UseEarth and Planetary Sciences6.9%
- Advanced SAR Imaging TechniquesEngineering6.1%
- Advanced Image Fusion TechniquesEngineering4.9%
- Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesEnvironmental Science3.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Earth Sciences Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Imaging Science & Photographic Technology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Remote Sensing | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Remote Sensing | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Imaging Science & Photographic Technology | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Earth Sciences Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Imaging Science & Photographic Technology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Remote Sensing | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- CiteScore Q2 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.44LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.6Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.43LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.43Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.46LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.46Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 31LetPub ·
- h-index
- 71OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 760OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.61OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 4.62%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 128LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 95,000Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 95,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,919 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 147 | 19 | 24 |
| 2025 | 121 | 16 | 207 |
| 2024 | 135 | 22 | 418 |
| 2023 | 121 | 16 | 545 |
| 2022 | 110 | 13 | 804 |
| 2021 | 136 | 12 | 1,087 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
187 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 137 days – 282 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 21 days (117 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 219 days
- Sample
- 117 articles with submission and acceptance dates (304 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 6–12 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- Fairly easyLetPub ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 38%Publisher website ·
- Acceptance rate (publisher) 2025
- 38%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 59 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to first decision 2025
- 59 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 69 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review 2025
- 69 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 25 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication 2025
- 25 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | USD 800 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Article types accepted1
- lettersLetters must not exceed 10 printed pages of the Journal; it may be possible to transfer articles such as those that cannot meet this limit to the International …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Remote Sensing Letters is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the discoverability and …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne. Model summary
All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor and Francis Ltd.
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Founded
- 2010
- ISSN
- 2150-704X
- Electronic ISSN
- 2150-7058
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 17, Issue 12 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Remote Sensing Letters
What CAS zone is Remote Sensing Letters in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Remote Sensing Letters is in Zone 4 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Imaging Science & Photographic Technology / Remote Sensing. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Earth Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Remote Sensing Letters?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.44; CiteScore 3.2, h-index 71.
How long does peer review take at Remote Sensing Letters?
Based on the dates recorded on 117 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 187 days (interquartile range 137–282 days); authors report an average review time of 6–12 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Fairly easy”; the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 38% (2025). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Remote Sensing Letters based?
Of the 3 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 33%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (1), United Kingdom (1) and Greece (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Remote Sensing Letters?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Remote Sensing Letters is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Remote Sensing Letters open access, and what is the APC?
Remote Sensing Letters is a subscription journal. APC about USD 800.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .