_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: popoolaoladimeji1@yahoo.com; Journal of Scientific Research & Reports 11(2): 1-8, 2016; Article no.JSRR.26948 ISSN: 2320-0227 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Assessment and Inventory of Palms in a Plantation by Template Matching of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Image O. S. Popoola 1* , A. T. Salami 2 and K. A. Adepoju 2 1 Cooperative Information Network (COPINE), National Space Research and Development (NASRDA), Obafemi Awolowo University Campus, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. 2 Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. All authors conceptualized the research work. Author OSP designed the study, developed the procedures and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors OSP and KAA managed the literature searches. Author OSP performs the field survey and the analysis. Authors KAA and ATS edited the manuscript and prepare relevant maps. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JSRR/2016/26948 Editor(s): (1) Milan Stankovic, Department of Biology and Ecology, University of Kragujevc, Serbia. Reviewers: (1) Hongchun Qu, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Ministry of Education, China. (2) Khairul Nizam Tahar, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia. Complete Peer review History: http://sciencedomain.org/review-history/14927 Received 11 th May 2016 Accepted 1 st June 2016 Published 7 th June 2016 ABSTRACT The cost of acquiring real time, high resolution spatial datasets required for effective management of plantation has been a major challenge to farm management in developing country like Nigeria. But recent commercialization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has gradually made an affordable means of acquiring these spatial datasets available to individuals and small organizations. This study counts the palm trees in a palm plantation by template matching of digital orthophoto produced by a low cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. An aerial survey was carried out at Obafemi Awolowo Teaching and Research Farm using Phantom II Vision quadcopter. Using a flying altitude of 100 m, the plantation, which covers a land area of about 56,000 2 m and containing 663 Original Research Article