[1] When most research councils were re-organised in 1994, it had new responsibilities – Earth observation and science-developed archaeology.

The Natural Environment Research Council delivers independent research, survey, training and knowledge transfer in the environmental sciences, to advance knowledge of planet Earth as a complex, interacting system.

NERC's mission is to gather and apply knowledge, create understanding and predict the behaviour of the natural environment and its resources, and communicate all aspects of the council's work.

The NERC Airborne Research Facility (ARF) collects and processes remotely sensed data for use by the scientific community.

Currently the NERC ARF provides radiometrically corrected hyperspectral data from the AISA Fenix and Owl instruments; ground height information from the Leica ALS50-II; and digital photography.