Remote Sensing Formatting Requirements: Complete Author Guide

The abstract is the one area where the publisher's documents give a specific length.

• Word limit: about 300 words in the Remote Sensing instructions; up to 200 words in MDPI's general style guide (the publisher's documents differ, so stay under 200)

• Structure: Unstructured (single paragraph)

• Citations: Not allowed

• Abbreviations: Avoid unless absolutely necessary (define on first use)

• Figure/table references: Not allowed

The abstract should cover: (1) the problem or gap being addressed, (2) the data and methods used, (3) the main results with quantitative findings, and (4) the conclusions or implications. Remote sensing research benefits from specific numbers in the abstract, such as classification accuracy, RMSE values, or spatial resolution improvements.

Keywords: three to ten keywords are required, listed below the abstract. Choose specific terms relevant to remote sensing. "Remote sensing" itself is too generic since that's the journal name. Focus on the specific technique (SAR interferometry, hyperspectral imaging, lidar bathymetry), application (crop monitoring, urban heat island, glacier retreat), or methodology (deep learning, object-based classification, time series analysis).

Remote sensing papers are inherently visual. Maps, satellite imagery, classification results, and accuracy plots are the core content.

Figure specifications:

Remote sensing figure conventions:

• Map figures must include a scale bar, north arrow, and coordinate reference

• Satellite imagery should indicate the sensor, band combination, and acquisition date

• Classification maps need a legend with all class labels and colors

• Include an inset or context map showing the study area location

• DEM and terrain figures should include a color ramp bar with units

• Time series plots should clearly indicate acquisition dates on the x-axis

Image data considerations: Remote sensing figures often involve large raster datasets. The 120 MB limit on the total upload can be challenging for high-resolution satellite imagery. Downsample to the minimum resolution that still shows your features of interest. For full-resolution data, provide access through a data repository.

Table formatting:

• Tables should have headers for every column

• Place tables inline at the point of first reference

• Use the MDPI table format (no vertical rules, minimal horizontal rules)

• Large comparison tables (common in remote sensing for accuracy assessment) are acceptable

Accuracy assessment tables are a staple of remote sensing papers. These typically include overall accuracy, kappa coefficient, user's accuracy, and producer's accuracy for each class. Format these clearly with consistent decimal places and confidence intervals where applicable.

Remote Sensing uses the MDPI numbered reference style, which is consistent across all MDPI journals.

In-text citations: Numbers in square brackets, e.g., [1], [2,3], [4-7]. Numbered sequentially by order of first appearance.

Reference list format:

1. Last, F.M.; Last, F.M.; Last, F.M. Title of Article. J. Name Italicized Year, Volume, Article Number or Pages.

Key formatting details:

• Author names: Last name, then first and middle initials (Last, F.M.)

• Semicolons between authors

• All authors listed (no "et al." cutoff)

• Article title in regular case

• Journal name in italics, abbreviated

• Year follows journal name, in bold

• Volume in italics

• Article number (for MDPI journals) or page range

• DOI at the end of the reference (not mandatory, but highly encouraged)

MDPI-specific formatting:

• For MDPI journal articles, use article number instead of page range (e.g., 1234, not pp. 1-15)

• Web references need access dates

• Conference proceedings: include conference name, location, and date

• For datasets: include repository, DOI, and access date

There's no formal reference limit, but Remote Sensing papers typically cite 30-60 references. Review articles can cite more. The remote sensing field moves quickly, so prioritize recent references (last 5-10 years) and foundational papers.

MDPI journals handle supplementary materials straightforwardly.

What goes in Supplementary Materials:

• Additional figures (classification maps for sub-areas, additional time steps)

• Extended data tables (full accuracy matrices, parameter tables)

• Code and scripts (link to GitHub/Zenodo repository)

• Large datasets (link to data repository)

• Appendices with detailed derivations or algorithm pseudocode

Requirements:

• Referenced in the main text as "Figure S1," "Table S1," etc.

• Submitted as separate files

• Include a brief description for each supplementary file

• No per-file size limit is published; all files together must not exceed 120 MB, and data sets and files greater than 250 MB must be deposited in a repository

Data sharing: Remote sensing research increasingly requires data sharing. MDPI supports and encourages open data. Options include:

• Direct supplementary file upload (for small datasets)

• Repository deposition (Zenodo, Figshare, or discipline-specific repositories)

• Links to original satellite data sources (USGS EarthExplorer, Copernicus Open Access Hub)

• Code repositories (GitHub with Zenodo DOI for long-term archival)

A data availability statement is required at the end of the paper, specifying where the data and code can be found.

These are the details that regular Remote Sensing authors know:

MDPI's production speed is fast. MDPI reports a median of 2.9 days from acceptance to publication for Remote Sensing (first half of 2026). This means your submitted manuscript needs to be close to final quality. The instructions say using the template substantially shortens copy-editing and publication.

Section numbering follows the template. MDPI's style guide numbers section headings (1. Introduction, 2. Materials and Methods, etc.). This is built into the template but can be forgotten if you're not using it.

Author names and affiliations format. MDPI uses a specific format with superscript numbers linking authors to affiliations and symbols for corresponding author and ORCID. The template handles this, but manual formatting often gets it wrong.

Abstract length differs between MDPI documents. The Remote Sensing instructions ask for about 300 words and MDPI's style guide says up to 200 words; the style guide also says MDPI does not expect authors to follow all of its guidelines strictly at submission. Write the abstract to fit under 200 words, and count words before submitting.

Figure placement. In the submitted manuscript, figures should be placed inline at the point of first reference, not collected at the end. This is different from journals like Nature or Cell Press that want figures at the end.

Special issue submissions. Many Remote Sensing papers are submitted to special issues. The formatting requirements are the same as regular issues, but the submission pathway differs. Make sure you select the correct special issue during submission.

Open access APC. Remote Sensing charges an article processing charge. Check the current fee on the MDPI website. MDPI lists discounts through its Institutional Open Access Program, affiliated societies and reviewer vouchers. Many institutions have agreements with MDPI that provide discounts.

Rapid turnaround review. Remote Sensing's peer review is fast: MDPI reports a median of about 22 days to first decision (first half of 2026). This speed means your manuscript needs to be well-prepared at submission. A poorly formatted paper will still go through review, but it creates a poor impression.

These trip up Remote Sensing authors:

1. Abstract length. Count your words before submitting: the journal instructions ask for about 300 words and MDPI's style guide says up to 200.

1. Missing scale bars on maps. Every map figure needs a scale bar, north arrow, and coordinate reference. Reviewers consistently flag this omission.

1. Inconsistent reference formatting. Mixing styles (some refs in MDPI format, some in Elsevier or IEEE format) is obvious to editors and suggests carelessness. Use the MDPI reference template or a reference manager with MDPI style.

1. Low-resolution figures. Satellite imagery that looks fine on screen at 72 dpi will fall short of the 600 dpi that MDPI recommends. Export at publication resolution from the start.

1. Data availability statement missing. Required at the end of the paper. "Data available upon request" is acceptable but less preferred than providing specific repository links.

For manuscripts targeting Remote Sensing, four patterns generate the most consistent desk-rejection outcomes.

MDPI template not used. Remote Sensing encourages authors to use the MDPI Word or LaTeX template, which substantially shortens copy-editing, and it also accepts free-format submissions that contain the required sections; manuscripts are formatted to the journal guidelines at the revision stage. The MDPI LaTeX template uses the mdpi document class. Authors should download the current template from the MDPI Remote Sensing instructions page before formatting.

Remote sensing application lacks validation against ground truth or independent reference data. Remote Sensing peer reviewers evaluate whether the proposed remote sensing methodology or analysis is validated against field measurements, independent sensor data, or a benchmark dataset. Manuscripts that apply a remote sensing algorithm and report accuracy metrics without explaining the validation dataset's spatial and temporal coverage, or without comparison to a baseline method, are flagged for methodological insufficiency. The journal expects that accuracy assessments use spatially independent validation points, not points from the training area.

Abstract too long or citing references. The Remote Sensing instructions ask for a one-paragraph abstract of about 300 words, while MDPI's general style guide says up to 200 words, so the publisher's documents differ. The abstract must be self-contained, with no reference to the bibliography or figures. The abstract should summarize the study area, data source, method, key result, and conclusion, and staying under 200 words satisfies both documents.

Geospatial data not documented with projection, resolution, and acquisition metadata. Remote Sensing reviewers expect complete documentation of all remotely sensed datasets: sensor name, satellite platform, spatial resolution, temporal resolution, acquisition dates, atmospheric correction method, and data access information. Manuscripts that describe Landsat, Sentinel, or other satellite data without providing the complete acquisition parameters, or that reference "satellite imagery" without specifying the source, are flagged for data documentation revision.

A Remote Sensing submission readiness check evaluates manuscript structure, MDPI template compliance, and geospatial data documentation against these desk-rejection patterns before you submit.

For a manuscript-specific signal before you submit, run a Remote Sensing submission readiness check.

Or see example reports before you finalize.