This paper discusses the aspects of airborne remote sensing that are critical to forestry applications, the imaging characteristics of the most common sensors currently available, and analytical techniques that make use of the great amount of information content in airborne imagery. As the first paper in the CIF technical meeting to which this issue of the Forestry Chronicle is devoted, the paper is intended to provide an overview and context for subsequent papers and not a presentation of specific research methods or results. Key words: airborne remote sensing, forestry, photography, digital cameras, hyperspectral sensors, radar, laser remote sensing, image analysis