Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a powerful technology that combines spectroscopy and imaging to capture detailed spectral and spatial information from each pixel of a 2D detector array, generating a 3D hypercube. It has been widely applied in various fields such as military, environmental, and civil applications over the past three decades. HSI provides high spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions, making it effective for material identification and analysis. Recent advancements have made HSI a significant tool in food safety and quality assessment, medical analysis, agriculture, water resource management, plant stress identification, weed and crop discrimination, and flood management. HSI sensors capture data across a wide range of wavelengths, including near-infrared, visible, and short-wavelength infrared. Different platforms, such as close-range, airplanes, and UAVs, are used for HSI data acquisition. The resolution of HSI includes spatial, spectral, and temporal components, which are crucial for accurate data analysis. HSI has non-invasive, non-destructive advantages, making it suitable for food and medical applications. It provides detailed spectral information for material identification and analysis. In agriculture, HSI is used for crop monitoring, soil analysis, and plant stress detection. In medical analysis, HSI is used for tissue diagnosis and cancer detection. In water resource management, HSI helps in monitoring water quality and detecting pollutants. HSI has shown promising results in various applications, and future research may build upon this review to further advance the technology and its applications.Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a powerful technology that combines spectroscopy and imaging to capture detailed spectral and spatial information from each pixel of a 2D detector array, generating a 3D hypercube. It has been widely applied in various fields such as military, environmental, and civil applications over the past three decades. HSI provides high spectral, spatial, and temporal resolutions, making it effective for material identification and analysis. Recent advancements have made HSI a significant tool in food safety and quality assessment, medical analysis, agriculture, water resource management, plant stress identification, weed and crop discrimination, and flood management. HSI sensors capture data across a wide range of wavelengths, including near-infrared, visible, and short-wavelength infrared. Different platforms, such as close-range, airplanes, and UAVs, are used for HSI data acquisition. The resolution of HSI includes spatial, spectral, and temporal components, which are crucial for accurate data analysis. HSI has non-invasive, non-destructive advantages, making it suitable for food and medical applications. It provides detailed spectral information for material identification and analysis. In agriculture, HSI is used for crop monitoring, soil analysis, and plant stress detection. In medical analysis, HSI is used for tissue diagnosis and cancer detection. In water resource management, HSI helps in monitoring water quality and detecting pollutants. HSI has shown promising results in various applications, and future research may build upon this review to further advance the technology and its applications.