Sand　dunes　are　one　of　the　most　abundant　aeolian　landforms　and　play　an　important　role　in　understanding　how　aeolian　environments　evolve.　Since　the　1970s,　remote　sensing　has　enabled　large-scale　investigations　of　dunes　at　comparatively　low　costs　and　with　temporally　continuous　observations,　which　greatly　advances　our　knowledge　of　aeolian　systems.　In　this　context,　we　provide　a　review　of　recent　progress　in　three　research　topics　that　have　been　greatly　facilitated　by　remote　sensing　techniques.　These　topics　are　1)　mapping　sand　extent　and　dune　types,　2)　dune　pattern　quantification,　and　3)　monitoring　dune　dynamics.　Sand　dune　mapping　was　the　early　focus　of　aeolian　geomorphologists,　and　continued　progress　has　been　made　in　refining　classification　schemes　and　developing　advanced　classification　techniques.　Dune　pattern　quantification　can　be　resolved　in　two　geomorphometric　approaches,　and　a　careful　design　that　takes　into　consideration　the　image　resolution,　the　data　quality,　and　the　uncertainty　in　dune　discretization　is　necessary.　Dune　dynamics　typically　exhibit　as　dune　migration,　dune　interactions,　and　dune　fine-scale　morphodynamics.　The　wide　application　of　change　detection　algorithms,　especially　COSI-Corr,　provides　great　insights　into　dune　migration,　while　the　exploration　of　dune　interactions　is　still　in　its　infancy.　Future　directions　are　highlighted　in　four　key　areas:　unifying　classification　schemes　regarding　dune　morphology,　developing　methods　that　are　capable　of　recognizing　diverse　dune　forms　at　large　spatial　extents,　designing　modularized　workflows　and　more　complex　matching　rules　to　quantify　dune　migration,　and　improving　quantitative　analysis　of　dune　interactions.