Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Remote Sensing and Scientific Research: Classification and Considerations of Use

Watts, Adam C.; Ambrosia, Vincent G.; Hinkley, Everett

doi:10.3390/rs4061671

Cited by 762 publications

(531 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Based on the above criteria, we eliminated all of the small UAS that were powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) and all of the fixed-wing platforms. These groups were eliminated because of launch and recovery constraints of fixed-wing aircraft, noise levels associated with gasoline engines compared with electric motors, and the challenges faced by small fixed-wing aircraft in maneuvering over and collecting high-resolution images of small targets in moderate winds (Watts et al 2012;Hodgson et al 2013). The category of platforms that seemed to meet all of our criteria was the small multi-rotor, battery-powered VTOL aircraft group.…”

Section: Uas Platform Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A small unmanned aerial system for estimating abundance and size of Antarctic predators

et al. 2015

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Quantifying the distribution and abundance of predators is integral to many ecological studies, but can be difficult in remote settings such as Antarctica. Recent advances in the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), particularly vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, have provided a new tool for studying the distribution and abundance of predator populations. We detail our experience and testing in selecting a VTOL platform for use in remote, windy, perennially overcast settings, where acquiring cloud-free high-resolution satellite images is often impractical. We present results from the first use of VTOLs for estimating abundance, colony area, and density of krilldependent predators in Antarctica, based upon 65 missions flown in 2010/2011 (n = 28) and 2012/2013 (n = 37). We address concerns over UAS sound affecting wildlife by comparing VTOL-generated noise to ambient and penguingenerated sound. We also report on the utility of VTOLs for missions other than abundance and distribution, namely to estimate size of individual leopard seals. Several characteristics of small, battery-powered VTOLs make them particularly useful in wildlife applications: (1) portability, (2) stability in flight, (3) limited launch area requirements, (4) safety, and (5) limited sound when compared to fixed-wing and internal combustion engine aircraft. We conclude that of the numerous UAS available, electric VTOLs are among the most promising for ecological applications.

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Section: Uas Platform Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A small unmanned aerial system for estimating abundance and size of Antarctic predators

et al. 2015

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“…The use of UAVs in earth science research is undergoing rapid expansion with numerous researchers exploiting the financial and spatiotemporal resolution benefits of UAV technology (Ahmad, 2011;Colomina and Molina, 2014;D'Oleire-Oltmanns et al, 2012;Hardin and Jensen, 2011;Koh and Wich, 2012;Vivoni et al, 2014;Watts et al, 2012). A few projects have utilised UAV platforms in mountainous glaciated regions (Bhardwaj et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Wigmore

Mark

2017

The Cryosphere

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Abstract. The glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, are rapidly retreating and thinning as a result of climate change, altering the timing, quantity and quality of water available to downstream users. Furthermore, increases in the number and size of proglacial lakes associated with these melting glaciers is increasing potential exposure to glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Understanding how these glaciers are changing and their connection to proglacial lake systems is thus of critical importance. Most satellite data are too coarse for studying small mountain glaciers and are often affected by cloud cover, while traditional airborne photogrammetry and lidar are costly. Recent developments have made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) a viable and potentially transformative method for studying glacier change at high spatial resolution, on demand and at relatively low cost.Using a custom designed hexacopter built for high-altitude (4000-6000 m a.s.l.) operation, we completed repeat aerial surveys (2014 and 2015) of the debris-covered Llaca Glacier tongue and proglacial lake system. High-resolution orthomosaics (5 cm) and digital elevation models (DEMs) (10 cm) were produced and their accuracy assessed. Analysis of these datasets reveals highly heterogeneous patterns of glacier change. The most rapid areas of ice loss were associated with exposed ice cliffs and meltwater ponds on the glacier surface. Considerable subsidence and low surface velocities were also measured on the sediments within the pro-glacial lake, indicating the presence of extensive regions of buried ice and continued connection to the glacier tongue. Only limited horizontal retreat of the glacier tongue was observed, indicating that measurements of changes in aerial extent alone are inadequate for monitoring changes in glacier ice quantity.

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“…This type of data might serve to create a DTM with centimetre-level accuracy, which may then be implemented into geovisualisations in the virtual reality (VR) system. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have played a significant role in the military for some time (Watts et al 2012). They have been used, for example, in military activities such as intelligence, environmental surveillance, sea surveillance, and mine removal activities (Eisenbeiss 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geovisualisation of Relief in a Virtual Reality System on the Basis of Low-Level Aerial Imagery

Halik

Smaczyński

2017

Pure Appl. Geophys.

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Abstract-The aim of the following paper was to present the geomatic process of transforming low-level aerial imagery obtained with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) into a digital terrain model (DTM) and implementing the model into a virtual reality system (VR). The object of the study was a natural aggretage heap of an irregular shape and denivelations up to 11 m. Based on the obtained photos, three point clouds (varying in the level of detail) were generated for the 20,000-m 2 -area. For further analyses, the researchers selected the point cloud with the best ratio of accuracy to output file size. This choice was made based on seven control points of the heap surveyed in the field and the corresponding points in the generated 3D model. The obtained several-centimetre differences between the control points in the field and the ones from the model might testify to the usefulness of the described algorithm for creating large-scale DTMs for engineering purposes. Finally, the chosen model was implemented into the VR system, which enables the most lifelike exploration of 3D terrain plasticity in real time, thanks to the first person view mode (FPV). In this mode, the user observes an object with the aid of a Head-mounted display (HMD), experiencing the geovisualisation from the inside, and virtually analysing the terrain as a direct animator of the observations.

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Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Remote Sensing and Scientific Research: Classification and Considerations of Use

Cited by 762 publications

References 12 publications

A small unmanned aerial system for estimating abundance and size of Antarctic predators

A small unmanned aerial system for estimating abundance and size of Antarctic predators

Monitoring tropical debris-covered glacier dynamics from high-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry, Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Geovisualisation of Relief in a Virtual Reality System on the Basis of Low-Level Aerial Imagery

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