scholarly journals Operational Framework for Rapid, Very-high Resolution Mapping of Glacial Geomorphology Using Low-cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Structure-from-Motion Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek W. Ewertowski ◽  
Aleksandra M. Tomczyk ◽  
David J. A. Evans ◽  
David H. Roberts ◽  
Wojciech Ewertowski

This study presents the operational framework for rapid, very-high resolution mapping of glacial geomorphology, with the use of budget Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and a structure-from-motion approach. The proposed workflow comprises seven stages: (1) Preparation and selection of the appropriate platform; (2) transport; (3) preliminary on-site activities (including optional ground-control-point collection); (4) pre-flight setup and checks; (5) conducting the mission; (6) data processing; and (7) mapping and change detection. The application of the proposed framework has been illustrated by a mapping case study on the glacial foreland of Hørbyebreen, Svalbard, Norway. A consumer-grade quadcopter (DJI Phantom) was used to collect the data, while images were processed using the structure-from-motion approach. The resultant orthomosaic (1.9 cm ground sampling distance—GSD) and digital elevation model (7.9 cm GSD) were used to map the glacial-related landforms in detail. It demonstrated the applicability of the proposed framework to map and potentially monitor detailed changes in a rapidly evolving proglacial environment, using a low-cost approach. Its coverage of multiple aspects ensures that the proposed framework is universal and can be applied in a broader range of settings.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efstratios Karantanellis ◽  
Vassilis Marinos ◽  
Emmanuel Vassilakis ◽  
Basile Christaras

The increased development of computer vision technology combined with the increased availability of innovative platforms with ultra-high-resolution sensors, has generated new opportunities and fields for investigation in the engineering geology domain in general and landslide identification and characterization in particular. During the last decade, the so-called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been evaluated for diverse applications such as 3D terrain analysis, slope stability, mass movement hazard and risk management. Their advantages of detailed data acquisition at a low cost and effective performance identifies them as leading platforms for site-specific 3D modelling. In this study, the proposed methodology has been developed based on Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) and fusion of multivariate data resulted from UAV photogrammetry processing in order to take full advantage of the produced data. Two landslide case studies within the territory of Greece, with different geological and geomorphological characteristics, have been investigated in order to assess the developed landslide detection and characterization algorithm performance in distinct scenarios. The methodology outputs demonstrate the potential for an accurate characterization of individual landslide objects within this natural process based on ultra high-resolution data from close range photogrammetry and OBIA techniques for landslide conceptualization. This proposed study shows that UAV-based landslide modelling on the specific case sites provides a detailed characterization of local scale events in an automated sense with high adaptability on the specific case site.


Drones ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Artur Gafurov

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have long been well established as a reliable way to construct highly accurate, up-to-date digital elevation models (DEM). However, the territories which were modeled by the results of UAV surveys can be characterized as very local. This paper presents the results of surveying the Sarycum area of the Dagestan Nature Reserve of Russia with an area of 15 sq. km using a DJI Phantom 4 UAV, as well as the methodological recommendations for conducting work on such a large territory. As a result of this work, a DEM with 0.5 m resolution as well as an ultrahigh resolution orthophotoplane were obtained for the first time for this territory, which make it possible to assess the dynamics of aeolian processes at a qualitatively different level.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Perko ◽  
Hannes Raggam ◽  
Mathias Schardt ◽  
Peter Michael Roth

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (17) ◽  
pp. 5676-5688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Collin ◽  
Camille Ramambason ◽  
Yves Pastol ◽  
Elisa Casella ◽  
Alessio Rovere ◽  
...  

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