T. A New Eye in the Sky: How Drone Technology is Advancing Environmental Assessment and Monitoring
Drone (aka, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV) technology has impacted the world in a number of ways, providing an effective resource to capture high quality video and aerial imagery. The ability of a drone to reach inaccessible or otherwise cost-prohibitive areas has made it a valuable tool that provides on-demand data that is fast, flexible and affordable. Used in combination with post-processing software, drone imagery can be upgraded to create accurate 2D maps and 3D models for a myriad of products, including topographic surveys, digital surface models, volumetric calculations and 3D models with photorealistic textures. Since the Federal Aviation Administration has begun approving drone use for commercial applications, the environmental industry is being rapidly advanced by the innovations provided by the use of drone technology. This session will explore drone technology and some of these cutting-edge innovations that utilize drones to support environmental assessment and monitoring.
