C21D-05:
UAVs for Glacier Mapping: Lessons Learned
Tuesday, 16 December 2014: 9:02 AM
Tom McKinnon, Agribotix, LLC, Boulder, CO, United States, Karen A McKinnon, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States and Brian Anderson, Victoria University of Wellington, Antarctic Research Centre, Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract:
Using two different unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) mounted with cameras, we created a digital elevation model (DEM) of the lower 12 km^2 of Tasman Glacier, South Island, New Zealand in March 2014. The project served primarily as a proof-of-concept, and here we discuss the lessons learned, emphasizing the practical, logistical, and flight issues. We tested two different fixed-wing airframes -- a twin-boom tradition and flying wing; two different camera types, both consumer-grade RGB; and various combinations of RC and telemetry radios. We used both commercial and open-source photogrammetry software to create the mosaic and DEM imagery. Some of the most critical UAV-specific issues are: access to a launch/landing site, adequate landing zones, range, airspace contention with manned aircraft, and hardware reliability. While UAVs provide a lower-cost method for photogrammetry access, it also comes with a unique set of challenges.
