FLY A DRONE, TAKE SOME PICTURES, MAKE A MAP. APPLICATIONS OF UAVS IN GEOLOGIC MAPPING, RECONNAISSANCE, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC

Increasing availability of relatively low-cost consumer-level drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of capturing HD video and high-resolution aerial photos has benefited many industries including geological surface mapping. The Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) has implemented UAV technology across many projects to assist in 1) assessing the limits of a sinkhole; 2) determining the extent of newly opened earth fissures; 3) documenting landslides; and 4) collecting data on several surficial mapping and reconnaissance campaigns. UAVs have proven useful for capturing detailed photos of difficult-to-reach outcrops or features impossible to visit on foot such as those found high on cliff faces, or across deep canyons. High-resolution (cm-level pixels) georeferenced orthomosaics and DEMs created from overlapping UAV-acquired imagery, and processed with photogrammetric software and GPS ground control points provide products that are extremely useful for detailed surface mapping where existing imagery and elevation data are coarse (30cm to > 1m pixels) in comparison.

UAV-acquired “bird’s eye view” imagery and video is also very useful for conveying the extent and size of very large geological features in the landscape. For example, AZGS public outreach and education has been enhanced by using UAV products to showcase the length of newly formed earth fissures and the magnitude of large landslides in Arizona. Annotated UAV aerial photos are often included in AZGS publications and reports.

Modern UAVs are very capable and compact and can be easily transported into and deployed quickly from nearly any field area, barring local airspace restrictions. Due to the field advantages and capabilities UAVs provide, some AZGS geologists now regularly include tablets and UAVs alongside more traditional geologic mapping tools and practices.