UTILIZATION OF AERIAL DRONES BY AN EXPERT WITNESS IN HYDROLOGY- AND ENVIRONMENTAL-RELATED LITIGATION

In the past few years, remotely operated aerial drones have become more available, capable, user-friendly, and affordable. Advances in onboard optics, flight time, range, portability, and maneuverability have placed tremendous tools in the hands of individual geoscience researchers and practitioners. In this presentation, an experienced expert witness describes examples where “off-the-shelf” aerial drones were used to reveal key evidence and guide additional data collection in legal disputes involving hydrology and environmental contamination.