Unmanned AerialVehicles

For Participatory Mapping and Citizen Science

Research Aims

There are so many things you can do with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and a camera! Specifically, I have been experimenting with different ways to generate aerial imagery for mapping using a low-cost, out-of-the-box, relatively easy to fly drone. Here are some examples of work I have completed using a Phantom Vision 2+ and a variety of different software packages for image rendering and mapping.

Presentation about my work given at Dartmouth

Novel Data for the Social Sciences Spring Workshop at Dartmouth College

3D model

This model was generated from a number of images that were taken of a cliff overlooking the Puget Sound in Washington State. The images were captured with the DJI Phantom Vision 2+ and the images were then rendered/stitched using Pix4D and a digital surface model (DSM) was constructed. I then played with the DSM in ESRI ArcScene, I used the City Engine Toolbox to Export to 3D Web Scene. I then uploaded this file to Esri Online to be rendered in their CityEngine Web Viewer.

I attempted to upload similar output using Sketchfab, but was relatively unsuccessful using the free account. You can see this "art".

Landslide Art by bricker on Sketchfab

CUGOS Presentation 2015- Slides

Imagery over Google Map

Here, with Kris Seymer, we used Pix4D autopilot function to fly the "drone." We also used Pix4D to generate this imagery and output as Google Tiles. Here you can change the opacity of the image overlay to compare with Google Imagery.

Movie Map

I used a MapBox example to create a map with a movie as one of the tiles! Can you find me running around this map?

Manual Georeferencing

Here I manually georeferenced images taken over campus using MapKnitter.



Mapping campus
https://mapknitter.org/embed/uwt

Static Imagery

Here are some individual images I have taken while flying.

Low rez version of a 3D Model after a Landslide

This imagery was captured using the Pix4D mobile app, manual flying mode. The 3D model was generated from the images using Pix4D desktop software.