Above the Site/How UAV Sensing Turns Environmental Conditions into Better Decisions: Matt Acree, P.G., (Terracon) Arkansas Environmental Federation Convention Presentation

Matt Acree, P.G., undertook a presentation on October 8th at the Arkansas Environmental Federation Convention titled:

ABOVE THE SITE – How UAV sensing turns environmental conditions into better decisions (“Presentation”).

Matt is a Staff Geologist at Terracon.

Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (“UAVs”) (i.e., drones) are being increasingly utilized in various environmental activities. This is true for both the government and private sector. For example, a number of state environmental agencies (including Arkansas) have utilized UAVs for various purposes for a number of years. An Environmental Council of the States report notes that state environmental agencies have used drones to undertake activities such as:

• Surveillance.
• Enforcement.
• Permit documentation.
• Waste and landfill inspections.
• Investigation of illegal dumping of chemicals, oils, or waste tires.
• General emergency response functions including at facility discharges, train derailments, truck accidents, and oil spills.
• Investigation of unusual events.

UAVs can be utilized by both governmental agencies and private sector facilities and/or consultants because of their ability to:

• Quickly obtain data.
• Provide more effective response to emergencies.
• Better ensure worker safety.
• Improve environmental results.

Matt’s Presentation addressed the use of UAVs in terms of the multiple ways to see a site, noting:

• RGB
  • Current visual record - High-resolution imagery for context, exhibits, and communication.
• Photogrammetry
  • Measurable 3D surfaces - Orthomosaics, meshes, and terrain from overlapping imagery.
• Lidar
  • Dense elevation data - Terrain, contours, volumes, drainage, and change analysis.
• Thermal
  • Temperature contrast - Patterns and anomalies for focused follow-up.
• Multispectral
  • Spectral response - Vegetation condition and patterns beyond visible color.

The UAV process from flight to decision was discussed, noting:

• Collect.
  • Capture site data.
• Process.
  • Build maps and surfaces.
• Interpret.
  • Apply the information to the task.
• Deliver.
  • Provide the final product.

Environmental applications were discussed, including:

• Site documentation.
• Water and terrain.
• Change over time.
• Vegetation and habitat.
• Event response.
• Solid waste.

A case study of a local municipal landfill’s use of a UAV was then undertaken, referencing the repeatable aerial data supporting the annual engineering inspection and site understanding. The following aerial deliverables were referenced:

• Updated surface.
• Airspace use.
• Remaining capacity.
• Site life.
• Fill progression.

Drone imagery and a topographic map of the site were included.

A copy of the slides from Matt’s Presentation can be found here.