We can create high resolution, georeferenced maps using our Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones. Our primary UAS is our BirdsEyeView Aerobotics FireFLY6 Pro. This piece of technology is a fixed-wing, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAS capable of covering up to 600 acres in one flight. With its built in RTK-GPS and exchangeable payload, the FireFLY is able to collect high-resolution photos, near-infrared, and red edge data using a Sony a6000 digital camera and a MicaSense RedEdge.
Along with the FireFLY, we use a DJI Phantom 4 Pro. This small, but powerful UAS is very easy to use and can create the same final products as the FireFLY, excluding those using the near-IR and red edge spectral bands. The photogrammetry collected from the UAS platforms in the CaPE Lab can be used to create georeferenced 3D point clouds, orthomosaics, digital terrain models (DTM), and digital surface models (DSM).