Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Based Radiometry for Monitoring Water Quality

Session: 61. - Remote Sensing, Visualization, and Spatial Data Applications for the Great Lakes

Sam Aden, Michigan Tech Research Institute, staden@mtu.edu
Robert Shuchman, Michigan Technological University, shuchman@mtu.edu
Richard Becker, University of Toledo, richard.becker@utoledo.edu
Mike Sayers, Michigan Tech. Research Inst., mjsayers@mtu.edu
Dustin Dehm, University of Toledo, Dustin.Dehm@rockets.utoledo.edu
Karl Bosse, Michigan Tech Research Inst., krbosse@mtu.edu
John Lekki, NASA Glenn Research Center, john.d.lekki@nasa.gov

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAS) excel in providing rapid, temporary access with minimal environmental disturbance. They are particularly well-suited to remote sensing tasks where observations are made quickly and from a distance. Many of the sensors that are required to localize remotely-sensed data are included in the flight vehicle. A large amount of information can therefore be synthesized after a relatively short time spent in the field. However, planning is still critical when using UAS to collect scientific quality data. To assess the feasibility of monitoring water quality parameters, several UAS flights were performed over portions of the Maumee River during a significant harmful algal bloom event in September and October 2017. The UAS were integrated with cutting edge miniaturized spectroradiometers providing hyperspectral reflectance measurements of the water. Several documented water quality retrieval algorithms were applied to the measured spectra providing estimates of in water parameters. UAS Reflectance and algorithm estimates were then compared with coincident on ground measurements to verify their applicability.  

1. Keyword
remote sensing

2. Keyword
water quality

3. Keyword
observing systems

4. Additional Keyword
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)