Abstract
Aerial photographs taken from kites provide a versatile and low-cost method to acquire high-resolution, large-scale imagery for environmental site investigations. Kite aerial photographs (KAP) typically are taken from heights of 50-100 m using light-weight automatic cameras. Pictures may be acquired in vertical and oblique vantages. For accurate mapping, survey markers may be located with differential GPS equipment. Scanning of photographs and digital processing allow for resampling, enhancement, and analysis of images. We have utilized KAP for environmental investigations for two situations: (1) forest cover at Fort Leavenworth military reservation in northeastern Kansas, and (2) stream channel characteristics at Ninnescah Experimental Tract and Natural History Reservation in south-central Kansas. At Fort Leavenworth, oblique KAP views revealed the irregular structure and marked shadow effects within the canopy of upland deciduous forest. This information proved useful for interpreting satellite imagery in connection with a climate-forest study. At the Ninnescah study site, vertical KAP was the basis for accurate mapping of intricate, small, meandering stream channels and the locations of potholes within the drainage system. In both examples, KAP provided an intermediate level of observation between ground studies and conventional topographic maps, air photos, or satellite images.
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