Abstract
The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), also known as drones is increasing in geospatial science curricula within the United States. Within the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture (ATCOFA) at Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas, seniors in the geospatial science program complete capstone projects to evaluate current geospatial technology to investigate complex ecological, social and environmental issues. Under the umbrella of a student initiated and designed senior project, students designed a study to estimate height of buildings with UAS data incorporating UAS data, LP360 and ArcScene programs, and Pictometry web-based interface. Results from a statistical analysis of the data confirm that geospatial science height estimation techniques can provide accurate estimates of height remotely. The independence of the students completing the project with UAS data for LP360 and ArcScene estimations, and utilizing Pictometry as an on-onscreen measuring tool, point to the need to integrate remote sensing, statistical analysis and synthesis of data into undergraduate geospatial science curricula. This reinforces the hands-on learning approach within ATCOFA and provides guidance to integrate the use of UAS in natural resource education.
Highlights
Introduction1.1 Accurate Height MeasurementsThe use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) ( known as drones) is increasing in geospatial science curricula for teaching, research and service
1.1 Accurate Height MeasurementsThe use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is increasing in geospatial science curricula for teaching, research and service
This is backed by the root mean square error (RMSE), where Pictometry achieved the lowest (RMSE = 0.0534 m), while LP360 is the worst with its RMSE of 0.2017 m
Summary
1.1 Accurate Height MeasurementsThe use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) ( known as drones) is increasing in geospatial science curricula for teaching, research and service. Often UASs are used to complete projects and produce products across the natural resources and geospatial science curriculum. The use of a UAS to capture remotely sensed images at the user’s discretion in natural resources add to the advantages in teaching and research (Unger, Kulhavy, Hung, Zhang & Stephens Williams, 2019). Students are trained in the safe use of UAS by a team of four geospatial science faculty members including safe operation, flying the UAS for individual images, video and orthophoto missions using a four-step training process of UAS assembly, completing a controlled flight, capturing imagery and videos, and synthesizing UAS information to quantify and qualify natural resource missions (Unger, Kulhavy, Busch-Petersen & Hung, 2016; Unger, Kulhavy, Hung, Zhang & Stephens Williams, 2019). They complete a self-designed project with the supervision of one of the faculty members involving collecting and processing data
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