Abstract
The last decade has seen an exponential increase in the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to ecological monitoring research, though with little standardisation or comparability in methodological approaches and research aims. We reviewed the international peer-reviewed literature in order to explore the potential limitations on the feasibility of UAV-use in the monitoring of ecological restoration, and examined how they might be mitigated to maximise the quality, reliability and comparability of UAV-generated data. We found little evidence of translational research applying UAV-based approaches to ecological restoration, with less than 7% of 2133 published UAV monitoring studies centred around ecological restoration. Of the 48 studies, > 65% had been published in the three years preceding this study. Where studies utilised UAVs for rehabilitation or restoration applications, there was a strong propensity for single-sensor monitoring using commercially available RPAs fitted with the modest-resolution RGB sensors available. There was a strong positive correlation between the use of complex and expensive sensors (e.g., LiDAR, thermal cameras, hyperspectral sensors) and the complexity of chosen image classification techniques (e.g., machine learning), suggesting that cost remains a primary constraint to the wide application of multiple or complex sensors in UAV-based research. We propose that if UAV-acquired data are to represent the future of ecological monitoring, research requires a) consistency in the proven application of different platforms and sensors to the monitoring of target landforms, organisms and ecosystems, underpinned by clearly articulated monitoring goals and outcomes; b) optimization of data analysis techniques and the manner in which data are reported, undertaken in cross-disciplinary partnership with fields such as bioinformatics and machine learning; and c) the development of sound, reasonable and multi-laterally homogenous regulatory and policy framework supporting the application of UAVs to the large-scale and potentially trans-disciplinary ecological applications of the future.
Highlights
Despite the common public perception of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones) as a recent innovation predominantly for military application [1] or for photography [2], surveying or mapping [3], UAVs have been utilised as tools for biological management and environmental monitoring for nearly four decades [4]
While cost and availability have been a broad constraint to the use of UAVs in research projects, the last decade has seen an exponential increase in their application to ecological research
Highly specialised UAVs require significant financial and infrastructure investment, entry-level drones are commercially available at low cost and are increasingly capable of capturing meaningful data—for example, estimates have been provided of UAV platform and sensor costs ranging from 2000 euros for less advanced systems, up to 120,000 euros for large UAVs with hyperspectral sensors [13]
Summary
Despite the common public perception of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones) as a recent innovation predominantly for military application [1] or for photography [2], surveying or mapping [3], UAVs have been utilised as tools for biological management and environmental monitoring for nearly four decades [4]. UAVs are commonly used to conduct broad-acre monitoring of crop health and yield in Europe and the United States [6,7,8,9]. They have been used for atmospheric monitoring projects such as the measurement of trace compounds since the early 1990s [10,11]. While cost and availability have been a broad constraint to the use of UAVs in research projects, the last decade has seen an exponential increase in their application to ecological research. One field that has benefited from this application in particular is the monitoring of environmental rehabilitation and ecological restoration [20]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
