Abstract
Abstract. With the advent of the innovative techniques for generating high temporal and spatial resolution terrain models from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) imagery, it has become possible to precisely map overland flow patterns. Furthermore, the process has become more affordable and efficient through the coupling of small UAS (sUAS) that are easily deployed with Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms that can efficiently derive 3D data from RGB imagery captured with consumer grade cameras. We propose applying the robust overland flow algorithm based on the path sampling technique for mapping flow paths in the arable land on a small test site in Raleigh, North Carolina. By comparing a time series of five flights in 2015 with the results of a simulation based on the most recent lidar derived DEM (2013), we show that the sUAS based data is suitable for overland flow predictions and has several advantages over the lidar data. The sUAS based data captures preferential flow along tillage and more accurately represents gullies. Furthermore the simulated water flow patterns over the sUAS based terrain models are consistent throughout the year. When terrain models are reconstructed only from sUAS captured RGB imagery, however, water flow modeling is only appropriate in areas with sparse or no vegetation cover.
Highlights
Mapping hydrological pathways by which water moves over and through the Earth surface is essential for explaining hydrological, geomorphological, ecological and geochemical phenomena (Hyvaluoma et al, 2013; Bevington et al, 2016)
In this paper we propose a robust approach for analyzing microtopography controls on surface water flow, drainage and ponding in agricultural landscape based on small UAS (sUAS) derived high-resolution elevation models
The mean differences between digital surface models (DSMs) derived from aUAS surveys ranged from −0.1 cm in March to 36.6 cm in June (Table 2) and RMSE ranges from 1.3 cm in March to 39.2 cm in June and the spatial distribution of differences varies between the flights
Summary
Mapping hydrological pathways by which water moves over and through the Earth surface is essential for explaining hydrological, geomorphological, ecological and geochemical phenomena (Hyvaluoma et al, 2013; Bevington et al, 2016). The acquisition of high resolution digital elevation data is necessary for accurately mapping overland flow paths (Leitao et al, 2015). Novel methods for photo based 3D surface reconstruction, have opened a new pathway for developing solutions to affordably and efficiently generate very high resolution digital terrain models. The novel photogrammetric approach called Structure-from-Motion (SfM) enables fully automatic generation of high resolution digital terrain models using multi-view stereo techniques to derive 3D data from imagery taken with consumer grade cameras. This approach can be used to examine objects captured with terrestrial photographs as well as aerial imagery (Bemis et al, 2014). Geoscientists have taken advantage of the integration of sUAS and the SfM approach; numerous geoscience studies have demonstrated the relevance, cost-effectiveness and effi-
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