Abstract
In the effort to design a more repeatable and consistent platform to collect data for Structure from Motion (SfM) monitoring of coral reefs and other benthic habitats, we explore the use of recent advances in open source Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided drone technology to design and test a low-cost and transportable small unmanned surface vehicle (sUSV). The vehicle operates using Ardupilot open source software and can be used by local scientists and marine managers to map and monitor marine environments in shallow areas (<20 m) with commensurate visibility. The imaging system uses two Sony a6300 mirrorless cameras to collect stereo photos that can be later processed using photogrammetry software to create underwater high-resolution orthophoto mosaics and digital surface models. The propulsion system consists of two small brushless motors powered by lithium batteries that follow pre-programmed survey transects and are operated by a GPS-guided autopilot control board. Results from our project suggest the sUSV provides a repeatable, viable, and low-cost (<$3000 USD) solution for acquiring images of benthic environments on a frequent basis from directly below the water surface. These images can be used to create SfM models that provide very detailed images and measurements that can be used to monitor changes in biodiversity, reef erosion/accretion, and assessing health conditions.
Highlights
With growing alarm about coral reef decline, there is need for better and more consistent methods to monitor the spatio-temporal dynamics of these systems [1,2]
In an effort to design a more repeatable and consistent platform to collect data for Structure from Motion (SfM) monitoring of coral reefs and other benthic habitats, we explore the use of recent advancements in open source Global Positioning System (GPS)-guided drone and camera technology to design and test a low-cost and transportable small unmanned surface vehicle
As a unmanned autonomous system (UAS), the Reef Rover consists of three primary subsystems that we describe in detail
Summary
With growing alarm about coral reef decline, there is need for better and more consistent methods to monitor the spatio-temporal dynamics of these systems [1,2]. Coral reef managers rely on periodic surveys to assess changes in coral reef and benthic habitat conditions [3,4]. These include the detection and mapping of disease, bleaching, reef growth and erosion, and damage assessment after a storm or reef impact incidents (e.g., boat grounding or anchor chain drag). Passive optical and active blue-green light detection and ranging (LiDAR) remote-sensing systems are used to map shallow benthic habitats [5,6]. Acoustic mapping systems, such as multibeam echo sounding (MBES)
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