UAV Modelling of Proglacial Landscapes, Axel Heiberg Island Nunavut

Abstract

This project involved using a UAV to create digital models and products that enhance visualization and understanding of the moraines of White and Thompson Glaciers, Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut. UAV surveying offers an effective alternative to high-resolution satellite imagery for documenting highly dynamic proglacial landscapes. Proglacial landforms and sediments provide insights into glacier characteristics and the behavior of glacier termini. UAV surveying allows for high-resolution examination of moraine features and the creation of digital elevation models (DEMs) that facilitate topographic modeling and the detection of changes. A Mavic 3M Drone was employed with UGCS flight planning software. UGCS flight planning software was selected for its ability to create orthomosaic flight plans that consider ground elevation, ensuring accurate Ground Sampling Distance (GSD). A 2m Arctic DEM was uploaded to UGCS prior to planning flight routes, allowing for more precise measurements. Post processing was done in Drone2Map and Agisoft Metashape to create both 2D orthomosaics and 3D models respectively. The results of this work will be used as a visual tool to study current aspects of the moraines, including extent, depositional processes, and present hydrodynamic energy environments. This information will be compared to historical air photos and previous studies to examine changes the moraines over a sixty-year period.