INCORPORATING UNOCCUPIED AERIAL SYSTEM DATA INTO COASTAL MONITORING AND RESTORATION

The marshes of North Carolina provide valuable ecosystem services, including habitat for imperiled migratory birds, mitigating damage from storm surge, and contributing to water quality. The Carolina Drone Lab at UNC Chapel Hill, in partnership with North Carolina Audubon and Elizabeth City State University, uses unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) to characterize marsh resilience and monitor change through time in the marshes in Currituck Sound, NC. Collected RGB and multispectral imagery is analyzed in tandem with ground-level observations to characterize vegetative communities, habitat types, and marsh edge retreat. UAS-derived digital elevation models and high-precision GPS datasets are also used to track changes in marsh elevation to identify areas most vulnerable to fragmentation and inundation from sea-level rise - allowing coastal managers to prioritize restoration and management efforts. UASs offer finer spatial and temporal resolution imagery than satellite and plane-collected imagery, capturing site-specific changes that are of most interest to project managers. The wide variety of available drone platform types, sensors, and data collection methods gives researchers and managers the freedom to customize approaches to meet their specific research and monitoring goals. UAS can serve as efficient and strategic tools to enhance restoration efforts in North Carolina’s marshes, helping strengthen coastal resilience. 

Presentation Preference: Oral

Primary Presenter: Rachael Cronin, University of North Carolina (rlouise@ad.unc.edu)

Authors:

Rachael Cronin, UNC Chapel Hill  (rlouise@ad.unc.edu)

Troy Walton, UNC Chapel Hill  (twalt@unc.edu)

Susan Cohen, UNC Chapel Hill  (susanac@email.unc.edu)

Peggy Mullin, UNC Chapel Hill  (pegmull@live.unc.edu)