1. BVLOS UAV missions for vegetation mapping in maritime Antarctic
- Author
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Anna Zmarz, Stein Rune Karlsen, Marlena Kycko, Małgorzata Korczak-Abshire, Izabela Gołębiowska, Izabela Karsznia, and Katarzyna Chwedorzewska
- Subjects
UAV ,King George Island ,the Antarctic ,NDVI ,vegetation ,Environmental sciences ,GE1-350 - Abstract
Polar areas are among the regions where climate change occurs faster than on most of the other areas on Earth. To study the effects of climate change on vegetation, there is a need for knowledge on its current status and properties. Both classic field observation methods and remote sensing methods based on manned aircraft or satellite image analysis have limitations. These include high logistic operation costs, limited research areas, high safety risks, direct human impact, and insufficient resolution of satellite images. Fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle beyond the visual line of sight (UAV BVLOS) missions can bridge the scale gap between field-based observations and full-scale airborne or satellite surveys. In this study the two operations of the UAV BVLOS, at an altitude of 350 m ASL, have been successfully performed in Antarctic conditions. Maps of the vegetation of the western shore of Admiralty Bay (King George Island, South Shetlands, Western Antarctic) that included the Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 128 (ASPA 128) were designed. The vegetation in the 7.5 km2 area was mapped in ultra-high resolution (
- Published
- 2023
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