Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/Z503939/1
A remotely piloted aerial Green LiDAR for mapping bathymetry of shallow waters and elevation of boundary land
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Mr A Mata, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Remote Sensing Group
- Grant held at:
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Remote Sensing Group
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- At present, there are numerous methods to collect bathymetry data but most of these sensors can't be easily deployed in very shallow waters including hard to reach river sections or intertidal regions of particular importance for assessments of submerged blue carbon habitats, such as mangroves, seagrasses, tidal marshes and kelp forests, that are the most efficient natural carbon sinks on Earth. Studies suggest that blue carbon habitats sequester carbon at a rate 10 times greater than mature tropical forests as well as storing three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests. However, mapping the bathymetry of these environments and estimating the carbon stored represents a major challenge. The use of remotely sensed data from airborne platforms is a key technology to improve these estimates by offering higher accuracy and resolution than remotely sensed data from satellite platforms. However, traditional aircrafts (such as the British Antarctic Survey Twin Otter used for airborne earth observation by NERC) have a high carbon footprint being dependent on hydrocarbon fuel. Aerial drones offer the potential to provide and improve on these essential data for significantly lower carbon emissions, particularly if electrical batteries are used and charged with renewable sources. This project aims to enhance and improve the sustainability of NERC's aerial capability for mapping blue carbon habitats and river systems through the use of a novel Green LiDAR sensor mounted on an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). As part of this project, a RIEGL VQ-840-GL Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) instrument operating within the green wavelength (hereafter referred to as Green LiDAR) will be acquired and mounted on an airborne Skycutter Gryphon drone. The relatively new Bathymetric LiDAR technology has been demonstrated for simultaneous aerial data acquisition regarding the morphology of river beds, lakes or coastal environments and the surrounding terrestrial zone, that is carried out from the air. In contrast to the topographic LiDAR, which commonly uses an infrared wavelength of 1064 nm, bathymetric LiDAR systems use a green wavelength of 532 nm, which provides significantly greater water depth penetration than infrared, making it possible to survey bathymetry in reservoirs, rivers, and coastal sea waters within three Secchi depths (Szafarczyk, 2023) . The RIEGL? VQ-840-GL is the latest iteration of a fully integrated, compact airborne laser scanner for combined topographic and bathymetric surveying. With a weight of less than 10 kg, the VQ-840-GL is suitable for integration into crewed aircraft and UAS. The scanner carries out laser range measurements for high resolution surveying of underwater topography with a narrow, visible green laser beam. The distance measurement is based on the time-of-flight measurement with very short laser pulses and subsequent echo digitization and online full waveform processing. To handle situations with most complex multiple echo signals, beside the online waveform processing the digitised echo waveforms can be stored on the removable data storage card for subsequent off-line full waveform analysis for the best data accuracy possible. The sensor can also be configured to obtain deeper penetration or larger footprint making it most suitable for a range of different applications. Thanks to this, this project will make it possible to collect bathymetry in otherwise inaccessible shallow waters and will provide a series of advantages when compared to traditional bathymetric methods, namely: Versatility, Rapid Data Collection, Reduced Environmental Impact, Accessibility and Improved Safety.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/Z503939/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Event/Action
- Scheme:
- Research Grants
- Grant Status:
- Active
- Programme:
- NZArC UAS
This grant award has a total value of £932,760
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Exception - Equipment |
|---|
| £932,760 |
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