This page describes the Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS), or drone, program at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC), current to March 1, 2025. All equipment is purchased and maintained in accordance with the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Aviation Services (OAS) policy. All pilots are certified through FAA Part 107 and DOI A-450 training and are required to fly every 90 days to maintain proficiency.
UAS are an emerging technology that allow us to collect high-resolution remote sensing data more efficiently. We can quickly survey large, hard to reach areas, reducing the need for boots on the ground. The data we collect is used to map vegetation and invasive species, monitor changes during infrastructure improvement projects, train artificial intelligence tools to detect objects of interest, and to support research projects in the USGS Midcontinent Region and beyond.
UAS tech is rapidly advancing, and UMESC researchers are continually searching for new ways to use UAS to collect data. We maintain a variety of aircraft and sensors, which are described in more detail below. Our UAS capabilities change regularly, based on new project requirements and advancements in UAS technology, so check back often.
History
UMESC started using UAS to collect aerial imagery in 2016. Our original fleet consisted of two 3DR Solo quadcopters and two BirdsEyeView Aerobotics FireFLY6 fixed-wing aircraft. These platforms carried a variety of sensors, including a GoPro Hero4, Ricoh GR II, MicaSense RedEdge, and FLIR Vue Pro cameras. We collected imagery in true color RGB, multispectral, or infrared formats. The Solo and FireFly were recently retired from the UMESC fleet, following the acquisition of more advanced platforms.
Current Aircraft
Our current fleet consists of two newly acquired aircraft that give us the ability to conduct a more extensive range of missions.
WingtraOne Gen II
The Wingtra is a fixed wing, vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) aircraft with several swappable sensors. The Wingtra gives us the ability to remain airborne for up to 45 minutes and survey up to 700 acres on a single pair of batteries.
We currently have two sensors for the Wingtra. The RGB61 sensor powered by a Sony A7R Mark IV camera collects images for color photogrammetry. At an altitude of 120 m (400 ft) AGL the RGB61 can collect imagery with a 1.9 cm/px GSD. We also have a MicaSense RedEdge-P sensor for collecting multispectral imagery. The RedEdge-P can collect imagery with a 4 cm/px GSD at 120 m AGL. The GSD of both sensors can be improved by flying at lower altitudes. We also intend to add a Wingtra lidar sensor with down to 3 cm vertical absolute accuracy to our toolbox soon.
Skydio X10 Vt300-L
The Skydio X10 is a small quadcopter with three integrated sensors. A 64 MP Narrow camera with a 50-degree field of view is used for mapping and mid-distance shots. A 1” Wide camera with a 93-degree field of view and 50 MP is perfect for detecting small features in low light. Finally, a FLIR Boson+ radiometric thermal camera with 30 mK sensitivity and resolutions of 640 x 512 px can detect temperature differences in a wide range of environments.
The Skydio can collect video or still imagery, and the onboard computing power allows the automation of complex scanning missions. The aircraft is also equipped with impressive obstacle avoidance systems, allowing us to fly near obstacles and in constricted spaces.
Future Aircraft/Sensors
The UMESC UAS team has been asked to support research using drones equipped with lidar and ground penetrating radar (GPR). We plan to acquire a heavy-lift aircraft and approved GPR package, as well as a lidar sensor for the Wingtra.
Learn more:
Protecting Critical Habitat for Endangered Butterflies (Instagram)
USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office
This page describes the Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS), or drone, program at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC), current to March 1, 2025. All equipment is purchased and maintained in accordance with the Department of the Interior (DOI) Office of Aviation Services (OAS) policy. All pilots are certified through FAA Part 107 and DOI A-450 training and are required to fly every 90 days to maintain proficiency.
UAS are an emerging technology that allow us to collect high-resolution remote sensing data more efficiently. We can quickly survey large, hard to reach areas, reducing the need for boots on the ground. The data we collect is used to map vegetation and invasive species, monitor changes during infrastructure improvement projects, train artificial intelligence tools to detect objects of interest, and to support research projects in the USGS Midcontinent Region and beyond.
UAS tech is rapidly advancing, and UMESC researchers are continually searching for new ways to use UAS to collect data. We maintain a variety of aircraft and sensors, which are described in more detail below. Our UAS capabilities change regularly, based on new project requirements and advancements in UAS technology, so check back often.
History
UMESC started using UAS to collect aerial imagery in 2016. Our original fleet consisted of two 3DR Solo quadcopters and two BirdsEyeView Aerobotics FireFLY6 fixed-wing aircraft. These platforms carried a variety of sensors, including a GoPro Hero4, Ricoh GR II, MicaSense RedEdge, and FLIR Vue Pro cameras. We collected imagery in true color RGB, multispectral, or infrared formats. The Solo and FireFly were recently retired from the UMESC fleet, following the acquisition of more advanced platforms.
Current Aircraft
Our current fleet consists of two newly acquired aircraft that give us the ability to conduct a more extensive range of missions.
WingtraOne Gen II
The Wingtra is a fixed wing, vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) aircraft with several swappable sensors. The Wingtra gives us the ability to remain airborne for up to 45 minutes and survey up to 700 acres on a single pair of batteries.
We currently have two sensors for the Wingtra. The RGB61 sensor powered by a Sony A7R Mark IV camera collects images for color photogrammetry. At an altitude of 120 m (400 ft) AGL the RGB61 can collect imagery with a 1.9 cm/px GSD. We also have a MicaSense RedEdge-P sensor for collecting multispectral imagery. The RedEdge-P can collect imagery with a 4 cm/px GSD at 120 m AGL. The GSD of both sensors can be improved by flying at lower altitudes. We also intend to add a Wingtra lidar sensor with down to 3 cm vertical absolute accuracy to our toolbox soon.
Skydio X10 Vt300-L
The Skydio X10 is a small quadcopter with three integrated sensors. A 64 MP Narrow camera with a 50-degree field of view is used for mapping and mid-distance shots. A 1” Wide camera with a 93-degree field of view and 50 MP is perfect for detecting small features in low light. Finally, a FLIR Boson+ radiometric thermal camera with 30 mK sensitivity and resolutions of 640 x 512 px can detect temperature differences in a wide range of environments.
The Skydio can collect video or still imagery, and the onboard computing power allows the automation of complex scanning missions. The aircraft is also equipped with impressive obstacle avoidance systems, allowing us to fly near obstacles and in constricted spaces.
Future Aircraft/Sensors
The UMESC UAS team has been asked to support research using drones equipped with lidar and ground penetrating radar (GPR). We plan to acquire a heavy-lift aircraft and approved GPR package, as well as a lidar sensor for the Wingtra.
Learn more:
Protecting Critical Habitat for Endangered Butterflies (Instagram)
USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office