2024's missions had two main objectives: assessing and comparing next-generation DOI UAS advanced capabilities with our existing fleet of aircraft and exploring new scientific applications of specialized sensors.
* Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
UAS for natural hazard response: Lidar mapping of road damage and landslides along the NPS Blue Ridge Parkway after Hurricane Helene
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene's heavy rains and strong winds triggered landslides along the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. The National Park Service (NPS) requested technical support from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), including the use of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS), also known as drones, to help map road damage and landslide hazards. In response, USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office (NUSO) remote pilots Matthew Burgess and Joe Adams traveled to North Carolina in November and December 2024 to provide sUAS support at key locations along the Parkway.
Prolonged, intense rainfall, combined with strong winds that uprooted trees, triggered landslides both above and below the Parkway. These landslides carried trees, vegetation, rocks, and soi downhill. Some segments of the Parkway were completely blocked by debris, while others were impassable due to washouts of the road surface. The safety of the Parkway was further compromised as fallen trees smashed guardrails, and roadbeds were undercut by flowing water, rendering the pavement unsafe for travel.
Both NPS and USGS pilots used a small Skydio X10 drone with an integrated video camera to safely explore portions of the Parkway and inform flight planning for larger, more advanced drones and sensor technologies. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing sUAS, the WingtraOne GEN II, and a DJI M-600 Pro hexacopter equipped with a YellowScan Mapper+ lidar unit and a Sony RGB camera were used to map damaged sections of the Parkway using natural color imagery and lidar. The lidar data captured high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) topographic information while the RGB imagery was used to colorize the lidar data. By classifying vegetation points in the lidar data, vegetation could be digitally stripped away, leaving behind ground-classified points used to generate detailed models of damaged road surfaces and landslide scars.
The UAS data were collected and processed by the USGS and provided to the NPS to quantify and document the material displaced by landslides. The NPS will use this information to develop plans for stabilizing hazardous areas and repairing the Parkway to restore travel access.
UAS are invaluable tools for hazard response and natural resource mapping. They provide an aerial perspective in areas that may be difficult or dangerous to access on the ground. Drone technologies offer affordable, high-resolution remotely sensed data for assessing damage to infrastructure and the environment.
Learn more: Helene Impacts and Recovery
UAS 3D Model of the Marsh-Felch Quarry in Colorado
NUSO researchers supported the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program’s Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project in July of 2024 with the collection of UAS-based high-resolution imagery of the Marsh-Felch Dinosaur Quarry site at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Garden Park Fossil Area.
Geoheritage is a generic term which lies at the intersection of science, society, and sustainability and is applied to geologic features and landforms that demonstrate scientific significance of geologic phenomena. Geoheritage can provide geoscience educational opportunities for both formal and informal learning, illuminate cultural connections to the landscape, showcase both historic and present-day examples of economic opportunities, and highlight geologic features of aesthetic value.
The USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program’s Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project is developing an initial inventory of geoheritage sites to showcase the geodiversity and natural heritage across all 50 states and territories (excluding the Northern Mariana Islands) of the United States on Federal public lands. To allow the public to remotely explore geologic sites of scientific, educational, cultural, economic, and aesthetic significance, the project is building an interactive web application, the Geoheritage Sites of the Nation viewer, to provide an educational and outreach tool to 1) raise awareness of significant geologic sites, 2) communicate the role of geology in our natural heritage, and 3) increase accessibility and relevance of geologic mapping and geoscience topics more broadly to the public. The Marsh-Felch Dinosaur Quarry site at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Garden Park Fossil Area north of Cañon City has been selected as the highlight site for Colorado. One of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever unearthed was found there. The fossil discoveries around present-day Garden Fossil Park Area sparked the “Bone Wars” of the late 1800s, and inspired the selection of the Colorado state fossil, the Stegosaurus.
Geographer Paco Van Sistine of the USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center is leading the development of the interactive web viewer and aspires to feature eye-catching three-dimensional (3D) models of the geoheritage sites. One way to generate 3D models of natural features is to collect a series of overlapping photographs using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, and process them using structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry software.
On July 9, 2024, NUSO remote pilots Victoria Scholl and Matthew Burgess conducted flights using a Skydio X10 UAS to obtain high-resolution imagery of this famous fossil site. Using its 3D Scan capability, the Skydio X10 autonomously determines where to capture photos to achieve coverage across a volume of interest. The aircraft is equipped with multiple collision avoidance cameras and can maneuver through areas with complex terrain to capture imagery. Over the course of three 25-minute flights, the UAS scanned a 2,863 square meter area and captured nearly 3,000 natural color photos across the quarry. Using SfM software, these images will be processed to generate a 3D model of this world-renowned fossil site for inclusion in the Geoheritage web application. A 2D mapping scan with the Skydio X10 flown at 300 feet above ground level was also conducted to capture the topography of the surrounding area.
This project marks the first time that USGS remote pilots have utilized the Skydio X10’s technologically advanced 3D scan capabilities for a geologic feature.
Learn more:
• USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program
• BLM Garden Park Fossil Area
Study Points of Contact:
Christina DeVera, Physical Scientist
Project Lead, Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project
Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center
Paco Van Sistine, Geographer
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Victoria Scholl, Physical Scientist
NUSO, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
UAS Hyperspectral Imaging during the Missouri River Dye-Trace Study
In May 2024, NUSO scientists supported a Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) dye-trace study to characterize river flow patterns and ultimately evaluate habitat for endangered pallid sturgeon reproduction along the Missouri River. This study, which NUSO also supported in May 2021, is part of an ongoing CERC and Water Resources Mission Area collaboration to study the factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River.
During the May 2024 study, CERC personnel released non-toxic pink dye into the river and monitored the dye’s flow patterns downstream using technologies including in-situ instruments, low-altitude UAS flights, and contracted crewed airborne surveys. CERC remote pilots alternated flying UAS over the recent dye-trace project to record nearly continuous video footage of the water flow patterns before, during, and after the dye release.
Complementing the in-situ water measurements and UAS video footage, NUSO researchers collected UAS hyperspectral data to determine whether the detailed color information of a 274-band Headwall Nano-Hyperspec can lead to more accurate and precise estimates of tracer dye concentration. The hyperspectral flight planning was complex and experimental. Due to the densely wooded banks of the Missouri River, USGS personnel secured a radiometric calibration tarp to an anchored boat near the river’s edge. NUSO remote pilots hovered the hyperspectral line-scanning sensor over a key area of interest during seven back-to-back flights to capture a time series of dye concentration flowing downstream.
The UAS data collected during this collaborative project will help scientists understand how endangered pallid sturgeon larvae drift downstream and find supportive habitat.
Learn more: USGS CERC Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog
Study Point of Contact:
Brandon Sansom, Research Engineer
Columbia Environmental Research Center
UAS 3D Scan of the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
The NUSO and the National Park Service (NPS) Heritage Document Programs partnered in May 2024 to perform a UAS-based 3D scan of Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial.
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812, and to celebrate the long-lasting peace among Great Britian, Canada, and the United States. The memorial rises 352 feet over Lake Erie and is situated 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world (NPS). The monument was constructed in 1913 and serves as the final resting place for six officers, three American and three British, who died in combat.
During this mission, NUSO utilized two different UAS to provide a full photogrammetric survey of the exterior of the monument. Data collection was first performed with a fully autonomous Skydio X10 UAS using 3D Scan to generate a digital twin of the monument, which was also the first time DOI utilized UAS 3D Scan for a historical structure. Six hours of flight time using the Skydio X10 provided 1.2 mm ground sample distance (GSD) stereo imagery of the exterior. The second UAS was mounted with a Sony A7R4 camera system and flown manually to capture stereo imagery to supplement the autonomous imagery collection.
NPS architects and engineers conducted terrestrial laser scans (TLS) of the outside base of the monument and the interior of the structure. The NPS will combine the TLS derived point clouds and the UAS-provided point cloud in the analysis and documentation package. The intent of the project is to document Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial with a historical report, measured drawings, and archival photographs for inclusion in the collection at the Library of Congress.
Learn more about the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
Study Point of Contact:
Paul Davidson, HABS Architect
NPS Heritage Documentation Program
UAS Tortoise Habitat Survey at the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park
In March 2024 the NUSO, Western Geographic Science Center and the NPS conducted UAS operations over the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park in support of habitat studies for the Texas tortoise.
UAS are becoming important tools for understanding wildlife distributions and improving habitat prioritization and conservation. UAS data can provide spatially extensive and high-resolution maps of vegetation type and cover, topography and other landscape features that support analyses of habitat selection and suitability. For Texas tortoise, habitat features such as particularly dense shrubs, grasses, and cacti, incontiguous patches, and small hills are challenging to map using field surveys and satellite remote sensing, therefore they are better suited for UAS data collection.
UAS-based high-resolution data collection, performed over the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park to evaluate habitat use by Texas tortoise, included:
- Photogrammetric canopy structure, height and cover as well as surface topography from Structure-from-motion (SfM) models and UAS lidar
- Multispectral (visible color and near-infrared) imagery to map vegetation types (i.e., native vs. non-native grasses); and
Several models of UAS were used to collect data including Wingtra One Gen II to collect visible, near infrared and a new lidar payload, and the DJI M600 carrying a Yellowscan Mapper + lidar unit.
After it’s collection, this data will be used to:
- Perform an analysis of habitat selection by Texas tortoise, using the imagery and previously collected GPS locations,
- Calculate a ‘walking function’ using a regression analysis to estimate the speed and energy expenditure as a function of the microtopography and vegetation, and
- Develop a raster dataset which translates imagery and surface models to the amount of energy expended by a typical Texas tortoise to traverse habitat while avoiding natural and built impediments to travel.
Learn more: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park
Study Points of Contact:
Josh Von Nonn, Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Samuel Chambers, Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Miguel Villareal, Research Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Testing UAS Bathymetric Lidar over the South Platte River
On February 14th, 2024, members of the USGS NUSO staff tested a newly developed bathymetric lidar scanner over a section of the South Platte River near Denver, CO. This evaluation produced a bathymetric lidar dataset covering the topography of the river channel, including the water surface and the bottom terrain under the water column. The data was compared with existing surveyed data collected by USGS water technicians. The team of techs used GNSS RTK rovers and sonar sensors available via a remote-controlled boat to establish a baseline for this evaluation. This study was conducted using the YellowScan Navigator UAS bathymetric lidar scanner (on loan to the USGS) for the USGS Colorado Water Science Center.
The NUSO team continuously reviews new technology and UAS innovations pursuing the latest advancements in mapping and data collection methods. These new methods may be implemented if the technology shows significantly improved data quality, demonstrates a reduction in costs, or is a safer method than previous data collection techniques. This study is also part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) to inform water managers and the public on daily water operations and to provide data for decision-making during water emergencies.
National Uncrewed Systems Office
2024's missions had two main objectives: assessing and comparing next-generation DOI UAS advanced capabilities with our existing fleet of aircraft and exploring new scientific applications of specialized sensors.
* Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
UAS for natural hazard response: Lidar mapping of road damage and landslides along the NPS Blue Ridge Parkway after Hurricane Helene
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene's heavy rains and strong winds triggered landslides along the iconic Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia. The National Park Service (NPS) requested technical support from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), including the use of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS), also known as drones, to help map road damage and landslide hazards. In response, USGS National Uncrewed Systems Office (NUSO) remote pilots Matthew Burgess and Joe Adams traveled to North Carolina in November and December 2024 to provide sUAS support at key locations along the Parkway.
Prolonged, intense rainfall, combined with strong winds that uprooted trees, triggered landslides both above and below the Parkway. These landslides carried trees, vegetation, rocks, and soi downhill. Some segments of the Parkway were completely blocked by debris, while others were impassable due to washouts of the road surface. The safety of the Parkway was further compromised as fallen trees smashed guardrails, and roadbeds were undercut by flowing water, rendering the pavement unsafe for travel.
Both NPS and USGS pilots used a small Skydio X10 drone with an integrated video camera to safely explore portions of the Parkway and inform flight planning for larger, more advanced drones and sensor technologies. A vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing sUAS, the WingtraOne GEN II, and a DJI M-600 Pro hexacopter equipped with a YellowScan Mapper+ lidar unit and a Sony RGB camera were used to map damaged sections of the Parkway using natural color imagery and lidar. The lidar data captured high-resolution, three-dimensional (3D) topographic information while the RGB imagery was used to colorize the lidar data. By classifying vegetation points in the lidar data, vegetation could be digitally stripped away, leaving behind ground-classified points used to generate detailed models of damaged road surfaces and landslide scars.
The UAS data were collected and processed by the USGS and provided to the NPS to quantify and document the material displaced by landslides. The NPS will use this information to develop plans for stabilizing hazardous areas and repairing the Parkway to restore travel access.
UAS are invaluable tools for hazard response and natural resource mapping. They provide an aerial perspective in areas that may be difficult or dangerous to access on the ground. Drone technologies offer affordable, high-resolution remotely sensed data for assessing damage to infrastructure and the environment.
Learn more: Helene Impacts and Recovery
UAS 3D Model of the Marsh-Felch Quarry in Colorado
NUSO researchers supported the USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program’s Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project in July of 2024 with the collection of UAS-based high-resolution imagery of the Marsh-Felch Dinosaur Quarry site at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Garden Park Fossil Area.
Geoheritage is a generic term which lies at the intersection of science, society, and sustainability and is applied to geologic features and landforms that demonstrate scientific significance of geologic phenomena. Geoheritage can provide geoscience educational opportunities for both formal and informal learning, illuminate cultural connections to the landscape, showcase both historic and present-day examples of economic opportunities, and highlight geologic features of aesthetic value.
The USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program’s Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project is developing an initial inventory of geoheritage sites to showcase the geodiversity and natural heritage across all 50 states and territories (excluding the Northern Mariana Islands) of the United States on Federal public lands. To allow the public to remotely explore geologic sites of scientific, educational, cultural, economic, and aesthetic significance, the project is building an interactive web application, the Geoheritage Sites of the Nation viewer, to provide an educational and outreach tool to 1) raise awareness of significant geologic sites, 2) communicate the role of geology in our natural heritage, and 3) increase accessibility and relevance of geologic mapping and geoscience topics more broadly to the public. The Marsh-Felch Dinosaur Quarry site at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Garden Park Fossil Area north of Cañon City has been selected as the highlight site for Colorado. One of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever unearthed was found there. The fossil discoveries around present-day Garden Fossil Park Area sparked the “Bone Wars” of the late 1800s, and inspired the selection of the Colorado state fossil, the Stegosaurus.
Geographer Paco Van Sistine of the USGS Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center is leading the development of the interactive web viewer and aspires to feature eye-catching three-dimensional (3D) models of the geoheritage sites. One way to generate 3D models of natural features is to collect a series of overlapping photographs using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, and process them using structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry software.
On July 9, 2024, NUSO remote pilots Victoria Scholl and Matthew Burgess conducted flights using a Skydio X10 UAS to obtain high-resolution imagery of this famous fossil site. Using its 3D Scan capability, the Skydio X10 autonomously determines where to capture photos to achieve coverage across a volume of interest. The aircraft is equipped with multiple collision avoidance cameras and can maneuver through areas with complex terrain to capture imagery. Over the course of three 25-minute flights, the UAS scanned a 2,863 square meter area and captured nearly 3,000 natural color photos across the quarry. Using SfM software, these images will be processed to generate a 3D model of this world-renowned fossil site for inclusion in the Geoheritage web application. A 2D mapping scan with the Skydio X10 flown at 300 feet above ground level was also conducted to capture the topography of the surrounding area.
This project marks the first time that USGS remote pilots have utilized the Skydio X10’s technologically advanced 3D scan capabilities for a geologic feature.
Learn more:
• USGS National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program
• BLM Garden Park Fossil Area
Study Points of Contact:
Christina DeVera, Physical Scientist
Project Lead, Geoheritage Sites of the Nation Project
Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center
Paco Van Sistine, Geographer
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Victoria Scholl, Physical Scientist
NUSO, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
UAS Hyperspectral Imaging during the Missouri River Dye-Trace Study
In May 2024, NUSO scientists supported a Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) dye-trace study to characterize river flow patterns and ultimately evaluate habitat for endangered pallid sturgeon reproduction along the Missouri River. This study, which NUSO also supported in May 2021, is part of an ongoing CERC and Water Resources Mission Area collaboration to study the factors leading to spawning and survival of the endangered pallid sturgeon in the Missouri River.
During the May 2024 study, CERC personnel released non-toxic pink dye into the river and monitored the dye’s flow patterns downstream using technologies including in-situ instruments, low-altitude UAS flights, and contracted crewed airborne surveys. CERC remote pilots alternated flying UAS over the recent dye-trace project to record nearly continuous video footage of the water flow patterns before, during, and after the dye release.
Complementing the in-situ water measurements and UAS video footage, NUSO researchers collected UAS hyperspectral data to determine whether the detailed color information of a 274-band Headwall Nano-Hyperspec can lead to more accurate and precise estimates of tracer dye concentration. The hyperspectral flight planning was complex and experimental. Due to the densely wooded banks of the Missouri River, USGS personnel secured a radiometric calibration tarp to an anchored boat near the river’s edge. NUSO remote pilots hovered the hyperspectral line-scanning sensor over a key area of interest during seven back-to-back flights to capture a time series of dye concentration flowing downstream.
The UAS data collected during this collaborative project will help scientists understand how endangered pallid sturgeon larvae drift downstream and find supportive habitat.
Learn more: USGS CERC Comprehensive Sturgeon Research Project Blog
Study Point of Contact:
Brandon Sansom, Research Engineer
Columbia Environmental Research Center
UAS 3D Scan of the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
The NUSO and the National Park Service (NPS) Heritage Document Programs partnered in May 2024 to perform a UAS-based 3D scan of Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial.
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812, and to celebrate the long-lasting peace among Great Britian, Canada, and the United States. The memorial rises 352 feet over Lake Erie and is situated 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world (NPS). The monument was constructed in 1913 and serves as the final resting place for six officers, three American and three British, who died in combat.
During this mission, NUSO utilized two different UAS to provide a full photogrammetric survey of the exterior of the monument. Data collection was first performed with a fully autonomous Skydio X10 UAS using 3D Scan to generate a digital twin of the monument, which was also the first time DOI utilized UAS 3D Scan for a historical structure. Six hours of flight time using the Skydio X10 provided 1.2 mm ground sample distance (GSD) stereo imagery of the exterior. The second UAS was mounted with a Sony A7R4 camera system and flown manually to capture stereo imagery to supplement the autonomous imagery collection.
NPS architects and engineers conducted terrestrial laser scans (TLS) of the outside base of the monument and the interior of the structure. The NPS will combine the TLS derived point clouds and the UAS-provided point cloud in the analysis and documentation package. The intent of the project is to document Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial with a historical report, measured drawings, and archival photographs for inclusion in the collection at the Library of Congress.
Learn more about the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
Study Point of Contact:
Paul Davidson, HABS Architect
NPS Heritage Documentation Program
UAS Tortoise Habitat Survey at the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park
In March 2024 the NUSO, Western Geographic Science Center and the NPS conducted UAS operations over the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park in support of habitat studies for the Texas tortoise.
UAS are becoming important tools for understanding wildlife distributions and improving habitat prioritization and conservation. UAS data can provide spatially extensive and high-resolution maps of vegetation type and cover, topography and other landscape features that support analyses of habitat selection and suitability. For Texas tortoise, habitat features such as particularly dense shrubs, grasses, and cacti, incontiguous patches, and small hills are challenging to map using field surveys and satellite remote sensing, therefore they are better suited for UAS data collection.
UAS-based high-resolution data collection, performed over the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park to evaluate habitat use by Texas tortoise, included:
- Photogrammetric canopy structure, height and cover as well as surface topography from Structure-from-motion (SfM) models and UAS lidar
- Multispectral (visible color and near-infrared) imagery to map vegetation types (i.e., native vs. non-native grasses); and
Several models of UAS were used to collect data including Wingtra One Gen II to collect visible, near infrared and a new lidar payload, and the DJI M600 carrying a Yellowscan Mapper + lidar unit.
After it’s collection, this data will be used to:
- Perform an analysis of habitat selection by Texas tortoise, using the imagery and previously collected GPS locations,
- Calculate a ‘walking function’ using a regression analysis to estimate the speed and energy expenditure as a function of the microtopography and vegetation, and
- Develop a raster dataset which translates imagery and surface models to the amount of energy expended by a typical Texas tortoise to traverse habitat while avoiding natural and built impediments to travel.
Learn more: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park
Study Points of Contact:
Josh Von Nonn, Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Samuel Chambers, Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Miguel Villareal, Research Geographer
Western Geographic Science Center
Testing UAS Bathymetric Lidar over the South Platte River
On February 14th, 2024, members of the USGS NUSO staff tested a newly developed bathymetric lidar scanner over a section of the South Platte River near Denver, CO. This evaluation produced a bathymetric lidar dataset covering the topography of the river channel, including the water surface and the bottom terrain under the water column. The data was compared with existing surveyed data collected by USGS water technicians. The team of techs used GNSS RTK rovers and sonar sensors available via a remote-controlled boat to establish a baseline for this evaluation. This study was conducted using the YellowScan Navigator UAS bathymetric lidar scanner (on loan to the USGS) for the USGS Colorado Water Science Center.
The NUSO team continuously reviews new technology and UAS innovations pursuing the latest advancements in mapping and data collection methods. These new methods may be implemented if the technology shows significantly improved data quality, demonstrates a reduction in costs, or is a safer method than previous data collection techniques. This study is also part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) to inform water managers and the public on daily water operations and to provide data for decision-making during water emergencies.