This document summarizes a summer school on using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for environmental monitoring, held from July 27-31, 2015 in Matera, Italy. The 3rd edition of the summer school was a collaboration between Princeton University, University of Basilicata, and private companies, and involved lectures and hands-on training with UAVs. Students gained experience in using UAVs to monitor vegetation, hydrology, agriculture and more, and spent time in field experiments and flying UAVs. The agenda included introductory lectures, field training sessions, image processing lessons, and students presenting final projects using collected imagery.

1. SUMMERSCHOOLOF HYDROLOGY
APPLIED COURSE ON UAVS FOR
ENVIRONMENTALMONITORING
MATERA, 27-31 JULY 2015

2. 3th Edition of the
Summer School of Hydrology
THE TOPIC:
APPLIED COURSE ON UAVS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
THE SCOPE:
USE A HANDS ON APPROACH
WHERE FIELD EXPERIENCE
IS CENTRAL

3. Partnership
• The schools stems from a collaboration
between Princeton and Unibas;
• This year we have involved also external
partners like the Company Airdrone and
Terralab.
• The aim is to connect the world of the
researchers with those who are interested in
applied research.
SUMMER SCHOOL OF HYDROLOGY
APPLIED COURSE ON UAVS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
MATERA, 27-31 JULY 2015

4. 3th Edition of the Summer School of
Hydrology
Lectures:
• Prof. Kelly K. Caylor - Princeton University
• Prof. Salvatore Manfreda - University of Basilicata
• Dr. Lyndon Estes - Princeton University
• Dott. Luciana De Fino – Airdrone s.r.l.
• Dr. Xurxo Gago – Universitat de les Illes Balears
• Prof. Sabino Bufo - University of Basilicata
• Dr. Massimo Bavusi – Terralab s.r.l.
SUMMER SCHOOL OF HYDROLOGY
APPLIED COURSE ON UAVS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
MATERA, 27-31 JULY 2015

5. PROGRAM
9:00 - 10:00 Registration of Patercipants
10:00 - 11:00 Presentation of the School (Prof. A. Sole – Rector; Prof. M. Fiorentino,
Prof. F. Mirizzi – Chair of DICEM)
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:15 General Introduction - What can a UAS do that cheap satellites can’t? –
Dr. Lyndon Estes
12:15 - 13:00 Some UAS use cases (Dr. Lyndon Estes, Prof. Salvatore Manfreda, Prof.
Kelly Caylor):
Ecology and conservation
Agricultural applications
Hydrology and eco-hydrology
13:00 - 13:30 Self-presentation of the students
13:30 - 15:30 Lunch
15:30 - 16:15 Global market of UAVs, the fast-growing global drone industry: the
experience of AirDrone, Legislation (Dott.ssa Luciana De Fino)
16:15 - 17:30 Fixed-wing UAS operation: from planning to pre-flight through landing
[practical] – Dr. Lyndon Estes

6. PROGRAM
Tuesday 28 July 2015
07:30 - 13:30 Field Experiment and UAS flight training (Experimental Site of
Metaponto)
13:30 - 15:30 Lunch
15:30 – 17:00 Post-flight image processing [practical] – Dr. Lyndon Estes
17:00 - 18:30 Lecture/practical (Prof. Salvatore Manfreda, Prof. Kelly Caylor):
Vegetation assessment
Z-dimensions
Modeling surface morphology and analyzing flood plains
Wednesday 29 July 2015
9:00 - 13:30 Field Experiment and UAS flight training (Experimental Site of Metaponto)
13:30 - 15:30 Lunch
15:30 - 18:30 Student image processing
21:00 Social Dinner

7. PROGRAM
Thursday 30 July 2015
9:00 – 13:30 Field Experiment and UAS flight training (area Gravina of Matera); multi-
copter demonstration (Dr. Xurxo Gago)
13:30 - 15:30 Lunch
15:30 – 16:15 Thermal imagery and plant water use – Dr. Xurxo Gago
16:15 – 18:30 HV-UVA multispectral compared to hyperspectral data collection as
applied to vegetation indexes calculation – Prof. Sabino Bufo, Dr. Massimo Bavusi
18:30 – 19:30 Students finalize projects based on collected imagery
Friday 31 July 2015
9:00- 13:00 Presentation of the Student’s Project
13:30 - 15:30 Lunch
15:30 – 17:00 Excursion

8. Test Site

9. Test Site