This document discusses Coastway's involvement in the SLOPE project, which tested the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remote sensing to support forest inventory work. As part of Work Package 2, Coastway captured aerial imagery using fixed-wing drones across several test sites in Ireland. The drones tested different camera payloads, including RGB, multispectral, and near-infrared cameras. The goal was to create digital terrain models, digital elevation models, and digital canopy models, and to combine the UAV data with terrestrial laser scans and satellite imagery. The document describes the flight planning, site preparation, and data processing methods used to generate orthomosaics, point clouds, and models of the

1. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
www.slopeproject.eu
Remote Sensing Systems
Supporting Forestry Inventory
Enda Nolan
Coastway
SLOPE Final Conference
10th November, EIMA 2016, Bologna – Notturno Hall

2. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
WP2 Forest Information Collection & Analysis
• Coastways Involvement in WP2
• WP2.1 Remote Sensing and multispectral Analysis
• WP2.2 UAV Data & Analysis
• Partners Flyby, Treemetrics, CNR
• Data Capture using fixed wing drones
• Testing a variety of camera payloads - RGB, Multispectral, NIR
• Tasked with creating DTM, DEM, DCM
• Several test sites chosen in Ireland , Piscine, Montesover & Annaberg
• WP2 & WP4 Combined our data with terrestrial laser scan data & Satellite imagery
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3. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
2
Flight Plan Montesover

4. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
Test Flight Annaberg
3
Video

5. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
4
Site Preparation

6. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
5
Field Work
Installation of Survey Targets

7. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
6
NIR Imagery

8. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
7
trees
Separation of Point Cloud to aid creation of DEM by classifying ground data from canopy data

9. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
8
Separating the DTM from the Point data enables modelling of the Trees

10. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
9
Lidar Point cloud view of the trees

11. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
10

12. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
11

13. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
Drone Cameras
• multiSPEC 4C - Ultra precise 4-band accuracy
• The multiSPEC 4C provides image data across four highly precise bands - Green, Red, Red-edge and NIR - with no
spectral overlap. In addition, its upward-facing irradiance sensor automatically compensates for sunlight variations,
resulting in unparalleled reflectance measurement accuracy.
• Technical features
• Resolution 4 sensors of 1.2 Mp
• Ground resolution 10 cm/px (@100m)
• Sensor size 4.8 x 3.6 mm per sensor
• Pixel pitch 3.75 um
• Image format RAW (Tiff)
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14. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
Flight Process
• UAV is launched ascending to an altitude of 100 -150m once it has reached it’s designated Waypoint it
commences taking pictures.
• 45 minutes of flight time
• 36-57km/h (10-16m/s) cruise speed
• Up to 45km/h (12m/s) wind resistance
• Up to 3km radio link
• Covers up to 1.5-10km2
• Image resolution of 3-30cm/pixel (depending on flight altitude)
• Map areas of up to 1,000 ha (2,470 ac) in a single flight.
• These images are used to create maps and elevation models with accuracy of down to 5 cm (1.9 in).
• Images downloaded into Post Flight Terra 3D software
• Point tools, Cloud Compare,
• Images Combined with the Log file of the UAV Flight Path & Survey Ground Control Points
• Photo Mosaic generated with 60% side overlap and 70% laterally.
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15. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
14
Multispectral Imagery can help determine the health of the forest

16. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
15
Video

17. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
What does the future hold
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Since the project commenced there have
been some developments in drone lidar
which will come to market in the next
year.

18. This project has received funding
from the European Union’s
Seventh Framework Programme
for research, technological
development and demostration
under grant agreement no 604129
17