Several organizations, including NOAA, need photographs, elevation and depth data to inform management decisions in the coastal zone. However, many near-shore areas are difficult to access making them challenging and expensive to map with existing technologies.The use of autonomous vehicles, both aircraft and surface vessels, have shown to be an inexpensive and accurate way to fill these gaps and map coastal regions safely and efficiently. These platforms, combined with Structure from Motion (SfM) software, are capable of producing centimeter-scale photo-mosaics, elevation and depth data for near-shore environments. These products can be used for a variety of management applications, including mapping the distribution, abundance and health of terrestrial and marine organisms, and detecting changes in coastal environments. The objective of this proposed project is to collect imagery using autonomous aerial and surface vessels, and develop high resolution photo-mosaics, elevation and depth surfaces for select areas around Santa Cruz Island, CA. This imagery will be used to better understand how to best leverage these technologies in temperate environments, and to continue refining existing methodologies for collecting and processing imagery from autonomous vessels.

Approved