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Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques

Publication ,  Journal Article
Casella, E; Collin, A; Harris, D; Ferse, S; Bejarano, S; Parravicini, V; Hench, JL; Rovere, A
Published in: Coral Reefs
March 1, 2017

We propose a novel technique to measure the small-scale three-dimensional features of a shallow-water coral reef using a small drone equipped with a consumer-grade camera, a handheld GPS and structure from motion (SfM) algorithms. We used a GoPro HERO4 with a modified lens mounted on a DJI Phantom 2 drone (maximum total take-off weight <2 kg) to perform a 10 min flight and collect 306 aerial images with an overlap equal or greater than 90%. We mapped an area of 8380 m2, obtaining as output an ortho-rectified aerial photomosaic and a bathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) with a resolution of 0.78 and 1.56 cm pixel−1, respectively. Through comparison with airborne LiDAR data for the same area, we verified that the location of the ortho-rectified aerial photomosaic is accurate within ~1.4 m. The bathymetric difference between our DEM and the LiDAR dataset is −0.016 ± 0.45 m (1σ). Our results show that it is possible, in conditions of calm waters, low winds and minimal sun glint, to deploy consumer-grade drones as a relatively low-cost and rapid survey technique to produce multispectral and bathymetric data on shallow-water coral reefs. We discuss the utility of such data to monitor temporal changes in topographic complexity of reefs and associated biological processes.

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Published In

Coral Reefs

DOI

ISSN

0722-4028

Publication Date

March 1, 2017

Volume

36

Issue

1

Start / End Page

269 / 275

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 41 Environmental sciences
  • 37 Earth sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
  • 05 Environmental Sciences
  • 04 Earth Sciences
 

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Casella, E., Collin, A., Harris, D., Ferse, S., Bejarano, S., Parravicini, V., … Rovere, A. (2017). Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques. Coral Reefs, 36(1), 269–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-016-1522-0
Casella, E., A. Collin, D. Harris, S. Ferse, S. Bejarano, V. Parravicini, J. L. Hench, and A. Rovere. “Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques.” Coral Reefs 36, no. 1 (March 1, 2017): 269–75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-016-1522-0.
Casella E, Collin A, Harris D, Ferse S, Bejarano S, Parravicini V, et al. Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques. Coral Reefs. 2017 Mar 1;36(1):269–75.
Casella, E., et al. “Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques.” Coral Reefs, vol. 36, no. 1, Mar. 2017, pp. 269–75. Scopus, doi:10.1007/s00338-016-1522-0.
Casella E, Collin A, Harris D, Ferse S, Bejarano S, Parravicini V, Hench JL, Rovere A. Mapping coral reefs using consumer-grade drones and structure from motion photogrammetry techniques. Coral Reefs. 2017 Mar 1;36(1):269–275.
Journal cover image

Published In

Coral Reefs

DOI

ISSN

0722-4028

Publication Date

March 1, 2017

Volume

36

Issue

1

Start / End Page

269 / 275

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 41 Environmental sciences
  • 37 Earth sciences
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
  • 05 Environmental Sciences
  • 04 Earth Sciences