Using a Quadcopter/GoPro combo to measure morphologic change from above

In the past we have relied on aerial photography when measuring the morphology of unnamed-3washover fans. These fans are constantly changing shape, but we aren’t able to document these changes because images taken from a plane are only collected every couple of years. To remedy the problem, we’ve attached a GoPro to a remote-controlled quadcopter that we use to fly over the fans. With this technology, we’ve managed to capture some awesome, high-quality aerial images of the fan.

The benefit of using the quadcopter is not only limited to measuring washover fans – we’ve also started flying over man-made oyster reefs in Middle Marsh, NC. The images and videos taken with the GoPro will help us assess the growth of the reefs.
[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/89644452[/vimeo]

About Emily Woodward

Institute of Marine Sciences
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