Opportunities and Challenges of Launching UAVs within Wooded Areas

Ramesh Sivanpillai

Sajithvariyar V.V. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India
Sowmya V. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India
Gopalakrishnan E.A. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India
Soman K.P. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India
Ramesh Sivanpillai University of Wyoming
Gregory K. Brown University of Wyoming

12D

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), or “drones”, are increasingly being used to image epiphytes that grow on trees, especially in the canopies that are not easily accessible from the ground. However, there are several challenges in launching UAVs vertically from the floor of wooded areas. Low hanging branches, understory vegetation, surface terrain, and the strength of the GPS signal received by the drone are among the factors that will influence the operator’s ability to launch and navigate a UAV towards the tree canopy. We conducted pilot studies to document the opportunities and challenges in launching UAVs vertically for acquiring images of tree canopies. Three UAVs were launched from sites with different environmental conditions. Three types of canopy density (low, moderate, and high), two terrain settings (flat and uneven), and three different understory vegetation conditions (clear, thin and thick) were selected for this study. Findings from these studies, along with dealing with emergency situations on the ground, will provide valuable insights for those interested in operating UAVs within complex environments.

UAS Division
Remote Sensing Division
Primary Data Acquisition Division

11:45 Opportunities and Challenges of Launching UAVs within Wooded Areas, Ramesh Sivanpillai

January 29 @ 11:45
11:45 — 12:00 (15′)

Mineral A

Ramesh Sivanpillai

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