Measuring Complex Beach-Dune Morphology and Nearshore Processes Using UAVs
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2019
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1142/9789811204487_0222
Abstract
We examined various applications of widely available and low-cost Unoccupied Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in measuring beach morphodynamics and hydrodynamics. With adequate ground control points, UAVs demonstrate promising potential for capturing highly 3-dimensional beach/dune morphology with cm-scale accuracy and mm-scale resolution. Model accuracy and resolution are also controlled by flight altitude, with lower altitude yielding higher accuracy and resolution but at the expense of less spatial coverage. The time-series of UAV images and DEMs provide a valuable tool to document morphology changes of irregularly shaped coastal features, vegetation coverage and spatial distribution of sediment sizes. The efficiency of UAV data collection allows regional scale pre- and post-storm surveys to quantify storm-induced beach/dune changes. The overhead videos from the reasonably stable platform allow measurements of dynamic surf-zone parameters including incident breaking and non-breaking wave angles, limits of uprush and downrush, swash velocities and longshore current velocity. UAVs prove to be a promising addition to the traditional methods for measuring beach morphodynamics and hydrodynamics.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Measuring Complex Beach-Dune Morphology and Nearshore Processes Using UAVs, in P. Wang, J. D. Rosati & M. Vallee (Eds.), Coastal Sediments 2019: Proceedings of the 9th International Conference, p. 2581-2595
Scholar Commons Citation
Rodgers, Mel; Vallee, Mathieu; Wang, Ping; and Cheng, Jun, "Measuring Complex Beach-Dune Morphology and Nearshore Processes Using UAVs" (2019). School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications. 2136.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/2136
