Where did the soil go?
A time series analysis of a southern Ontario farm field using drones (/RPA) and LiDAR
Brandon Giura (PhD candidate in GEM, supervisor Derek Robinson)
Erosion remains an issue for many in the agricultural sector as it can reduce crop yields and when soil is lost to local waterways it reduces the sustainability of farming activities and negatively affects downstream water quality. While general areas of erosion are typically known to municipalities and conservation authorities, highly accurate quantification at the scale of farm fields has remained a challenge. PhD student Brandon Giura presents his challenges and results from quantifying erosion using time-series data of farm-fields in southern Ontario. His data were collected using a remotely piloted aircraft flown with a Riegl mini-vux1 LiDAR sensor and a 24 MP optical camera over two years. Aspects of his work related to ground control points, check points, surface generation, temporal and spatial alignment, as well as in-situ measurements and comparisons to drone-based measurements will be discussed and audience participation and suggestions are encouraged.
