Small Aerial Bathymetric/Topographic LiDAR System for Tropical Marine and Terrestrial Research

珊瑚礁研究基金会(https://coralreefpalau.org))正在使用一架带有扫描激光雷达(光探测和测距)仪器的六角无人机来调查和绘制帕劳共和国(密克罗尼西亚)的海洋和陆地栖息地。该系统测量其飞行路线上的陆地植被高度、岛屿地面水平(陆地)和水深。激光脉冲返回时间的计时，而无人机飞行的重叠测量模式，使完整的陆地高程地图(数字高程模型)和水深(水深地图)得以编制。这些对珊瑚礁和其他浅海栖息地、陆地森林、草原和红树林的研究非常重要。它们构成了估计风暴或海平面上升造成的海岸线淹没、岛屿的稳定性、特定地区的海啸风险、沿海规划、森林可持续性和了解帕劳人类环境影响的量化基础。调查结果将与政府机构和公众分享。此前，帕劳没有地方激光雷达无人机能力，尽管许多地方机构、组织和个人需要数据和调查。该系统/数据也将是一个极好的教学工具，以补充当地STEM教育中正在进行的计划。高分辨率数据本来无法获得，但对与热带海洋/岛屿环境有关的各种实地学科都有影响，包括测深/地形和生境测绘、珊瑚礁定量成像、岛屿的稳定性、海洋大型动物生境、陆地生态系统和人类影响的生境。这些问题与养护、保护区管理、沿海海洋学和气候变化/变化的动态因素等许多方面有关。这些数据集用于绘制地图，为淹没模型、海啸风险预测、国家和州政府保护区调查、沿海规划、森林可持续性和了解帕劳人类历史对环境的影响提供量化基础。该系统正被纳入现有的教育项目(水深测绘、机器人技术、“回归自然”科学实地考察)，以对当地学生产生积极影响。帕劳以前没有基于研究/商用无人机/飞机的激光雷达能力，因此所请求的设备代表着帕劳的一种独特能力，许多当地用户(机构和组织)需要数据和调查。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A hexacopter drone with a scanning LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument is being used by the Coral Reef Research Foundation (https://coralreefpalau.org) to survey and map marine and terrestrial habitats in the Republic of Palau (Micronesia). The system measures heights of terrestrial vegetation, island ground level (land) and water depth along its flight path. The timing of laser pulse return times, while the drone flies an overlapping survey pattern, enable complete maps of land elevation (digital elevation models) and water depth (bathymetric maps) to be prepared. These are important for studies on coral reefs and other shallow marine habitats, terrestrial forests, grasslands and mangroves. They form the quantitative basis of estimating shoreline inundation from storms or rising sea levels, stability of islands, risks of tsunamis in given areas, coastal planning, forest sustainability and understanding human environmental impact in Palau. Survey results will be shared with government agencies and the public. Previously there has been no local LiDAR drone capability in Palau, although many local agencies, organizations and individuals have needed data and surveys. The system/data will also be an excellent teaching tool to supplement ongoing programs in local STEM education. The high-resolution data, otherwise unobtainable, are impactful across a wide variety of field disciplines related to tropical marine/island environments, including bathymetric/topographic and habitat mapping, quantitative imaging for coral reefs, stability of islands, marine megafauna habitats, terrestrial ecosystems and human-influenced habitats. These are relevant to many aspects of conservation, protected area management, coastal oceanography, and dynamic elements of climate change/variation. The data sets are used to prepare mapping to provide a quantitative basis for inundation modeling, tsunami risk prediction, protected area surveys for National and State governments, coastal planning, forest sustainability and understanding the environmental impact of human history in Palau. The system is being incorporated into existing educational programs (bathymetric mapping, robotics, "Back to Nature" scientific field trips) to have a positive influence on local students. There previously was no research/commercial drone/aircraft based LiDAR capability in Palau, hence the requested equipment represents a singular capability for Palau with many local users (agencies and organizations) needing data and surveysThis award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.