Advanced analysis of drifter experiments using drones to optimize data collection methods and refine flow-field assessment software

露娜海洋咨询有限公司(LOCL)一直在研究成本效益高、环境友好的潮汐和河流流量测绘方法。传统的水动力评估方法成本高、耗时长，而且需要高级培训。LOCL的方法旨在提供准确的测量，同时克服这些挑战，以帮助加拿大的能源需求从化石燃料转向来自河流和潮流的清洁水力发电。Locl的一种流场评估方法使用消费级无人机观察到的可生物降解海洋漂浮者的航空图像来测量水流速度。概念验证测试是成功的，因此需要通过进一步的实验和软件开发来提高该方法的准确性和效率。新斯科舍社区学院的应用地球信息学研究小组(NSCC-AGRG)在地理信息环境中的航空图像和无人机方面非常有经验，正在与Locl合作评估和改进无人机和漂流者数据收集方法，并改进、简化和提高Locl软件的准确性。Locl的程序一旦提高了准确性和效率，也可以用于其他应用，如石油泄漏准备、污染预防和搜救。这些改进和扩展将使Locl能够授权他们的软件，并扩展他们作为咨询业务的一部分提供的服务。

Luna Ocean Consulting Ltd. (LOCL) has been researching cost-effective, environmentally friendly methods for mapping tidal and river flow. Traditional methods for hydrokinetic power assessments can be expensive, time consuming, and require advanced training. LOCL's methods are designed to provide accurate measurements while overcoming these challenges in order to assist with moving Canada's energy demands away from fossil fuels and towards clean hydrokinetic power from river and tidal currents. One of LOCL's flow field assessment methods uses aerial images of biodegradable ocean drifters observed by consumer-grade drones to measure current speeds. Proof-of-concept testing was successful, leading to a requirement to advance the accuracy and efficiency of this method through further experimentation and software development. The Nova Scotia Community College's Applied Geomatics Research Group (NSCC-AGRG) is very experienced with aerial imagery and drones in a geomatics environment, and is partnering with LOCL to evaluate and improve drone and drifter data collection methods, and to refine, simplify, and improve the accuracy of LOCL's software. LOCL's program, once improved for accuracy and efficiency, can also be used for other applications such as oil spill preparedness, pollution prevention, and search and rescue. These improvements and expansions will allow LOCL to license their software and expand the services they offer as part of their consulting operations.