There is a fundamental need to monitor environmental changes rapidly so as to better access the current status of ecosystems around the globe. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are being used more frequently by researchers to remotely sense a range of environmental parameters in the hopes of attaining this objective. UAVs allow for a “middle” solution for ecologists by being more cost effective than satellite and/or aerial data collection and being more time effective than ground data collection. Current setbacks to most Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) include the need to develop reliable communication between ground stations and the UAV, software tools to optimize flight control, and real time data processing while in the air. Here we present a prototype software system that has enhanced communication between the ground system and the vehicle, has optimized flight control, can analyze near real time data acquired from sensors onboard, and can log operational data during flights so as to enhance the usability of the UAV as an environmental data collection platform. 

Results/Conclusions

Currently our software system has been tested within the Jornada Experimental Range to supplement data collection from an eddy tower footprint and a hyper-spectral imaging tram line system. Our basic sensors onboard relay, temperature, air pressure, attitude, pitch, GPS data, and visual imagery at around 200 feet above the ground. Sensor readings are effective up to about 3/4 of a mile away from the base station. The designed software allows for the addition of other UAVs and sensors so as to be scalable for other UASs. This software was written in C# with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, is compatible with any Windows operating systems, and is open source (available to the public). The graphical user interface (GUI) can visually illustrate the level of “trust” in the readings that sensors have obtained. The GUI can be reviewed by an ecologist so they can ascertain how much data they have collected without having to return to the lab. While this functionality is useful we are not able account for all circumstances that may lead to bad data collection.