The University of Melbourne’s UAV capabilities for coastal research were tested at Inverloch and Venus Bay.
Working together with Melbourne University Researcher Dr Allyson O’Brien, and Monash University Researchers Dr Vanessa Wong and Dr Ruth Reef, the UAV was deployed with a payload which collects a cm scale accurate DEM of the landscape as well as photographs, and near infra red and infra red images of the landscape.
The images can be used to determine erosional and depositonal change over time. They will also be used to classify the vegetation which is primarily salt marsh and mangroves and used to calculate the carbon storage potential of the landscape.
The Coastal Lab 