Small-scale UAS for geoinformatics applications on an island campus

Abstract

Texas A&M University Corpus-Christi is undergoing a major university expansion on its island campus. The university's Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science was tasked with providing the spatial information needs related to this expansion. To meet this objective, a small-scale Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) equipped with a small-format digital camera is utilized to acquire aerial imagery in support of campus facilities. A processing and analysis workflow is implemented to evaluate the quality of geospatial data products derived from the system. Results show a mean planimetric accuracy of 6 cm when using control points. Vertical accuracy is evaluated by comparing UAS-derived elevations to airborne lidar and RTK GPS. The mean absolute difference is approximately 13 cm relative to lidar and 3.7 cm relative to RTK GPS. Results provide insight into the capabilities and challenges in utilizing UAS equipped with small-format digital cameras for survey-grade 3D mapping.