Using Unmanned Aircraft to Provide Near Real-Time Updates of Biomass, Forest Structure and Land Use in the Western Amazon

Small-unmanned aerial systems (SUAS) can provide new ways to observe the environment and replace expensive or labor-intensive inventory methods. Forest carbon is a key uncertainty in the global carbon cycle and is important for carbon conservation schemes. State-of-the-art techniques in forest carbon monitoring typically involve the use of accurate but costly manned aircraft to estimate aboveground carbon density (ACD), making frequent data collection infeasible. We sought to: (1) develop SUAS ideally suited for forest monitoring; (2) identify an effective method for frequent and accurate ACD estimation in a variety of forest types; and (3) develop an integrated system for the rapid detection and monitoring of forest disturbance.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Messinger, Maxwell

• Carbon

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/57429

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/57429