Application of Geographic Information Systems and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for the Use of a Site-Specific Soil Erosion Model

Abstract

The use of geographical information systems (GIS) and aerial imagery analysis has long been used to determine resource concerns within different habitats yet with new developments in spatial technology we can narrow our scope to detect these concerns with greater precision. Soil erosion is one of the greatest concerns in natural resource conservation because its impacts can affect entire ecosystems. Large scale construction, heavy agricultural production and deforestation contribute to most of the world’s soil erosion problems. Implementing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to scout areas of concerns can provided an economic and efficient solution to the costly satellite imagery currently used. The study of high resolution aerial imagery captured by UAV can provide researchers with data of greater quality. This investigation intends on using a UAV and GIS software to collect high resolution aerial imagery and Model the potential for soil erosion at a specific site. The equation used to model soil erosion is the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). The use of a UAV for this type of investigation is expected to narrow the focus to a specific area and extract data with higher precision. Key Terms - Geographical Information System, RUSLE, Soil Erosion, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.