New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

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The Geospatial Applications in Natural Sciences Laboratory (GAINS lab) is the geospatial technology resource center at New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) that is managed by the Natural Resources Management Department. The lab supports instruction in geographic information science and technologies, along with research applications of geospatial technologies. The lab also provides technical assistance to individuals and groups seeking to incorporate geospatial information into their work. Recently, the GAINS lab was awarded a $162,500 grant from the National Science Foundation - Instrumentation and Facilities program to advance the programs' field surveying capabilities. Here, we report on new Uncrewed aerial system (UAS) applications and ongoing research projects utilizing the new airborne vehicles available at the GAINS laboratory. UAS surveying and mapping provide shape, size, spatial location, and properties of natural geographic features or human-made structures, infrastructure, and facilities on the Earth's surface and near surface. UAS data are often used in land use planning, land resources, geological exploration, water resource development, geologic mapping, conservancy, environmental monitoring, agriculture, transportation, and many other fields. We present a few recent UAS examples from NMHU students, staff, and faculty that include multispectral and RGB imagery of a historic cultural site, an eroded Pliocene volcano, riparian vegetations and fluvial deposits, site monitoring, and many other projects that demonstrate the depth and breadth of UAS imagery applied to Earth systems. The NMHU GAINS team deploys two drone types, both with RGB and multispectral capabilities. The WingtraOne survey-grade UAS is a fixed-wing, vertical take-off drone that provides high precision (<2 cm), RGB and multiple-spectral mapping of large areas using either a full-frame, RGB, 42 MP Sony RX1R II camera or a MicaSense RedEdge sensor that combines a panchromatic sensor with five narrow bands (B,G,R,Re,NIR). The DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise quadcopters provide similar mapping precision and multispectral imagery with the added benefit that their small size allows for high resolution surveys in flight-restricted areas not accessible by a fix-winged aircraft. The UAS are equipped with multi-frequency PPK GNSS receivers, on-board GNSS system, or located with RTK base station positioning control. The new equipment compliments the existing survey gear and supports the GIS technologies course offerings and research to enhance our students’ learning environment; builds GIS proficiencies in the community; and makes geospatial data collection available to interested students, faculty, and community members.