High Resolution Imagery Collection for Post-Disaster Studies Utilizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

This paper examines the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to capture imagery for use in post-disaster field studies at the neighborhood and individual building level. A discussion of post-disaster imagery collection including satellite, aerial, and ground-based platforms is first presented. Applications of UAS in recent disasters as described in the literature are then surveyed, and a case study investigating UAS capabilities for imagery collection following an EF-3 tornado in northern Alabama on 02 March 2012 is presented. Case study considerations include the multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipment and ground station, onboard imagery devices, flight considerations and capabilities, and imagery and metadata collection capabilities of the UAS. Sample post-tornado imagery of building damage is shown, demonstrating the order of magnitude improvement in imagery resolution compared to traditional post-disaster aerial photography.