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Developments in budget remote sensing for the geosciences
Author(s) -
Carrivick Jonathan L.,
Smith Mark W.,
Quincey Duncan J.,
Carver Steve J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
geology today
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.188
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1365-2451
pISSN - 0266-6979
DOI - 10.1111/gto.12015
Subject(s) - drone , landform , resource (disambiguation) , geology , data science , computer science , hazard , field (mathematics) , remote sensing , emerging technologies , earth science , artificial intelligence , geomorphology , computer network , chemistry , genetics , mathematics , organic chemistry , pure mathematics , biology
Acquiring outcrop, landform or other surface topography data in the field for the geosciences has always been challenging. Accessibility is often a problem, time is usually limited and an ideal spatial and temporal coverage often has to be compromised to be more manageable. However, emerging technologies, and some re‐inventions of rather older ones, can overcome many of these constraints in a very exciting and budget‐friendly manner. This article briefly introduces and reviews four major recent developments in budget remote sensing, specifically the use of blimps, kites, drones or UAVs (including quadcopters), and structure from motion (SFM) software. Both scientific and applied case studies are given and some possibilities for future studies are highlighted. Overall, the potential for these technologies to revolutionise the geosciences is clear and should be opportunistically embraced by scientists, resource and hazard managers and educators alike.