Relying on drone imagery to measure surface movement over time could result in significant deformation of maps used for environmental research, a study has found.
Natural heritage studies often leverage drone imagery and photogrammetric techniques in order to map and monitor geomorphological objects. Some of the characteristics that make this technology so popular are the affordability of the drones, as well as the ease with which these images can be used to generate 3D models of large areas of terrain.
However, scientists from the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), in Spain have found that variations in the lens profiles of images taken by low-cost drones could have a significant influence on the deformations quantified, thereby affecting analyses of movement of surfaces over time.
Not all 3D models made with this technique are affected by these deformations. The team stressed that low-cost drone imagery is still...