The Drone Research and Environmental GIS group has an extensive track record in the field of GIS and the Environment. Earlier research areas include automated land cover change detection and classification, 3D geological data modelling, data structures and algorithms for surface and terrain modelling, and environmental impact assessment of wind farms. Our research partners have included NERC, British Geological Survey, the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and Acclimatize.
The group also has an interest in the use of location-based techniques, such as those based around the use of GPS equipment in areas such as in-car navigation and tracking individuals in a variety of health/environmental scenarios under strict ethical guidelines.
More recently the group has become involved in projects that integrate GIS and modern data collection technologies including GPS, laser scanners and UAV. The work has been applied to various domains, including a range of environmental applications and archaeological modelling.
Recent landslides in the South Wales valleys due to unprecedented flooding has raised huge concerns over the safety and stability of slag heaps from previous mining operations. A new voluntary research project working with Rhondda Cynon Taff Council aims to monitor the rate of slippage of slag heap material on the mountain above Tylorstown using drones and high accuracy ground control points. The photo below is generated by combining individual images captured by drone which are then stitched together to form one highly detailed orthomosaic image.
An interactive 3D model allows for a 'virtual' inspection of the landslide from any height, angle, and direction, and can also be viewed via a VR headset.
The GIS drone team has collaborated with the Vale of Glamorgan Council with a recent completion of a very successful PhD project to survey and map the movement of material due to coastal erosion at Penarth cliff-face. A huge congratulations to Dr. Mitchell Eboigbe.
3D generated model of Penarth cliff face
The drone team has worked with the Brecon Beacons National Trust to survey problems associated with illegal fly tipping, land scarring (due to illegal quad biking), and to help establish fire breaks to protect local communities in and around Merthyr Common and Trelewis.
Firebreak, Trelewis
Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant species which can cause structural damage to buildings and infrastructure where it can penetrate concrete foundations and even tarmac. It can grow more than a meter a month and costs the UK economy an estimated £165 million a year (2010) to control in urban areas. Identifying and controlling Japanese Knotweed has become a major priority in recent years especially on the impact of home devaluations.
Surveying to ascertain if Japanese Knotweed is present within a specific area has traditionally been undertaken on foot. This can be time consuming and difficult if certain areas are not accessible or safe to traverse. A new solution in the monitoring of Japanese Knotweed is to use UAVs (drones) to survey and to photograph large areas of land from above. In order to achieve this, we need to use multispectral cameras which not only capture normal visible RGB light, but they can also capture non-visible light which is invisible to the human eye and this non-visible light is key to identifying different species of plants such as Japanese Knotweed.
If you have any questions about our GIS research or would like to collaborate with us, please contact Dr Mark Ware.
We welcome UK and international applications from suitably qualified graduates interested in joining us for either full or part-time Masters by Research or PhD research programmes. Find out more on the Graduate School website or contact Llinos Spargo.
