Application of High-Resolution Images from Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Watershed and Rangeland Science

Much information has been in the news in recent years about the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in border security, antiterrorist operations, and military reconnaissance. Civil applications of UAS are on the rise as well, especially for assisting law enforcement personnel in their normal duties. Although most civil applications of UAS are derived from the military establishment, the civil applications are growing at a rapid pace. This chapter presents a summary and illustrations of civil applications of UAS for watershed and rangeland science at the Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico. Both watershed and rangeland studies require digital elevation model (DEM) data that can be derived from the UAS stereo aerial photography. Both types of studies require the classification of vegetation type, bare soil, and the relative positioning of these two types of land cover.