Students dominate in drone geospatial data analysis
On April 4-5, a group of Columbia undergraduates came for an innovative approach to field practice, a unique resort tucked away in the mountains surrounding the small upstate New York town of Callicoon. Led by CIESIN Senior Systems Analyst/GIS Developer Kytt MacManus and Teaching Assistant Juan Nathaniel, as part of Columbia University’s “Spatial Analysis for Sustainable Development” course, students operate drones to collect nighttime lights, terrain, vegetation, and 3- D modeling. The result is a student-created ArcGIS Story Map detail their analysis.
Aerial imagery from a DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone shows Columbia University students collecting vegetation data for analysis using near-infrared imagery to measure the health of surface plants. This data is the basis for the standardized difference vegetation index developed by the students. Callicoon, New York, April 2022.
The use of drones is a big step forward for McManus Field trip four years ago Heading to the Black Rock Forest Consortium in Cornwall, New York, students use a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, ArcGIS Collector (mobile app), and cell phones to collect raw geospatial data, and use balloons and kites to take aerial photos.
MacManus has long been intrigued by the broad possibilities of applying drones to research. He’s particularly keen on the way drones are “democratizing” data access in unprecedented ways by reducing the cost and complexity of acquiring it. “Through the use of drones, developing countries, startups and small organizations can make very big changes in the way they collect data,” he said. “Individuals have access to data collection. You can do high-frequency measurements on a daily basis, instead of hiring a company that may have to wait months or even years for data.”
Left to right: Columbia students Ethan Rankin, Yumtsokyi Bhum, Lauren Kahme, Michael Higgins, Alex Contreras, Emme Fraser, Grace Tulinsky, Madeline Liberman, Camila Green, Charlotte Burger and Owen Fitzgerald-Diaz; Adjunct Instructor Kytt MacManus; and Teaching Assistant Juan Nathaniel. Callicoon, New York, April 2022.
MacManus is passionate about enabling his students to use this new technology to expand their career and research options. His plans include a project proposal for collaboration with other social science researchers to support the community in data acquisition and literacy.
Fieldwork is enabled through a 2021 Provost Emerging Technology Grant for the “Drones and AR/VR for 3D Modeling in GIS” proposal, which supports the purchase of equipment. Funding for the Climate School Earth Institute Curriculum Support Program includes travel and accommodation.
