Unmanned aerial systems, geology’s newest aerial technology

Abstract

The original geologist toolkit includes: a hand lens, compass, rock hammer, writing instrument and a field notebook, paired with a love for the outdoors and the desire to understand the earth and the processes that shape it. Today, the latter part remains true, but the toolkit has innumerous variations that can provide multitudes of new information, by enhancing accuracy, altering perspectives, and offering completely new capabilities. It has been said that in the last 100 years humanity has entered a ‘technological renaissance.’ This rapid period of innovation and exploration includes a significant amount of observation equipment like digital cameras, global positioning systems (GPS), satellites, drones, and even smartphones. Widespread, accessible surveillance devices certainly pose a serious threat to privacy, but the ‘eye(s) in the sky’ can be used for good as well. The foundation of science is solid observation and geologists have many things to observe. Geologists work tirelessly to evaluate and mitigate geologic hazards such as floods, mass movements, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) also known as drones, can carry observatory equipment into the most dangerous or inaccessible places during and after these catastrophic events without compromising safety to gather data.