Drones, Geosciences, and Real-World Careers Lecture Flashcards

Vocabulary terms and definitions related to unmanned aerial systems (UAS), geosciences equipment, case studies, and career paths in the drone industry.

Sensefly eBee Plus

A fixed wing Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) used for geospatial applications.

DJI Matrice 600 Pro

A hexacopter Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

Sensefly SODA

An RGB sensor used on drone platforms.

Parrot Sequoia

A multispectral sensor used to capture data across different wavelengths.

thermoMap

A thermal sensor used for specialized aerial imaging.

Quanergy M8

A LiDAR sensor used to generate point clouds and high-resolution models.

Digital Surface Model (DSM)

In the Eagle Island study, it was used to identify areas with potential seepage.

Point Cloud

In the Eagle Island collaboration with US Army Corps of Engineers, it was used to determine the remaining capacity inside a cell.

Lea-Hutaff Island Study

A collaboration with The Audubon Society using thermal cameras to study shorebird nesting success for Least terns.

Masonboro Island (NERR Reserve)

An uninhabited reserve used for geomorphological research, shoreline delineation, and vegetation studies.

Living Shoreline Application

The use of oyster reef structures to retain sediment, as implemented in St. James, NC.

Phragmites australis

An invasive species subject to county-wide mapping and change over time analysis using multispectral imagery.

GEOINT stack

The hierarchy of data collection: Satellites (big picture), Aircraft (regional detail), Drones (fast, high-resolution, local), and Ground sensors (continuous truth).

BVLOS

Beyond Visual Line of Sight; a type of complex flight enabled by new regulations like Part 108.

Drone Career Roles

Categorized into Operations (planning/safety), Data production (photogrammetry/LiDAR), Analysis (GIS/modeling), Engineering (sensors/autonomy), and Program management (projects/reporting).

Typical U.S. Geospatial Analyst Salary

$56,000$–$81,000$ per year.

Specialized Inspection / LiDAR Roles Salary

Typical U.S. range of $90,000$–$115,000$+.

UAS Value Proposition

Drones are faster than ground surveys, higher detail than satellites, cheaper than aircraft, and safer than manual surveys in risky areas.