About the Project
In response to users' needs for rapid, standardized and quantitative measures to assess reef condition, this project evaluated uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) as a tool for measuring reef changes within five National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs) from North Carolina to Florida. The imagery analysis workflows developed in partnership with oyster resource managers provide quantitative measures of reef structural and demographic metrics and, importantly, changes to those metrics in response to natural and anthropogenic factors.
About this Resource
Protocol for UAS implementation for oyster monitoring and assessment
This document is an annotated protocol for the collection of field data, drone imagery, and lab processing for our National Estuarine Research Reserve System Science Collaborative project. In situ data collection focused on priority metrics established by a regional end-user advisory group. The protocol details the site selection criteria, field methods for each metric, mission planning for drone surveys, and the lab processing procedures for samples collected.
Supplementary materials for the monitoring and assessment protocol:
Drone-based image analysis workflows for measuring structural and demographic characteristics of intertidal oyster reefs
This document provides detailed image analysis workflows that are designed for entry-level uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) users interested in exploring UAS as a tool for monitoring intertidal reefs. These workflows are selected from many potential metrics and are examples of approaches that are likely to be generally useful for managers and restoration practitioners. The document does not include image acquisition or processing guidance. Users are encouraged to refine, adapt or otherwise use these workflows as starting points to develop useful approaches for particular needs or programs.
Supplementary materials for the image analysis workflows: