Other ID: Darby UAS Mapping March 2026
Status: Completed
Organization(s): USGS, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funding Program(s): Aerial Imaging & Mapping (AIM) (LQ000GU1400)
Principal Investigator(s): Sandra Brosnahan
Affiliate Investigator(s):
Information Specialist(s): Amit Millo, Jennifer Cramer
Data Type(s): Visual Identification: Ground Truthing, Imagery: Photo, Location-Elevation: Navigation, Location-Elevation: LIDAR
Scientific Purpose/Goals: sUAS flights at the Darby Creek landfill in Pennsylvania will support ecological restoration monitoring and environmental assessment. Aerial imagery will be used to quantify and classify vegetation growth over time, evaluate landscape elevation changes to assess cap stability and erosion, and collect thermal data to identify potential groundwater seepage areas.
Vehicle(s):
Start Port/Location: Woods Hole MA
End Port/Location: Woods Hole MA
Start Date: 2026-03-02
End Date: 2026-03-06
Equipment Used: Emlid RS3, Freefly Astro Max, Reconnaissance, Skydio X10, WingtraOne Gen II, Aeropoint targets, Wingtra Lidar
Information to be Derived: Will be flying multiple sensors and UAS: Wingta Lidar and RGB. The SkyDio will be used to collect thermal and normal RGB imagery and video. GCPs will be deployed and Emlid GPS equipment used to collect elevation check points and GNSS data. Vegetation data will also be collected in random quadrats (% cover, type, and height). Will also fly Freefly Astro Max.
Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: Collected MAP61 photos and lidar data using the Wingtra. Took checkshots of areas with RS3 to verify UAS based data
Staff: Jin-Si Over, Sandra Brosnahan, Seth Ackerman
Affiliate Staff:
Notes: Entries for this field activity are based on entries from Field Activity 2024-006-FA.
Entries for this field activity are based on entries from Field Activity 2024-020-FA.
Entries for this field activity are based on entries from Field Activity 2025-011-FA.
Location:
Darby Township, Philadelphia, PA
| Boundaries | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| North: 39.90721244 | South: 39.87435071 | West: -75.3028965 | East: -75.24890899 |
Platform(s):
 on foot |
| Survey Equipment | Survey Info | Data Type(s) | Data Collected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emlid RS3 | Took checkshots with RS3 | Navigation | |
| Freefly Astro Max | --- | Video Photo | No data was collected |
| Reconnaissance | --- | Ground Truthing | No data was collected |
| Skydio X10 | --- | Navigation Other Imagery Photo | No data was collected |
| WingtraOne Gen II | --- | Navigation Photo | |
| Aeropoint targets | --- | Navigation Transects Profiles | |
| Wingtra Lidar | --- | Navigation LIDAR |
