LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones
Drones provide a privileged birds’-eye view for collecting high-resolution imagery for morphometric and behavioral sampling of animals. Biologically meaningful measurements extracted from overhead images require an accurate estimate of altitude, but current commercial drones include inaccurate barom...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Drone Systems and Applications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/dsa-2023-0051 |
| _version_ | 1797242647439474688 |
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| author | K.C. Bierlich Drummond Wengrove Clara N. Bird Robert Davidson Todd Chandler Leigh G. Torres Mauricio Cantor |
| author_facet | K.C. Bierlich Drummond Wengrove Clara N. Bird Robert Davidson Todd Chandler Leigh G. Torres Mauricio Cantor |
| author_sort | K.C. Bierlich |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Drones provide a privileged birds’-eye view for collecting high-resolution imagery for morphometric and behavioral sampling of animals. Biologically meaningful measurements extracted from overhead images require an accurate estimate of altitude, but current commercial drones include inaccurate barometer estimates. Recent proposals for coupling altimeter systems to drones have provided customized, open-source solutions, yet assembling such altimeter systems requires advanced technical skills, thereby potentially limiting their use. Here, we built upon recent advances to provide a 3D-printed enclosure for an altimeter system that is inexpensive, self-contained, easy to setup, and transferable across commercial drones. We depart from a published, successful data logger system composed of a GPS and LiDAR sensor and design a more compact and self-powered version (“LidarBoX”) that easily attaches to a variety of commercial drones. We compare flight times with/without LidarBoX attached, test flight maneuverability and performance, and validate the reliability of measurement accuracy. To make LidarBoX accessible, we provide an open-source repository with design code and files and a how-to-assemble guide for non-specialists. We hope this work helps popularize LiDAR altimeter systems on commercial drones to improve the accuracy and reliability of drones as a sampling platform for ecology and wildlife research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:14:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de77e1986833461f9aef964af4b6e122 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2564-4939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:42:33Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drone Systems and Applications |
| spelling | doaj.art-de77e1986833461f9aef964af4b6e1222024-03-27T11:16:49ZengCanadian Science PublishingDrone Systems and Applications2564-49392024-01-011211010.1139/dsa-2023-0051LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf dronesK.C. Bierlich0Drummond Wengrove1Clara N. Bird2Robert Davidson3Todd Chandler4Leigh G. Torres5Mauricio Cantor6Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, USA; Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USAInnovation Lab, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USADepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, USA; Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USAInnovation Lab, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USADepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, USA; Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USADepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, USA; Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USADepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, USA; Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USADrones provide a privileged birds’-eye view for collecting high-resolution imagery for morphometric and behavioral sampling of animals. Biologically meaningful measurements extracted from overhead images require an accurate estimate of altitude, but current commercial drones include inaccurate barometer estimates. Recent proposals for coupling altimeter systems to drones have provided customized, open-source solutions, yet assembling such altimeter systems requires advanced technical skills, thereby potentially limiting their use. Here, we built upon recent advances to provide a 3D-printed enclosure for an altimeter system that is inexpensive, self-contained, easy to setup, and transferable across commercial drones. We depart from a published, successful data logger system composed of a GPS and LiDAR sensor and design a more compact and self-powered version (“LidarBoX”) that easily attaches to a variety of commercial drones. We compare flight times with/without LidarBoX attached, test flight maneuverability and performance, and validate the reliability of measurement accuracy. To make LidarBoX accessible, we provide an open-source repository with design code and files and a how-to-assemble guide for non-specialists. We hope this work helps popularize LiDAR altimeter systems on commercial drones to improve the accuracy and reliability of drones as a sampling platform for ecology and wildlife research.https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/dsa-2023-0051morphometricslaser altimeterLiDARUASmarine megafaunawildlife ecology |
| spellingShingle | K.C. Bierlich Drummond Wengrove Clara N. Bird Robert Davidson Todd Chandler Leigh G. Torres Mauricio Cantor LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones Drone Systems and Applications morphometrics laser altimeter LiDAR UAS marine megafauna wildlife ecology |
| title | LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones |
| title_full | LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones |
| title_fullStr | LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones |
| title_full_unstemmed | LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones |
| title_short | LidarBoX: a 3D-printed, open-source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off-the-shelf drones |
| title_sort | lidarbox a 3d printed open source altimeter system to improve photogrammetric accuracy for off the shelf drones |
| topic | morphometrics laser altimeter LiDAR UAS marine megafauna wildlife ecology |
| url | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/dsa-2023-0051 |
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