Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an important tool for acquiring digital images of the surface and collecting samples. Recently, it has been becoming an emerging research tool in sedimentology, changing the paradigm of sedimentology.However, UAV-based sedimentological research in China is still...

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Main Authors: Xinyao Sun, Ping Wang, Hong Zhang, Yujie Guo, Fei Guo
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Department of Bulletin of Geological Science and Technology 2023-01-01
Series:地质科技通报
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.2022.0145
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author Xinyao Sun
Ping Wang
Hong Zhang
Yujie Guo
Fei Guo
author_facet Xinyao Sun
Ping Wang
Hong Zhang
Yujie Guo
Fei Guo
author_sort Xinyao Sun
collection DOAJ
description The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an important tool for acquiring digital images of the surface and collecting samples. Recently, it has been becoming an emerging research tool in sedimentology, changing the paradigm of sedimentology.However, UAV-based sedimentological research in China is still in its infancy. This paper reviews the recently important applications of UAVs in sedimentology, discusses critical technical backgrounds and existing problems involved, and summarizes as well as prospects for future applications of UAVs in sedimentology to provide references for subsequent research.Software and hardware requirements for applications of UAVs in sedimentology and typical case studies are reviewed from three aspects: 3D digital reconstruction of sedimentary outcrops, extraction of high-resolution sedimentary textures and structure features, and UAV-assisted sample collection. The use of UAV photogrammetry to construct digital outcrop models facilitates the observation of geometry, sedimentary facies, and facies associations for sedimentary outcrops from multiple spatial scales and perspectives. Combined with professional software for digital outcrop model interpretations, it allows for remote and efficient extractions of sedimentary textures and structure features such as grain size, cross-bedding, and bioglyph on large spatial scales. UAV-based digital outcrop models can also be applied to field practice teaching in sedimentology in the future. Also, UAVs can be modified to assist in collecting sediment samples like ice cores. The application of the UAV technology in sedimentological research has the advantages of low cost and high efficiency, ensuring the timeliness and continuity of data, and increasing safety in fieldwork. However, UAV technology also has disadvantages in data repeatability, point cloud processing, and image or model quality. Further improvements can be made in the future with the help of artificial intelligence and by developing standard specifications for UAV image acquisition and processing flow.
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spelling doaj.art-ec662e0c91634730b37ea83325b0371f2024-03-05T02:56:01ZzhoEditorial Department of Bulletin of Geological Science and Technology地质科技通报2096-85232023-01-0142140741910.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.2022.0145dzkjtb-42-1-407Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentologyXinyao Sun0Ping Wang1Hong Zhang2Yujie Guo3Fei Guo4School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Aerospace Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, ChinaSchool of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaThe unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an important tool for acquiring digital images of the surface and collecting samples. Recently, it has been becoming an emerging research tool in sedimentology, changing the paradigm of sedimentology.However, UAV-based sedimentological research in China is still in its infancy. This paper reviews the recently important applications of UAVs in sedimentology, discusses critical technical backgrounds and existing problems involved, and summarizes as well as prospects for future applications of UAVs in sedimentology to provide references for subsequent research.Software and hardware requirements for applications of UAVs in sedimentology and typical case studies are reviewed from three aspects: 3D digital reconstruction of sedimentary outcrops, extraction of high-resolution sedimentary textures and structure features, and UAV-assisted sample collection. The use of UAV photogrammetry to construct digital outcrop models facilitates the observation of geometry, sedimentary facies, and facies associations for sedimentary outcrops from multiple spatial scales and perspectives. Combined with professional software for digital outcrop model interpretations, it allows for remote and efficient extractions of sedimentary textures and structure features such as grain size, cross-bedding, and bioglyph on large spatial scales. UAV-based digital outcrop models can also be applied to field practice teaching in sedimentology in the future. Also, UAVs can be modified to assist in collecting sediment samples like ice cores. The application of the UAV technology in sedimentological research has the advantages of low cost and high efficiency, ensuring the timeliness and continuity of data, and increasing safety in fieldwork. However, UAV technology also has disadvantages in data repeatability, point cloud processing, and image or model quality. Further improvements can be made in the future with the help of artificial intelligence and by developing standard specifications for UAV image acquisition and processing flow.https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.2022.0145unmanned aerial vehicle(uav)digital outcrop modelsedimentary structuregrain size measurementsample collection
spellingShingle Xinyao Sun
Ping Wang
Hong Zhang
Yujie Guo
Fei Guo
Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
地质科技通报
unmanned aerial vehicle(uav)
digital outcrop model
sedimentary structure
grain size measurement
sample collection
title Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
title_full Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
title_fullStr Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
title_full_unstemmed Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
title_short Applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
title_sort applications status and prospects for using unmanned aerial vehicle in sedimentology
topic unmanned aerial vehicle(uav)
digital outcrop model
sedimentary structure
grain size measurement
sample collection
url https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.2022.0145
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