Reliable coastal monitoring depends on the full workflow, not just the final product. Field planning affects image quality, GNSS control supports spatial accuracy, and processing choices shape the final products. Our lab connects drone data collection, ground control surveys, photogrammetry, habitat mapping, and change detection to monitor shoreline change, restoration projects, and coastal habitats.

Simplified workflow for seasonal coastal drone monitoring and data curation.

Data Curation and Reuse

Remote sensing projects can quickly produce large and complex datasets. Our lab uses clear folder structures, README files, metadata records, and quality-control notes to make data easier to understand, trace, and reuse. This matters for long-term coastal monitoring, where imagery, elevation models, habitat maps, and change-detection products may be revisited years after the original field surveys.

Featured Workflows

Shoreline classification workflow
A published workflow for mapping estuarine shoreline types using lidar, aerial imagery, and field validation.

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Seasonal drone monitoring workflow
A published workflow for drone-based coastal monitoring, photogrammetry, validation, and data curation.

Drone Dataset Template

A typical drone monitoring dataset includes organized folders for imagery, GNSS data, point clouds, elevation models, orthomosaics, metadata, and mapped shoreline or habitat features. Each dataset also includes documentation describing how the data were collected, processed, checked, and prepared for reuse.