Source: STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN EAST TEXAS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
MCINTIRE-STENNIS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1004707
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Dec 4, 2014
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2019
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
BOX 6109
NACOGDOCHES,TX 75962
Performing Department
College of Forestry & Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
Aerial photography, digital remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS) have been used for natural resource management for decades. With the advancement in technology including the global positioning system (GPS), data have been transformed from analog to digital format with newer sensors, receivers, computer hardware and software introduced at a rapid pace. It is important for forest resources managers to keep up with the change in geospatial technologies and choose appropriate tools and data to better manage the resources. This project is aimed to explore the unveiling technologies in GNSS/GPS receivers, remotely sensed data from different sensors, GIS platforms for desktop and mobile devices for field data collection, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It will be conducted with a field forester's perspective in mind so that the most cost effective technologies with acceptable accuracy can be recommended for forest resources management in east Texas.
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
80%
Developmental
20%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
12306993100100%
Knowledge Area
123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
3100 - Management;
Goals / Objectives
The overall goal of this study is to explore new technologies in geospatial application for use in forest resources management. These technologies range from hardware/software platforms, GNSS/GPS receivers, mobile technology, server/client interfaces, digital photography, satellite sensors, to unmanned aerial vehicles, etc. With the advancement in technology, it is important to assess the feasibility of tools that are assumed suitable in a forested setting, specifically for east Texas.Four general objectives of this study are listed below.Assessing positional accuracy on new generation dual-antenna GNSS/GPS receivers in different forested settings.Assessing new remotely sensed data for forest cover type determination.Assessing different mobile platforms for field data collection in forestry.Assessing data quality on digital imagery collected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for forestry applications.
Project Methods
Evaluating the feasibility of different commercially available GNSS/GPS receivers for forestry such as Trimble, Garmin, and GENEQ models on their acclaimed accuracy, user interface, ruggedization, and pricing.Assessing the positional accuracy of each receiver under different forest canopies on different features including point, line, and polygon.Exploring up-to-date data sources for digital remote sensing ranging from mid-resolution multispectral sensors (e.g., Landsat 8), high-resolution multispectral sensors (e.g, WorldView-3), mini-satellite systems to Lidar.Assessing accuracy of cover type classification using different classifier with different sources on different testing sites to determine the best combination of data source, classifier, and image band composition for quantifying and qualifying forest resources.Evaluating the feasibility of different mobile devices running on different operating systems including Windows Mobile, iOS, and Android.Assessing accuracy, operability, effectiveness, and maintenance of each mobile device on different forested settings.Assessing horizontal positional accuracy on UAV imagery for determining forest stand boundaries and area estimation.Assessing vertical positional accuracy on UAV imagery for determining forest structure from canopy to understory for forest management prescription.

Progress 12/04/14 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, forestry consultants, and government agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The accuracy assessment on the sub-meter GNSS/GPS unit allows the researchers to design a field test that takes into consideration of different factors with statistical analysis in place. The field operation and data analysis provide the students an opportunity to learn from hands-on techniques in working with the unit in the field to data processing in the lab, and to participate in the statistical analysis. We involved students heavily in all of the UAS applications both in the lab and in the field. It prepares them well for their future career, not only in operating the system, but also in data analysis. While working with students, the faculty and staff keep ourselves up to date with the rapidly changing technologies that prepare the next generation foresters be society ready. This project was carried out as a team effort with several faculty and staff members at Stephen F. Austin State University. Students, both undergraduate and graduates, are highly involved at different phases. We emphasize hand-on experience and instill an end-to-end procedure by following an established protocol. Through this process, some of the students passed the test and become a certified UAS pilot. This effort is to ensure that we keep up to date with the technology and prepare our students to be a society ready forester. We engaged our students, both undergraduate and graduates, in multiple courses on different projects. In addition, we worked closely with local business to mutually share our experiences. We took a two-way approach where the instructors and the students interacted actively throughout the process. From formulating a scientific question, designing and conducting an experiment, analyzing the data statistically, to professionally delivering the outcome, it keeps us, both instructors and students, up to date with the technology that can be applied to issues of natural resources. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results from this project have been incorporated into the curriculum at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU), not only within forestry, but also extended to wildlife, recreation, environmental science, geology, geography, biology, etc. The outcome information was made available to the public through the University's website and local news outlets. Some of them come as videos and interactive maps. The findings were also presented as paper and/or poster in conferences such as SFASU Undergraduate Research Conference, SFASU Graduate Research Conference, Nacogdoches Film Festival, East Texas GIS & GPS User Group meeting, Texas GIS Forum, South Central Arc User Group Annual Conference, and the Society of American Foresters Convention. Specific topics encompassed assessing drone "Return to Home" landing accuracy, UAS data and 3D printing for land surface modeling, mistletoe plant survey with UAS, precision assessment on UAS photography, integrating drones with GIS classes, etc. Manuscripts of the results are in development, in review, or even published in scientific journals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We tested and decided on a GPS/GNSS module unit with sub-meter accuracy that can work with any device that is capable of Bluetooth communication We also searched on different models of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and evaluate them based on our need in forestry and natural resource management and our budget. The UAS was used for mapping different types of landscape with the capability of generating orthorectified aerial photos. In turn, the product was assessed for positional accuracy by taking ground control points through high accuracy ground survey. In the same time, the UAS was tested for high measurement on objects such as light posts and trees. The accuracy of UAS height measurement was also assessed through statistical analysis. The use of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) continued to be the focus of this period. An accuracy assessment on height measured with UAS was completed and data analyzed. It was found that the highest level of accuracy can be achieved if the UAS was landed and reset before taking each height measurement, instead of taking measurements when it continued to fly at different height levels. In the same time, a flight grid over a historic cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas was conducted repeatedly at a monthly interval. A mosaic of aerial photos after each flight mission was processed for the goal to observe landscape change over time and to assess the positional accuracy of UAS imagery. When the use of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) continued to be assessed, different GPS receivers were also evaluated, along with some online and mobile GIS applications. A precision assessment on aerial photography derived from UAS images was conducted. The results show that when a location was farther away from the center of a mosaicked image, its positional precision decreased. Another UAS assessment was on the landing accuracy when the return-to-home function was activated while manually flying a drone. It was found that DJI Phantom 3 had a significantly lower positional accuracy than DJI Phantom 4 and Spark. As to the GPS accuracy, a Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor receiver achieved higher accuracy and precision than a Juniper System Cedar CP3. ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Collector app were used in this GPS accuracy assessment. Finally we applied unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in surveying and monitoring vegetation. A drone was flown to detect and quantify American Mistletoe in urban environments of Nacogdoches, Texas. The results were compared to those from ground-count surveys. The UAS approach accounted for nearly double the mistletoe quantity. Also conducted was surveying giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) using UAS over a 50-acre area at the northern side of Sam Rayburn Lake, Texas. Both a quadcoptor drone with a regular camera and a fixed-wing drone with a Blue/Green/Red/Near Infrared multispectral sensor were flown at the same time. The preliminary results showed that the multispectral imagery can better distinguish between different vegetation types.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Henley, R., D. Unger, D. Kulhavy, and I. Hung. 2016. Incorporating Applied Undergraduate Research in Senior to Graduate Level Remote Sensing Courses. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 1, P. 232-248.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kulhavy, D., D. Unger, I. Hung, and Y. Zhang. 2016. Comparison of AR.Drone QuadricopterVideo and the Visual CTLA Method for Urban Tree Hazard Rating. Journal of Forestry, Vol. 114, No. 5, P. 517-523.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Unger, D. R., I. Hung, D. L. Kulhavy, Y. Zhang, and K. Busch-Petersen. 2018. Accuracy of Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) Height Measurements. International Journal of Geospatial and Environmental Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, Article 6.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Viegut, R. D. L. Kulhavy, D. R Unger, I. Hung, and B. Humphreys. 2018. Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Measure Linear and Areal Features into Undergraduate Forestry Education. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 7, No. 4, P. 63-75.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Unger, D., I. Hung, Y. Zhang, and D. Kulhavy. 2018. Integrating Drone Technology with GPS Data Collection to Enhance Forestry Students Interactive Hands-On Field Experiences. Higher Education Studies, Vol. 8, No. 3, P. 19-62.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kulhavy, D, D. Unger, and I. Hung. 2018. Student Led Campus Desire Path Evaluation Using Pictometry� Neighborhood Imagery. Journal of Studies in Education, Vol. 8, No. 4, P. 15-27.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Unger, D., D. Kulhavy, I. Hung, Y. Zhang, and P. Williams. 2019. Integrating Drones into a Natural-Resource Curriculum at Stephen F. Austin State University, Journal of Forestry, Vol. 177, No. 4, P. 398-405.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Hung, I., D. Unger, D. Kulhavy, and Y. Zhang. 2019. Positional Precision Analysis of Orthomosaics Derived from Drone Captured Aerial Imagery, Drones, Vol. 3, No. 2, 46.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kulhavy, D., I. Hung, D. Unger, and Y. Zhang. 2019. Student Led Area Measurement Assessments Using Virtual Globes and Pictometry Web-based Interface within an Undergraduate Spatial Science Curriculum, Journal of Education and Culture Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, P. 53-63.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kulhavy, D., C. Schalk, R. Viegut, D. Unger, S. Shockley, and I. Hung. 2019. Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to Quantify Mistletoe in Urban Environments, Urban Naturalist, Vol. 2019, No. 20, P. 1-10.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Unger, D., D. Kulhavy, K. Busch-Petersen, and I. Hung. 2016. Integrating Faculty Led Service Learning Training to Quantify Height of Natural Resources from a Spatial Science Perspective. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 3, P. 104-116.


Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, and government agencies.Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, and government agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As a team effort, this project has been carried out involving several faculty and staff members at Stephen F. Austin State University. We engaged our students, both undergraduate and graduates, in multiple courses on different projects. Students were trained on how to define a question and design a test to find the answer scientifically. We took a two-way approach where the instructors and the students interacted actively throughout the process. This effort keeps us, both instructors and students, up to date with the technology and prepare our students to be an independent thinker and become a society ready forester. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We continued to present the use of UAS in teaching forestry and natural resources at Stephen F. Austin State University through different venues. They included East Texas GIS & GPS User Group meeting locally, the Texas GIS Forum statewide, and the Society of American Foresters Convention nationally. Specific topics encompassed 3D printing using models derived from UAS photography, mistletoe plant survey with UAS, precision assessment on UAS photography, and accuracy assessment of UAS landing, etc. They were presented as a paper, a poster, or a scientific flash talk. Manuscripts of those topics are in development, in review, or even published. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The main focus of the next reporting period is to survey and monitor the spatial distribution of giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), an invasive floating fern from southern Brazil that has become a problem in Texas waters. Taking aerial photos with UAS, both natural color and near infrared (NIR), at different seasons, we expect to be able to detect the change of the plant's spatial distribution over time. It will help in developing a control plan on this invasive species. In the same time, other applications including GPS accuracy, 3D modeling, mobile GIS, and online GIS will continue.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? When the use of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) continued to be assessed in this period, different GPS receivers were also evaluated, along with some online and mobile GIS applications. A precision assessment on aerial photography derived from UAS images was conducted. The results show that when a location was farther away from the center of a mosaicked image, its positional precision decreased. Another UAS assessment was on the landing accuracy when the return-to-home function was activated while manually flying a drone. It was found that DJI Phantom 3 had a significantly lower positional accuracy than DJI Phantom 4 and Spark. As to the GPS accuracy, a Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor receiver achieved higher accuracy and precision than a Juniper System Cedar CP3. ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Collector app were used in this GPS accuracy assessment.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Unger, D., I. Hung, Y. Zhang, and D. Kulhavy. 2018. Integrating Drone Technology with GPS Data Collection to Enhance Forestry Students Interactive Hands-On Field Experiences. Higher Education Studies, Vol. 8, No. 3, P. 19-62.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Unger, D. R., I. Hung, D. L. Kulhavy, Y. Zhang, and K. Busch-Petersen. 2018. Accuracy of Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) Height Measurements. International Journal of Geospatial and Environmental Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, Article 6.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Viegut, R. D. L. Kulhavy, D. R Unger, I. Hung, and B. Humphreys. 2018. Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Measure Linear and Areal Features into Undergraduate Forestry Education. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 7, No. 4, P. 63-75.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kulhavy, D, D. Unger, and I. Hung. 2018. Student Led Campus Desire Path Evaluation Using Pictometry� Neighborhood Imagery. Journal of Studies in Education, Vol. 8, No. 4, P. 15-27.


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, and government agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project was carried out as a team effort with several faculty and staff members at Stephen F. Austin State University. Students, both undergraduate and graduates, are highly involved at different phases. We emphasize hand-on experience and instill an end-to-end procedure by following an established protocol. Through this process, some of the students passed the test and become a certified UAS pilot. This effort is to ensure that we keep up to date with the technology and prepare our students to be a society ready forester. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The use of UAS in teaching forestry and natural resources at Stephen F. Austin State University has been presented at different conferences, from regional to national levels. Specific research on the accuracy of UAS measured heights was presented as a poster at Texas GIS Forum 2017 and as both paper and poster at Society of American Foresters 2017 National Convention. Its manuscript for journal publication is currently under review. Also, several items as a result of this project have been published online as the form of video or interactive map to share with general public. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?While continuing to use UAS for aerial photography applications, we plan to build 3D models of the terrain using its image products. It allows for 3D visualization of the landscape and can be built into virtual reality (VR) as a tool in leaning the structure, composition, and functions of a forest. In the same time, we would like to extend the line of our UAS sensors from the current natural color camera to near infrared (NIR), thermal, or even LiDAR so that we are able to depict the landscape from different segments of the spectrum and see landscape features beyond human eyes.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The use of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) continued to be the focus of this period. An accuracy assessment on height measured with UAS was completed and data analyzed. It was found that the highest level of accuracy can be achieved if the UAS was landed and reset before taking each height measurement, instead of taking measurements when it continued to fly at different height levels. In the same time, a flight grid over a historic cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas was conducted repeatedly at a monthly interval. A mosaic of aerial photos after each flight mission was processed for the goal to observe landscape change over time and to assess the positional accuracy of UAS imagery.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Unger, Daniel R (Presenter & Author), Kulhavy, David L (Presenter & Author), Busch-Peterson, Kai (Presenter & Author), Hung, I-Kuai (Presenter & Author), Society of American Foresters National Convention, "Integrating Research into a Hands-On Forestry Based GIS Course," Society of American Foresters, Madison, Wisconsin. (November 3, 2016).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Unger, Daniel R (Presenter & Author), Kulhavy, David L (Presenter & Author), Hung, I-Kuai (Presenter & Author), Zhang, Yanli (Presenter & Author), Texas Society of American Foresters Annual Meeting, "UAVs in Forest Management Applications," Society of American Foresters, Nacogdoches, Texas. (June 1, 2017).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kulhavy, David L (Presenter & Author), Unger, Daniel R (Presenter & Author), Zhang, Yanli (Presenter & Author), Kidd, Kathryn Rebecca Booker (Presenter & Author), Hung, I-Kuai (Presenter & Author), The 58th Annual Southern Forest Insect Work Conference, "Use of the UAS DJI Phantom 4 to Assess Pine Mortality in a 12-Year Old Plantation," Society of Entomology, Melbourne, Florida. (August 15, 2017).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kulhavy, David L (Presenter & Author), Williams, Hans M (Presenter & Author), Unger, Daniel R (Presenter & Author), Creech, David L (Presenter & Author), Hung, I-Kuai (Presenter & Author), Zhang, Yanli (Presenter & Author), Texas International Society of Arboriculture Tree Conference, "Use of the DJI Phantom 4 in Urban Planning," International Society of Arboriculture, Waco, Texas. (September 27, 2017).


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, and government agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We involved students heavily in all of the UAS applications both in the lab and in the field. It prepares them well for their future career, not only in operating the system, but also in data analysis. While working with students, the faculty and staff keep ourselves up to date with the rapidly changing technologies that prepare the next generation foresters be society ready. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the UAS accuracy are shared with the faculty, staff and students within the College of Forestry and Agriculture and several manuscripts have been under development for publication. Several papers regarding using spatial technology for forest and natural resource management have been published, while some were presented as paper or poster in professional conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to assess the use of UAS in natural resources, while integrating the sub-meter GNSS/GPS unit and high resolution aerial photography and satellite imagery. We will investigate the use of mobile devices such as smart phones that allow for building apps that are tailored each specific field data collection task. Finally, we will explore solutions for data delivery over the internet and make data viewable and editable through an interactive web map interface.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We tested different models of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for applications in natural resources that fit our budget. The UAS was used for mapping different types of landscape with the capability of generating orthorectified aerial photos. In turn, the product was assessed for positional accuracy by taking ground control points through high accuracy ground survey. In the same time, the UAS was tested for high measurement on objects such as light posts and trees. The accuracy of UAS height measurement was also assessed through statistical analysis.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Daniel Unger, David Kulhavy, Kai Busch-Petersen, and I-Kuai Hung. 2016. Integrating Faculty Led Service Learning Training to Quantify Height of Natural Resources from a Spatial Science Perspective. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 3, P. 104-116.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Richard Henley, Daniel Unger, David Kulhavy, and I-Kuai Hung. 2016. Incorporating Applied Undergraduate Research in Senior to Graduate Level Remote Sensing Courses. International Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 5, No. 1, P. 232-248.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: David Kulhavy. Daniel Unger, I-Kuai Hung, and Yanli Zhang. 2016. Comparison of AR.Drone QuadricopterVideo and the Visual CTLA Method for Urban Tree Hazard Rating. Journal of Forestry, Vol. 114, No. 5, P. 517-523.


Progress 12/04/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences of this project include those who are interested in natural resource management. During this period, they ranged from students and faculty of forestry and nature resources schools, forest professionals, forest landowners, and government agencies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The accuracy assessment on the newly purchased sub-meter GNSS/GPS unit allows the researchers to design a field test that takes into consideration of different factors with statistical analysis in place. The field operation and data analysis provide the students an opportunity to learn from hands-on techniques in working with the unit in the field to data processing in the lab, and to participate in the statistical analysis. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The preliminary results of the GNSS/GPS accuracy are shared with the faculty, staff and students within the College of Forestry and Agriculture. Collaborative tasks of using the technology are expected between different areas including forestry, wildlife, recreation, environmental science, geology, biology etc. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue on the accuracy assessment of the sub-meter GNSS/GPS unit. We will investigate the performance of receivers capable of receiving signals from dual systems. Finally, we will explore solutions in check out/in data over the internet for field data collection and make data available on a web map in real-time, where the background image source will be from the newly available remotely sensed data such as Landsat 8.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We reviewed the new generation GNSS/GPS receivers in the market that are suitable for forestry and natural resource management applications. We decided on a module unit with sub-meter accuracy that can work with any device that is capable of Bluetooth communication. We are testing this unit's performance under different field settings. We also searched on different models of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and evaluate them based on our need in forestry and natural resource management and our budget.

Publications