ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology with focus on surveying and mapping. It presents a case study on the use of UAS for coastal monitoring to aid community resiliency following a hurricane impact. Emerging technology for the acquisition of spatially referenced data are rapidly transforming science, society, and decision-making. At the forefront of this revolution are technological advancements in UAS, more commonly referred to as drones. UAS provide a new paradigm for aerial surveying and mapping. UAS are used to collect overlapping imagery, which can then be post-processed to derive two-dimensional and three-dimensional mapping products for geographic information. Planning a mapping mission with a small UAS entails a number of considerations. Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements of objects from photographs. Engineering and scientific solutions for sustainable development of cities and communities requires updated geospatial information. UAS is transforming our ability to map and monitor our evolving world at unprecedented detail.
