articleForestsMar 7, 2016GOLD OA

Assessment of Forest Structure Using Two UAV Techniques: A Comparison of Airborne Laser Scanning and Structure from Motion (SfM) Point Clouds

LWLuke WallaceALArko LucieerZMZbyněk MalenovskýDTDarren TurnerPVPetr Vopěnka

University of Tasmania · RMIT University · +2 more institutions

Indexed incrossrefdoaj

Abstract

This study investigates the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to measure and monitor structural properties of forests. Two remote sensing techniques, airborne laser scanning (ALS) and structure from motion (SfM) were tested to capture three-dimensional structural information from a small multi-rotor UAV platform. A case study is presented through the analysis of data collected from a 30 × 50 m plot in a dry sclerophyll eucalypt forest with a spatially varying canopy cover. The study provides an insight into the capabilities of both technologies for assessing absolute terrain height, the horizontal and vertical distribution of forest canopy elements, and information related to individual trees.…

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688
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FWCI
50.95
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100%
References
39
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Authors

5

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Canopy
  • Point cloud
  • Remote sensing
  • Structure from motion
  • Terrain
  • Laser scanning
  • Lidar
  • Environmental science
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Life in Land
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