2017 NOAA/OCM Unmanned Aerial System Lidar DEM: Grand Bay NERR

Quantum Spatial (QSI) and PrecisionHawk (PH) collected lidar for test sites within the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) using an unmanned aerial system (UAS). Four sites were flown, covering a total of 177 acres. A fixed-wing PH Lancaster (revision 5) platform was used, carrying a Velodyne Puck VLP-16 based lidar system. The system provides 2 returns (strongest and last) with a pulse rate of 300 kHz using a 903 nm wavelength laser. Flights were conducted from May 9-11, 2017 and were flown at 50 meters above ground level.

Specifications for the collection included 30 pulses per square meter and 0.10 meter RMSE vertical accuracy in non-vegetated areas. The average first return density was over 105 points per square meter with an average ground classified density of over 3 points per square meter.

Deliverables included a 1-meter resolution bare-earth DEM in UTM zone 16 NAD83(2011). These data were ingested into the Digital Coast Data Access Viewer for custom processing.

Original contact information:

Contact Org: NOAA Office for Coastal Management

Phone: 843-740-1202

Email: coastal.info@noaa.gov

Test the ability to provide lidar data from a UAS and determine if it is better able to penetrate marsh grasses.

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A final report for this project may be viewed at:

https://noaa-nos-coastal-lidar-pds.s3.amazonaws.com/laz/geoid12b/8386/supplemental/NOAA_UAS_Grand_Bay_LiDAR_Technical_Data_Report_Combined.pdf

Any conclusions drawn from the analysis of this information are not the responsibility of the Quantum Spatial, PrecisionHawk, the Office for Coastal Management, or its partners.

This data can be obtained on-line at the following URL: https://coast.noaa.gov/dataviewer

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Users should be aware that temporal changes may have occurred since this data set was collected and some parts of this data may no

longer represent actual surface conditions. Users should not use this data for critical applications without a full awareness of its

limitations.

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Vertical Accuracy reporting is designed to meet guidelines presented in the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) (FGDC, 1998) and the ASPRS Guidelines for Vertical Accuracy Reporting for LiDAR Data V1.0 (ASPRS, 2014). The statistical model compares known ground survey points (GSPs) to the closest laser point. Vertical accuracy statistical analysis uses ground survey points in open areas where the LiDAR system has a "very high probability" that the sensor will measure the ground surface and is evaluated at the 95th percentile.

For the Grand Bay NERR area, NOAA and Grand Bay NERR collected 106 points in non-vegetated areas for comparison. Analysis indicated a vertical RMSE of 0.072 meters. Non-parametric examination of the errors showed a 95% confidence level of 0.145 meters.

; Quantitative Value: 0.072 meters, Test that produced the value: Tested to meet FVA at a 95 percent confidence level in meters.

LiDAR data has been collected and processed for all areas within the project study area.

Upon receipt from vendor (Quantum Spatial), all LiDAR data was independently reviewed by staff from the NOAA Office for Coastal Management (OCM) to ensure project specifications were met. All data were inventoried for completeness and data were checked for quality, which included examining LiDAR data for errors associated with internal data consistency, model quality, and accuracy.