78784 Entity Published / External 78783 Photogrammetry Measurements of Seals from UAS Imagery Data Set Completed 2024-10-17 2025-12-10 We used an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to collect imagery of bearded, ringed, and spotted seals at captive care facilities, and used photogrammetry of the UAS images to develop a model to estimate body mass to use as an indicator of body condition. We collected measurements from the UAS images, which were taken with the UAS directly over the seals with the camera at nadir. We also tested the UAS's ability to successfully collect imagery of ice seals in the Bering Sea during two research cruises. We demonstrated that a UAS can operate and collect images of ice-associated seals in arctic conditions, and that photogrammetry of the imagery can be used to estimate body mass, potentially increasing the number of seals of these populations that can be assessed for body condition. To develop a model to estimate body mass to use as an indicator of body condition, based on measurements from the UAS images, which were taken with the UAS directly over the seals with the camera at nadir. Theme Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Erignathus barbatus Theme Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Histriophoca fasciata Theme Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Phoca largha Theme Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Pusa hispida Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA > ALASKA Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ARCTIC OCEAN > BEAUFORT SEA Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > ARCTIC OCEAN > CHUKCHI SEA Spatial Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords OCEAN > PACIFIC OCEAN > NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN > BERING SEA Platform Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Platform Keywords AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS > AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seattle WA USA Yes 1 field_efforts_id integer No No Active Unique identifier for the data collection effort 2 target_idenfitier character No No Active Name of the captive animal, for which the images are associated 3 image_name character No No Active Name of the image from which measurements were derived 4 adjusted_image_dt data-time No No Active Date and time when the image was collected, corrected for any possible offsets between the INS data and the GPS data 5 species character No No Active Species of the animal photographed and measured 6 sex character No No Active Sex of the animal photographed and measured 7 age_class character No No Active Age class of the animal photographed and measured 8 age numeric No No Active Known age of the animal photographed and measured 9 target_position character No No Active Position of the animal photographed and measured; in this dataset, all target positions are down, although images were collected of the seals in other positions 10 measured_by character No No Active Initials of the person who completed the photogrammatic measurements 11 measurement_date date No No Active Date when the measurements of the seal were completed 12 exif_pitch numeric No No Active Pitch of the drone at the time the image was collected, as measured by the UAS 13 exif_roll numeric No No Active Roll of the drone at the time the image was collected, as measured by the UAS 14 adjusted_range_m numeric No No Active Distance from the UAS to the location on the ground where the image was taken. The range was collected by the attached laser rangefinder and updated based on triangulation of the drone based on the recorded pitch and roll 15 scale_bar_cm numeric No No Active Measured length of the scale bar based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel; each photo of seals at the captive care locations was take such that a scale bar was visible in the frame for evaluating measurement errors with an item of exact known size (100cm) 16 total_length_cm (including suffixes) numeric No No Active Measured length of the seal (in cm) based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel. Total length fields can be differentiated based on their naming: ---without a suffix (after _cm) refer to the curvilinear length of the seal; ---with the suffix "_adj" refer to the curvilinear length of the seal adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm); ---with the suffix "_s" refer to the straight length of the seal; and ---with the suffix "_adj_s" refer to the straight length of the seal adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm). 17 width_[01-10]_cm (including suffixes) numeric No No Active Measured width of the seal (in cm at the designated width location) based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel; 10 width measurements taken spaced evenly along the length of the seal's body. Width fields can be differentiated based on their naming: ---width_## refer to the width location of the seal, with 01 being closest to the head and 10 being closest to the tail; ---without a suffix (after _cm) refer to the width location as defined by the curvilinear length of the seal; ---with the suffix "_adj" refer to the width location as defined by the curvilinear length of the seal adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm); ---with the suffix "_s" refer to the width location as defined by the straight length of the seal; and ---with the suffix "_adj_s" refer to the width location as defined by the straight length of the sea adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm). 18 ax_width_cm (including suffixes) numeric No No Active Measured width of the seal (in cm) at the axillary location based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel. Axillary width fields can be differentiated based on their naming: ---without a suffix (after _cm) refer to the width of the seal at the axillary location; ---with the suffix "_adj" refer to the width of the seal at the axillary location adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm). 19 max_width_cm (including suffixes) numeric No No Active Measured maximum width of the seal (in cm) based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel. Maximum width fields can be differentiated based on their naming: ---without a suffix (after _cm) refer to the maximum width of the seal; ---with the suffix "_adj" refer to the maximum width of the sea adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm). 20 footprint_cm2 (including suffixes) numeric No No Active Measured footprint (area on the ground) of the seal (in cm-squared) based on the adjusted range (m) and the ground sampling distance of each pixel. Footprint fields can be differentiated based on their naming: ---without a suffix (after _cm2) refer to the footprint of the seal; ---with the suffix "_adj" refer to the footprint of the seal adjusted for the offset of the scale bar measurement from its known size (100cm in both directions). 21 [before-during-after]_date date No No Active Date when ground-truthing measurements were taken by the captive care facility. "Before" refers to measurements taken in the one-week-window before the UAS images were collected. "During" refers to measurements taken within the week-long-window during which UAS images were collected. "After" refers to the one-week-window after UAS images were collected. 22 mass_kg_[before-during-after]_mean numeric No No Active Average mass of the seal (in kg). "Before" refers to measurements taken in the one-week-window before the UAS images were collected. "During" refers to measurements taken within the week-long-window during which UAS images were collected. "After" refers to the one-week-window after UAS images were collected. 23 mass_kg_[before-during-after]_min numeric No No Active Minimum mass of the seal (in kg). "Before" refers to measurements taken in the one-week-window before the UAS images were collected. "During" refers to measurements taken within the week-long-window during which UAS images were collected. "After" refers to the one-week-window after UAS images were collected. 24 mass_kg_[before-during-after]_max numeric No No Active Maximum mass of the seal (in kg). "Before" refers to measurements taken in the one-week-window before the UAS images were collected. "During" refers to measurements taken within the week-long-window during which UAS images were collected. "After" refers to the one-week-window after UAS images were collected. Distributor 2024 Organization Alaska Fisheries Science Center AFSC afsc.webmaster@noaa.gov https://ror.org/01h7fye62 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4 Seattle WA 98115 USA (206) 526-4000 (206) 526-4004 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/alaska-fisheries-science-center AKFSC Home Page Online Resource 0700-1700 Pacific Time Metadata Contact 2024 Person Koslovsky, Stacie stacie.koslovsky@noaa.gov 7600 Sand Point Way NE Seattle WA 98115-6349 206-526-6433 Point of Contact 2024 Person Cameron, Mike michael.cameron@noaa.gov -150 -122 65 36 Unclassified The data set is archived with the GitHub: https://github.com/noaa-afsc/bodyConditionUAS. Once the archival process is complete and verified, the data set will be publicly available. Acknowledge NOAA/NMFS/AFSC as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data. Communication and collaboration with dataset authors is strongly encouraged prior to use. Data are available for download from https://github.com/noaa-afsc/bodyConditionUAS. There are no data access constraints. [Any specific data use constraints for the dataset]. User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. Acknowledge NOAA/NMFS/AFSC or the specified citation as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these data. The Alaska Fisheries Science Center should be acknowledged as the data source in products derived from these data. Communication and collaboration with dataset authors is strongly encouraged. There are no metadata access constraints. Metadata are subject to revision at any time and information within the metadata record should not be cited without author consent. While every effort has been made to ensure that these metadata are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the metadata. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:78784 Stacie Koslovsky 2025-12-11T17:43:38 SysAdmin InPortAdmin 2026-03-04T19:17:17 2026-01-13 Alaska Fisheries Science Center AFSC 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4 Seattle WA 98115 USA https://www.afsc.noaa.gov 0700-1700 Pacific Time 1001 Public No 1 Year