The Earth Surface Surveying & Waters laboratory supports field-based research using multiple, differently configured, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), terrestrial laser scanners, river monitoring equipment, boats, and sediment and soil grain size/characterisation. We integrate these techniques into our research and train students in their use through diverse courses offered in the school.
What we do
Our interests range from understanding the rates of coastal and river change in response to global warming to quantifying land surface change in natural and urban settings.
The Earth Surface Surveying & Waters laboratory brings high-tech solutions to understanding some of the most pressing environmental changes issues facing society.
Key aspects of our laboratory include:
- River discharge and sediment fluxes
- Coastal change detection
- High-resolution imaging of the Earth’s surface from different perspectives
- Sediment and soil sampling and analysis
- Hydrographic and land surface surveying with high-precision GPS
Facilities and equipment
Key capabilities include:
- Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles: 2 Phatom4 UAVs with RGB cameras built in a Matrice 210V2 and Matrice 300 RTK UAV. These units are equipped with a DJI XT2 thermal camera and a DJI P1 RGB camera and a DJI L1 Lidar sensor. We also have a 10 band Micasense multispectral camera available for these platforms.
- High-Precision GPS units: 6 Leica D gps units including GS08, GS08plus, GS16 and three GS18 sensors.
- Surveying: Multiple manual total stations and 1 Trimble robotic total station.
- Terrestrial Laser Scanning: Leica C10 and P40 laser scanners.
- River monitoring:
- 2 river surveying units, including a Sontek S5 and a Sontek M9.
- 4 Valeport current meters and a Nortek eco current profiler, a Nortek Aquadopp 300 single point current meter, 3 Issco automatic water samplers, and 2 In situ aua troll 600 which can accommodate different sensors.
- Boats: 2 boats including a 5.5m rib with a 90hp engine and an inflatable boat with a 9HP engine.
- Field transportation: includes a quad bike ,a Toyata Hilux 4x4 and a Renault Kangoo van.
- Sediment grain size: Bettersize 2600 Laser grain size analyser with a fluid module.
- Diverse field and water sampling equipment.
Quick links
Contact us
For inquiries or to learn more about our facility and services, please email:
