小优视频

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies听Edna Fernandez-Figueroa is using drones to map听coastal vegetation in Tampa Bay.

The听goal听is to map where mangroves exist on the coast,听note听invasive species and document听whether听there鈥檚 change over time听鈥� and听if so, what that change looks like.

Environmental studies major Delaney Mizell 鈥�27 is helping听Fernandez-Figueroa听on the project.听They are听concentrating on听seven sites听to take听thousands of听drone听images听that听they听stitch together听to听make听a听comprehensive听picture听of Tampa Bay.听

After each flight,听Mizell听ensures all the data is present and processed,听tagging听the听different听types听of听coastal vegetation听and areas of water recorded.听They can then calculate how much of each vegetation is in a particular area听and how it might change.

Mizell, who is from the Bahamas,听spent last summer听doing an internship听there听that included听working听in the mangroves,听planting and doing restoration听work. So, when the opportunity to collaborate with Fernandez-Figueroa came, she 鈥渏umped right on it,鈥� Mizell said.

Some days,听she听said,听she is 鈥渓ucky enough鈥� to go into the field with听Fernandez-Figueroa.

But first, she had to learn how听to听operate听a drone.

Fernandez-Figueroa is a certified drone pilot, and听Mizell听earned a听recreational TRUST听certification听to work with her on the project.听The Federal Aviation Administration requires all recreational drone pilots to pass the TRUST aeronautical knowledge and safety test.

鈥淚 was a little nervous, because I've never done anything like it,鈥澨齅izell听said听of听operating听the drone.听鈥淚 had听remote control helicopters when听I was听little, but, yeah, totally different things听鈥μ齮hat's a lot of money up in听the听air.鈥�

Fernandez-Figueroa walked Mizell through the entire process,听from how the thermal drone works, how to assemble it,听and noting things听to听keep in mind听before even beginning to fly, which Mizell notes, 鈥渋s really important.鈥�

Mizell learned how to fly the drone manually and also听how to program it to 鈥渆ssentially fly itself,鈥� she said.

鈥淎ll you do is let it take off, and then it does its own thing, and it maps the area that you told it to map. It takes hundreds of images at a time, and that is the data we process,鈥� Mizell said.

鈥淭hese are such great tools and skills to have within this field, especially as we continue to advance.听I've听seen听more and more听people talk about the use of听drones and how helpful they can be,鈥� Mizell added.

The project with Fernandez-Figueroa听has inspired听Mizell听to听develop听her own research questions听about mangrove ecosystems and coastal vegetation ecosystems听and to use the data听that鈥檚听already听collected听to find the听answers.听

鈥淚t听would be really cool听to bounce听off of this, to do something of my own, too,鈥� she said.