Drones effective for surveying tidewater glacier habitat
Court Pegus tests a Phantom 4 drone with Mendenhall Glacier in the background. Pontoon stabilizers were added to his kayak to help it serve as a dr...
Court Pegus tests a Phantom 4 drone with Mendenhall Glacier in the background. Pontoon stabilizers were added to his kayak to help it serve as a drone launching pad. (Photo courtesy of Court Pegus) Fairbanks, Alaska (KINY) - A University of Alaska Fairbanks research project has shown that drones can accurately measure icebergs shed by tidewater glaciers, a potential boon for studying vanishing coastal habitats for seals and other animals in the North Pacific. Aerial surveys of such icebergs have taken place for decades, but they typically require good weather and expensive fixed-wing aircraft.