GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES: DRONES, SENSORS, AND APPLICATIONS
Introduction to state-of-the-art technologies that capture properties of the landscape, which is critical to better characterize and understand environmental properties and change. Develop skills in geospatial systems applicable to a variety of research and industry fields. Includes an overview of unmanned aerial systems (drones), light detection and ranging (LiDAR), high-grade Differential GPS (DGPS), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), virtual reality, optical sensors, geocaching, and geotagging.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness + Lab Breadth - Physical Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify Unmanned Aerial Systems hardware, safety, regulations, mission planning, and applications for the sciences. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Develop skills in the area of structure-from-motion 3D point cloud model development and visualization. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Identify and use high-grade differential Geographic Positioning Systems and Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Develop proficiency in LiDAR technologies from satellite, airborne, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and terrestrial, including LiDAR data collection, visualization, and processing. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Use remote sensing instruments, such as multispectral and hyperspectral sensors and thermal cameras. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Become familiar with Virtual reality, augmented reality, geocaching and geotagging. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Apply geospatial technology data collection and processing to research. Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify Unmanned Aerial Systems hardware, safety, regulations, mission planning, and applications for the sciences. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Develop skills in the area of structure-from-motion 3D point cloud model development and visualization. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Identify and use high-grade differential Geographic Positioning Systems and Global Navigation Satellite Systems. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Develop proficiency in LiDAR technologies from satellite, airborne, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and terrestrial, including LiDAR data collection, visualization, and processing. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Use remote sensing instruments, such as multispectral and hyperspectral sensors and thermal cameras. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Become familiar with Virtual reality, augmented reality, geocaching and geotagging. Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 7. Apply geospatial technology data collection and processing to research. Audience: Graduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027