Unmanned Systems Geospatial Applications - Ryan Riley

Introduction Why are proper cartographic skills essential in working with UAS data? Maps require proper cartography to perform their intended function successfully. In working with UAS data, cartographic skills are essential so the reader can decipher an analyze the data properly. Without a compass, scale, or proper coordinate systems and projections the map would be meaningless. What are the fundamentals of turning either a drawing or an aerial image into a map? Ever map should include a north arrow, scale bar, locator map, watermark (map's creator), and data sources/metadata. What can spatial patterns of data tell the reader about UAS data? Provide several examples. Spatial patterns can tell readers where wet spots exist in a farm, for example. Using the correct sensors, soil saturation can be seen and analyzed. Another example would be crop health. Depending on the shading of the crop, analysis can be performed that show if a crop is receiving too much or too little

Introduction to Geospatial Data What makes data geospatial? That is, what makes the data you worked with today geospatial in nature (think coordinates)? Geospatial data is a type of data that tells the location of something, in most use-cases on earth. This includes, as will be demonstrated later in lab, coordinate systems. Latitude and longitude are also common forms of depicting a position on earth. What makes data in a GIS different than a digital map? Digital maps can and often do include coordinates, and sometimes even different coordinate systems. What makes data different in a GIS is the inclusion of attribute data such as elevation. Why is having an understanding of geospatial concepts and geospatial data so fundamental to working with UAS data? Unmanned Aerial Systems can collect an immense amount of geospatial data. One of their main uses is in fact collecting and distributing said data. Knowledge of geospatial data is fundamental to working with UASs because