small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)

Our expertise and capabilities 

• We have a range of sUAS available for use including: Sensefly eBee Plus; DJI Inspire; and Parrot Bebop 2 systems.

• Our potential payloads include a range of sensors: S.O.D.A.; SEQUOIA; and THERMOMAP); DJI Zenmuse X3 (standard and NIR); DJI Zenmuse FLIR Thermal; and Airborne First-Person-View (FPV) in addition to video capabilities.

• Our specialism is in the capture of multispectral imagery (RGB, Red-Edge, NIR and Thermal); 3-dimensional modelling (Structure-from-Motion); and FPV/video footage.

• We can provide high quality image processing facilities and training for a range of software systems including: Pix4D, Agisoft and ArcGIS.

• We can also provide facilities and training in the use and deployment of differential-GPS systems. These systems can be used independently, or as complementary systems for Ground Control Point (GCP) correction with sUAS surveys.

• We have three Leica dGPS systems which can provide GPS correction accuracy at cm-1. dGPS provide corrections to GPS signals using a fixed known point location, or via SMARTNET real-time adjustments and therefore reduce and remove pseudorange errors.

Our sUAS

Sensefly eBee Plus (RTK/PPK) 

The Sensefly eBee Plus (RTK/PPK) is a very versatile fixed-wing system for larger survey areas. At the University of Brighton it is available with multiple camera payloads (S.O.D.A, SEQUOIA, and THERMOMAP) so we can configure the systems to your research, project, or business needs.

Clients can collect data without the need for independent ground-control-points and can have cm-1 scale precision.

DJI Inspire

The DJI Inspire is a multi-rotor system regarded by many as the workhorse of DJI’s product range. It is an extremely adaptable and nimble sUAS capable of carrying a range of payloads (DJI Zenmuse X3 (standard and NIR) and DJI Zenmuse FLIR Thermal sensor).

This system offers clients advanced technologies in one platform for both scientific and cinematic data capture.

Parrot Bebop 2FPV

The Parrot Bebop 2 FPV is a lightweight and adaptable multi-rotor system.

With the FPV pack (long range controller and immersive FVP) clients can capture, experience and process data in real-time with immediate assessment possible.

Some examples of application

Current applications

The application of small-unmanned aircraft systems and remote sensing for precision viticulture and biodiversity benefit

National Institute of Agricultural Botany

The Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Detection of Crops and Structure of Agricultural Landscapes​

Research programme with Estonian University of Natural Sciences

A sUAS study of Feral Goat population in the Natural area of Paratge Natural de la Serra de Tramuntana (PNST) using thermal imagery to estimate population abundance.

Research programme with Autonomous University of Barcelona

Assessment and monitoring of the invasive aquatic plant Australian Swamp Stonecrop (Crassula helmsii) in internationally important UK wetlands: The use of sUAS based multi-spectral remote sensing.

Environment Agency

Past applications 

An assessment and monitoring of internationally important Estonian coastal grasslands through the use sUAS approaches: multispectral, SfM and LiDAR.

Research programme with Estonian University of Natural Sciences – see Villoslada et al., 2020

Assessment of the potential small-Unmanned Aircraft Systems to be used to investigate the nutritional stress in mountain ungulates.

Research programme with Autonomous University of Barcelona – see Alonso-Martinez et al., 2020

The detection of small-scale changes in the formation and temporal evolution of topographic features in saltmarsh environments using small-Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) and Structure-from-Motion (SfM).

Environment Agency 2016-2018 - see Dale et al., 2020

Quantification of bedform dynamics and bedload sediment flux in sandy braided rivers from airborne and satellite imagery.

Natural Environment Research Council - see Ashworth et al., 2018

UAV derived topographic modelling and measurement of the evolution of embryonic tidal creek systems in newly inundated intertidal saltmarsh and mudflat environments.

Environment Agency, 2018 - see Dale et al., 2018

The development of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for the detection of unimproved grassland systems.

High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, 2016 – see Strong et al., 2017

LiDAR-based modelling and visualisation of managed retreat scenarios for coastal planning: an example from the southern UK.

Cuckmere Estuary, 2015 – see Krolik-Root et al., 2015