Grant Awarded for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-Hyperspectral Imaging System

Link to Awarded Proposal

Tucker Hindle has been awarded an FAU Technology Grant ($25,829) to acquire a hyperspectral imaging system for developing remote sensing curriculum and faculty-mentored research experiences. A collaborator in the FAU Department of Geosciences, Dr. Tobin Hindle, was also awarded $15,729 in funding for an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) that will complete this remote sensing platform. This technology will enable students to tackle local issues by detecting and monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) and Everglades vegetation health through field data collection and AI-based image analysis. Tucker Hindle, Dr. Tobin Hindle, and Dr. Hongbo Su will lead this multidisciplinary initiative. Currently, there are no departments at Florida Atlantic University with these capabilities of airborne imaging spectroscopy.

The hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensor collects data at hundreds of different wavelengths in the visible and near infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum for the same spatial extent, as compared to only three (red-green-blue) in the visible range for a traditional camera. These precise spectral measurements help to differentiate similarly colored objects in the environment. The drone platform will support interchangeable sensors (e.g., multispectral, thermal infrared, or LiDAR) for producing high resolution, spatially accurate, planimetric data and 3D models of the terrain. This technology will enable students at A.D. Henderson University School, FAU High School, and Florida Atlantic University to engage in geosciences and geomatics engineering!