Reach-scale mapping of surface flow velocities from thermal images acquired by an uncrewed aircraft system along the Sacramento River, California, USA

Paul J. Kinzel; Carl J. Legleiter; Christopher L. Gazoorian

doi:10.3390/w16131870

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Reach-scale mapping of surface flow velocities from thermal images acquired by an uncrewed aircraft system along the Sacramento River, California, USA

Paul J. Kinzel·Carl J. Legleiter·Christopher L. Gazoorian

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Abstract

An innovative payload containing a sensitive mid-wave infrared camera was flown on an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to acquire thermal imagery along a reach of the Sacramento River, California, USA. The imagery was used as input for an ensemble particle image velocimetry (PIV) algorithm to produce near-continuous maps of surface flow velocity along a reach approximately 1 km in length. To assess the accuracy of PIV velocity estimates, in situ measurements of flow velocity were obtained with an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). ADCP measurements were collected along pre-planned cross-section lines within the area covered by the imagery. The PIV velocities showed good agreement with the depth-averaged velocity measured by the ADCP, with R 2 ">

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Paul J. Kinzel, Carl J. Legleiter, Christopher L. Gazoorian. 2024-06-29. Reach-scale mapping of surface flow velocities from thermal images acquired by an uncrewed aircraft system along the Sacramento River, California, USA. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16131870

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