Page 46 - fall2017
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Besides the quality of

                                                                             the footage they return,

                                                                             drones offer impressive

                                                                             speed.






                                                                                   landslide has its own anatomy in shape and
                                                                                   morphology,” Gootee says, “so we want to
                                                                                   capture that.” The AZGS will soon release
                                                                                   a statewide landslide database, providing
                                                                                   priceless information for emergency officials
                                                                                   across Arizona.
                                                                                     Massive wildfires, which are becoming
                                                                                   more common, also provide work for drones:
                                                                                   examining the burned debris and naked,
                                                                                   erosion-ready slopes they leave behind.
                                                                                   Following a fire, entire hillsides can wash away,
                                                                                   dragging along branches and brush in a deadly
                                                                                   slurry. The worst threat is from fires just before
                                                                                   the deluges of monsoon season. “Then there
                                                                                   is nothing protecting that burned landscape,”
                                                                                   Gootee says. “Everything runs off very quickly.”
                                                                                     Drones are used to pinpoint areas most at
    Brian Gootee flies an AZGS drone.                                              risk so officials can concentrate their limited
                                                                                   resources. “We go in and identify an area and
                                          “Even airplanes can’t provide the perspective that   say, ‘Here are some real hotspots that you can
                                          a drone does.”                           identify prior to runoff.’”
                                             Besides the quality of the footage they return,   “Ideally, once an area is safe to go into, and
                                          drones offer impressive speed. Following heavy   you can capture it from above, we would identify
                                          rains, for instance, they can quickly assess   whether the area has thicker or thinner soil,”
                                          landslide-prone areas to determine the potential   says Gootee. “We also look for areas that have a
                                          for an emergency. And soon, they will become   stockpile of debris in proximity to stormwater
                                          more autonomous, allowing researchers to attend   runoff.”
                                          to other tasks while the preprogrammed devices   Amazing as they are, drones do require a deft
                                          buzz off to investigate sites.           human touch — and operators who know what
                                             For all these reasons, the use of drones in   to look for. “They’re super-cool,” says Gootee.
                                          geology is exploding. The AZGS is now among   “But if you don’t have expertise to back it up,
                                          more than 15 state agencies across the country   they’re useless.”
                                          using them to streamline otherwise costly and   When they are teamed with human
                                          time-consuming fieldwork. In regions with   knowledge, however, the potential is dazzling.
                                          extensive oil and gas drilling, for instance, drones   “We’re excited that we can now do things very
                                          hunt for dangerous abandoned wells. Elsewhere,   quickly, on-demand and at very low cost,” says
                                          they help find undiscovered paleontological sites   Gootee. “We can deploy very quickly and deliver
                                          and monitor critical public structures, such as   quickly. What before took weeks and months
                                          dams and bridges.                        now takes hours and days.
                                             Drones also offer geologists unprecedented   “Drones have really changed the way we do
                                          information about landslide sites. “Every   science.”



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