Coconut Inventory Activities Supported by UAV

GIS&RS User MeetingSuva 24th June 2014Test conducted by Teja Kattenborn

Palm Resource Mappingwith VHR Satellite Images

A. Separation of coconut palm from other vegetation possible

B. Density stratification is possibleC. Counting is possible in scattered and

semi dense stands with 95% accuracy (dense underestimation)

D. Field work necessary but reduced to statistical minimum

Display VHR Image Data

Texture of pan-sharpened VHR image data allows to separate palm and natural forest

Delineation of Palm Density50 x 50 m grid helps interpretation

Counting Palms in Plots• Placing a dot on top of every visible palm

• Digital overlay with grid and counting in MapInfo (GIS software) dots per grid cell

• Transfer to Access

Counting in MapInfo

MapInfo automatically counts the number of palms within the plots using SQL select

SQL Result

Field Sample Plots Needed

• Counting palms / hectare in dense stands• Counting amount of hybrids• Estimation coconut production • Recording extent of diseases • Estimation of palm age • Estimation of timber volume (diametre

and height)

50 – 100% under estimation ofpalms / hectare in dense stands

Copter Type UAV• Good quality camera• Camera can swing to oblique view

Structure of Coconut Stands

Stitched Image

Oblique View

3D Space

Visual interpretation possibleSemi automatic palm counting possible

Point Cloud

Practical Solution?

• Method seems to work• Will reduce but NOT replace field

work• Total cost has to match the cost of

field work can be reduced

Thanks