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651-4280-00L 1 Credits DR , MSC D-ERDW

Application of Small Drones for Geological Data Acquisition

Lecturers & Examiners: Dr. Martin Ziegler
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:23:08

Abstract

Remote sensing data from unmanned airborne platforms are increasingly used in industry, public sector, and science. Geological applications include but are not limited to high-resolution photographic images, photogrammetric 2.5D modelling, spectral imaging, or laserscanning. The course will teach the necessary skills to plan, setup, and carry out drone flights for photogrammetric data acquisition.

Objective

The major goal of this workshop is to teach the student the necessary details to plan and carry out a safe and successful UAV flight in typcial geological outdoor environments. At the end of the course the student should be familiar with the important aspects of flight planning and UAV (copter system) operation. Successful course participation, including practical training and a case study report, will allow the student to use the Earth Science Department's drone system for her or his MSc project.

Content

The course contains a theoretical and a practical part. The theory part includes: - Regulations on operating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Switzerland and abroad - Drone systems and capabilities - Introduction in photogrammetric data processing - UAV flight planning for copter systems - Procedure to deploy the drone in your project The practical part includes: - UAV flight planning for flights at a test location and for the case study area - Manual and automated UAV flights

Resources

Lecture Notes

provided on the course moodle

Literature

provided on the course moodle

Learning Materials (Links)

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DR , MSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
graded semester performance
Successful course participation, including preparation and participation of practical training session and a case study report.

Registration & Places

Max Places
15
Signup End
24.04.2023
Priority: Registration for the course unit is until 10.02.2023 only possible for the primary target group

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise Application of Small Drones for Geological Data Acquisition
The course will take place on July, 31st (1 full day of theory and hands-on UAV flight programming) and individual practical flight trainings will take place on August 7th and 14th (depending on weather conditions).
  • 31.07 Date 09:15-17:00 (NO D 11)
30 h semesterly

Offered In