The P.E.I. Department of Agriculture has started using a drone to create aerial maps of Island fields.
It's much faster than the old way of surveying from the ground and the results are more precise than previous aerial surveys by plane because the 3D imaging captures land elevation.
The drone is less expensive to maintain and it doesn't disturb the ground.
It's currently being used on a by-request basis for farmers involved in soil conservation programs.
Evan MacDonald, a soil and water conservation specialist for the department, said the drone helps capture nuances that they couldn't before.
"Now instead of getting a series of points like we were getting before, and we create contours from that, now we're getting that image," MacDonald said. "So the image, really, a picture tells a thousand words kind of thing, so we can tell a lot from the picture itself."
The drone surveys began last spring. So far, the province has mapped out about 2,400 hectares of land.
"In fields that there may be potentially erosion problems, we'll go in and survey the field, and then use that data, the photos, we'll stitch them all into a map and create a 3D model of the ground so we have accurate elevations," said MacDonald. "Then we'll devise a plan on making up some soil conservation structures."
The province's standing committee on agriculture was briefed on the project Friday.
Source : CBC