The Cryosphere
The Cryosphere
TC
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1075-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1075-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 10, issue 3
Research article
 | 
23 May 2016
Research article |  | 23 May 2016

Mapping snow depth in alpine terrain with unmanned aerial systems (UASs): potential and limitations

Yves Bühler, Marc S. Adams, Ruedi Bösch, and Andreas Stoffel

Viewed

Total article views: 7,305 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
3,918 3,169 218 7,305 489 276 343
  • HTML: 3,918
  • PDF: 3,169
  • XML: 218
  • Total: 7,305
  • Supplement: 489
  • BibTeX: 276
  • EndNote: 343
Views and downloads (calculated since 14 Jan 2016)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 14 Jan 2016)
Latest update: 09 Feb 2026
Download
Short summary
We map the distribution of snow depth at two alpine test sites with unmanned aerial system (UAS) data by applying structure-from-motion photogrammetry. In comparison with manual snow depth measurements, we find high accuracies of 7 to 15 cm for the snow depth values. We can prove that photogrammetric measurements on snow-covered terrain are possible. Underlaying vegetation such as bushes and grass leads to an underestimation of snow depth in the range of 10 to 50 cm.
Read more
Share