A.W. Research Laboratories, Inc.

The Environmental Assessment Overflight

The Environmental Assessment Overflight (EAO) is implemented to evaluate environmental conditions, and to detect environmental threats/illegal activities. The EAO is conducted by photographing selected areas with aerial cameras. These cameras are able to detect conditions that are visible and invisible to the human eye.

All conditions that fit pre-specified environmental criteria are photographed with a variety of camera systems which include; visible range film, infrared 35mm slide film, and several hyper-spectral bands such as chlorophyll a, carotene, water penetrating, and thermal, depending on the target. The collected data images are then analyzed to confirm and further investigate the observations made during the flight. A report is prepared presenting the findings of the EAO to the client. The report contains maps of each location recorded, a written documentation of the findings, and the image data.

· The benefit of the EAO is that a large area can be surveyed and data collected, quickly and inexpensively.

Eurasian Water Milfoil Identification

Eurasian Water Milfoil and other types of vegetation can be mapped by an EAO using visible range film and hyper-spectral cameras. The image on the left shows a lake that has Eurasian Water Milfoil. Other application include wetland inventory and mapping, delineated and identified by type.

Violation/Compliance Overflights

An EAO is an ideal tool to assist policy makers in checking for ordinance violations/compliance or best management practices associated with buildings, feedlots, building setbacks, gravel pits, conditional use permits, fill-in wetlands and lakebed, hazardous waste areas, dumps, etc. A large area can be investigated in a short time, often revealing evidence unable to be seen at ground level.

Feedlot and Other Inventories

Farming operations can be quickly inventoried through the EAO providing information on location (GPS Coordinates and legal description), farming type (cattle, hay, row crops, etc.), and potential violations or environmental problems associated with current practices.

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environmental assessment overflight