The Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) to Explore Areas of Hydrothermal Systems, South of Kamchatka Peninsula

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) have been increasingly used in various industries and research works recently. They can perform a wide variety of tasks including the compilation of orthophotoplans and maps in urban planning, land registration, monitoring of the state of energy networks, etc. Moreover, methods of aerial photography utilizing drones have become essential in Earth sciences. Three-dimensional models of the terrains provided by drones during aerial photography are critical in ecological monitoring, river valleys and rivercoastlines`, forests` and geological processes` exploration, etc. The publication describes the experience in exploration of the thermal fields of hydrothermal systems in the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula utilizing the quadrocopter-type drone. Materials provided by the drone were processed, orthophotoplans and digital terrain models of the thermal fields were developed. The quadrocopter was extremely useful in obtaining the overview and panoramic photos, performing photo and video shooting of hard-to-reach places in the area, and creating orthophotoplans and digital terrain models. The derived orthophotoplans and the digital terrain models proved to be essential in solving a number of geothermal problems. They are being used in the processing of the field work materials: mapping of thermal sources and wells, creation of 3D geological and geophysical models of areas of thermal fields, etc. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 19-05-00102).