Thermal infrared, multispectral, and photogrammetric data collected by drone for hydrogeologic analysis of the East River and Coal Creek beaver-impacted corridors near Crested Butte, Colorado

The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific digital surface models (DSM). Thermal infrared still images were collected in jpg and radiometric tiff formats, while multispectral data were collected in tif format. Although not done yet here, multispectral and thermal data can be compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.