Field Geomatics
Undergraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 10
- Teaching semesters
- Autumn
- Course code
- GEOV281
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- English
- Resources
- Schedule
Course description
Objectives and Content
Students will gain a thorough understanding of the principles, techniques, and instrumentation underlying
advanced remote sensing tools, and explore their use in acquiring high-resolution spatial data for example in
fields such as glaciology, geomorphological mapping, and 3D geological outcrop modelling.
This course focuses on the applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and terrestrial Light Detection
and Ranging (LiDAR) technology in the Earth Sciences, along with visualising and manipulating field geomatics
data within a Geographical Information System (GIS).
Throughout the course, participants will engage in hands-on projects, working with real-world datasets that
can be useful in a range of studies, such as investigating glacial dynamics, mapping complex landforms, and
creating virtual outcrops that enable detailed geological investigations. The course includes two days in the
field where students will plan, acquire, and process their own data. Students will develop expertise in data
processing, visualisation, and interpretation, equipping them for a wide range of research and industry
applications.
Learning Outcomes
Studenten skal ved avslutta emne ha følgjande læringsutbytte:
Knowledge
The student can
- Describe and discuss the utilisation of UAVs and terrestrial LiDAR in various Earth Science applications, particularly glaciology, landform mapping, and virtual outcrop analysis
- Explain the underlying principles, techniques, and instrumentation of UAV and LiDAR technologies
- Define and explain the strengths and weaknesses of UAV and LiDAR-based approaches for different geoscientific contexts
- Source and visualise diverse geospatial datasets generated using UAVs and terrestrial LiDAR
- Has a foundational knowledge of effectively implementing UAVs and terrestrial LiDAR in Earth Science research and industry
Skills
The student can
- Safely plan, execute, and process UAV and LiDAR data collection campaigns in a variety of field settings
- Critically assess geospatial data, understanding its role in complementing traditional field studies
- Select suitable methods and technologies for characterising diverse landscapes and landforms using UAVs and LiDAR
- Independently perform basic geospatial analyses to characterize landscapes and landforms using UAV and LiDAR-derived data
General competence
The student can
- Critically evaluate and draw on relevant literature related to remote sensing, geomatics, and GIS in the context of Earth Science applications
- Explain how geomatics can compliment traditional earth science methodologies
- Can work as part of a team to co-ordinate data collection
- Can produce thematic representations of their data within a report
- Can explain the relevance and applications of geomatics for societ
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Teaching and learning methods
The course will run over a series of interactive seminars which will include discussions and
practical exercises. A flipped-classroom approach where students must come prepared,
most of the information will be shared through a series of StoryMaps. The course will
feature a 3 day (2 night) field component where students will get hands on experience
collecting field geomatic data and processing it.