Track: Sustainability

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have received much attention due to their capabilities to generate high-resolution aerial photographs that allow the creation of maps that can support the local governance of different communities. Aeronautical cartography is limited in rural communities due to different factors, such as bureaucratic, economic requirements, and the lack of access to state-of-the-art tools for territorial management and consultation in local governance undertakings. In this work, we describe a UAV with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities. This aircraft is designed as a versatile platform for image acquisition to assist local governance activities within Mexican rural communities. Equipped with a multispectral camera and GNSS/GPS with a PPK system allows for high precision photogrammetry and a high precision time register of the photographs. A case study is carried out to demonstrate the series of advantages over conventional UAVs, specifically in payload, flight time capabilities, and, more importantly, as a robust and versatile platform to perform local governance and territorial management activities. This VTOL platform can be used from any terrain, allowing rural communities in areas with complicated geographies to use it. While we have developed a promising VTOL platform for cartography and local governance activities, a series of considerations and improvements remain. Employing a UAV with VTOL characteristics could empower local communities in their local governance activities, such as planning, zoning bylaws, land conservation, and collaboration with other communities.