In Hawaii, Ohia Trees are Dying. Can Drones Help Save Them?

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In this episode, the Roswell Flight Test Crew speaks with Nathan Stephenson, a geospatial research specialist at the University of Hawaii in Hilo. He is using drones to map the spread of a fungal infection that affects trees on the Big Island of Hawaii. Known as Rapid 'Ohi'a Death (ROD), the disease is wiping out this important species, long used in the construction of homes, tools and weapons by the native Hawaiian people. By conducting monthly flights, researchers are able to track the progress of the disease to determine mortality rates and how it spreads through the environment. This involves autonomous missions to gather photographs for aerial map-making as well as 3D modeling of the environment.