The biggest problem that the Hadleyville cemetery faces is the loss of all records and maps that detail who is buried in the cemetery and where in the cemetery they are buried. This cemetery has been in use since 1865 and many of the tombstones may be broken or illegible. The data must now be generated from scratch due to the fact that there is no background material to reference. A GIS will allow the creation of an attribute table that will be attached to shapefiles that represent the individual plots located at the cemetery. Due to the fact that the data will be entered into a geodatabase that can be viewed, analyzed and updated makes this more than just a simple map project. A GPS unit, field notebooks, and a UAV drone will be used the gather the necessary data.
Methods
1. What combination of geospatial tools did the class use in order to conduct the survey? Why?
The class utilized a survey-grade GPS unit and a UAV drone to conduct the survey. The UAV drone was used to capture aerial imagery of the cemetery to be uploaded and used as ultimately as a basemap and the GPS unit was used to plot the grave markers that will be used as plot points with attribute data containing information about the grave markers in the GIS map.
2. What is the accuracy of the equipment that was used?
The UAV drone is accurate to within a few centimeters and the GPS unit is accurate to within less than one meter.
3. How was the data recorded? List the different methods and state why a pure digital approach is not always best. What media types are being used for data collection? Formats?
Aerial imagery and grave marker plots points were gathered using a UAV drone and a survey-grade GPS unit, respectively. Attribute data on the grave markers (first and last names, year of birth and death, etc.) were recorded in field notebooks by students. A pure digital approach is not always best because actual observation and recording of data is necessary. For example, since the attribute needed to be collected and compounded from scratch, actual observation of the grave markers and recording of the information of these markers needed to be completed in person. A software spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel in this case) was utilized to transfer written and recorded data, and the data taken from the drone and GPS unit were uploaded onto a computer hard drive.
4. How will the data be transfered into a GIS?
The spreadsheet data will be imported into ArcMap and converted into an attribute table. The UAV imagery and GPS plot points will be imported into a geodatabase that can then be utilized in ArcMap.
5. What equipment failures occurred if any? What was done to remedy the situation?
The GPS signal was interfered with when attempting to plot grave markers underneath a tree. The data plots were recorded with the best accuracy that was possible given the circumstances.
6. What might have been done to facilitate data collection in terms of equipment and refining the method?
Conclusion
1. How did the methods transfer to the overall objectives of the project?
Overall, the methods transferred to the overall objectives fairly well in the field. As much data was collected on the grave markers as could be deciphered and recorded in the field notebooks. The UAV drone flew successful flights over the cemetery and gathered aerial imagery. However, due to time constraints, the GPS unit was used to only plot a part of the total grave markers which means that another method will need to be implemented for plotting the markers.
2. How did the mixed formats of data collection relate to the accuracy and expediency of the survey?
3. Describe the overall success of the survey and speculate on the outcome of the data.
For the most part, overall the survey was fairly successful. Students accurately recorded grave marker information to the best of their knowledge. The utilization of the GPS unit was successful for the points that it did collect but unsuccessful overall when time constraints led to only a part of the grave markers able to be plotted. The UAV drone flew successful flights over the cemetery.
The information collected by students from the grave markers may not be completely accurate simply due to human error. This error includes accuracy of the data collected, whether or not any grave markers were missed, and how thorough the collection of attribute data was (for example, some groups may have recorded certain fields that others did not). For the markers that were plotted, most were probably very accurate while the ones that were recorded underneath trees may have been less accurate. To the best of my knowledge, the UAV drone collected good aerial imagery, but this will not be positively known until the data is uploaded and viewed.
