Balloon Photography
Aerial images of marsh plant communities reveal information that is not seen on the ground. High resolution aerial photographs display fine details of vegetation composition and distribution. The Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute, since 2006, employs aerial balloon photography to capture these images for study areas. The pictures captured are a keystone resource for MERI scientists working to improve the Hackensack River marshlands ecosystem.
High resolution images are captured using a 10 megapixel Canon Power Shot G11 from altitudes between 150 to 300 feet. The camera has been modified using the Canon Hack Development Kit, an open source firmware enhancement that expands photographic parameters and allows for interval shooting. The state of the art camera rig attaches the camera to an inflated 3 meter balloon. The balloon is tethered to a reel operated from the ground. This setup is cost efficient, easily deployable, and is highly mobile.
The high resolution images are assembled into a mosaic of the surveyed area at times encompassing many acres. Individual images are stitched together using Adobe Photoshop. The mosaic is then geo-referenced using known geographic feature locations within the site. These mosaics are used to ground truth high-resolution hyperspectral image classifications. They are also used to identify training sites from satellite images and to develop spectral libraries for vegetation classification. Among the applications currently using balloon photography is the monitoring of plant establishment in restoration sites, mapping invasive species distribution and mapping endangered populations.
