Abstract

Mangroves provide a variety of ecosystem services to coastal communities and are increasingly threatened throughout the Gulf and Caribbean. Mangroves protect coastal areas from ocean waves, including those produced by storms. They also help prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments with their complex root systems and maintain water quality and clarity by filtering pollutants and trapping sediments. In addition, they serve as valuable habitat for many critical species, particularly as nursery areas, providing food supplies and refuge from predators. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) provide several unique advantages over manned aircraft survey for monitor-ing and mapping mangrove habitats. These advantages included higher spatial resolution and more frequent temporal resolution. In addition, acquisition cost, pilot training cost as well as maintenance and storage costs all contribute to a much lower cost for data collection.

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