3-D stratigraphic mapping using a digital outcrop model derived from UAV images and structure-from-motion photogrammetry

A novel approach using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and structure-from-motion photogrammetry successfully generated highly accurate 3-D digital outcrop models (DOMs) of a complex fluvial sequence in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Canada. This method allowed researchers to map stratigraphic surfaces and estimate facies with precision comparable to traditional field techniques (±4.9%), while providing unprecedented lateral continuity for interpreting channel morphology over time. The study demonstrates that UAV-SfM DOMs can effectively complement conventional mapping, offering detailed 3-D views of topographically challenging outcrops—such as badlands—that are crucial for reconstructing sedimentary environments in UNESCO-listed sites.

Nesbit, P. R., Durkin, P. R., Hugenholtz, C. H., Hubbard, S. M., & Kucharczyk, M. (2018). 3-D stratigraphic mapping using a digital outcrop model derived from UAV images and structure-from-motion photogrammetry. Geosphere. https://doi.org/10.1130/ges01688.1