Drone-Based Identification of Erosive Processes in Open-Pit Mining Restored Areas

Unmanned Aerial Systems, or drones, are very helpful tools for managing open-pit mining operations and developing ecological restoration activities. This article presents a method identifying water erosion processes in active quarries by means of drone imagery remote sensing, the absence pre-existing mapping comparison. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with spatial resolution (SR) >10 cm an orthophoto SR >2.5 were generated from images captured their subsequent photogrammetric processing. By using Geographical Information Systems to process DEM, detailed drainage network was obtained, areas detected separated, watersheds gullies identified. Subsequently, estimated DEM before erosive reconstructed interpolating gully ridges; this serves as reference relief erosion. To calculate volume eroded material, Differences calculated, which estimates difference between previously current DEM. Additionally, we calculated material necessary geomorphological adaptation quarry slope map, two valuable factors closely related monitoring processes. The results obtained allowed us identify quickly accurately type mining. In case water-filled quarries, it would be important characterize subsurface relief. Essentially, presented can applied affordable non-invasive materials create digital grid maps at 10 resolution, obtaining data ready 3D metrics, being practical landscape modelling tool characterizing evolution spaces.