Grassland health assessment based on indicators monitored by UAVs: a case study at a household scale

Grassland health assessment (GHA) is a bridge of study and management grassland ecosystem. However, there no standardized quantitative indicators long-term monitor methods for GHA at large scale, which may hinder theoretical practical application GHA. In this study, along with previous concept practices (i.e., CVOR, the integrated indexes condition, vigor, organization resilience), we proposed an system based on monitored by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)-UAV CVOR , tested feasibility UAV typical household pastures Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. Our findings show that: (1) key could be measured directly or represented relative counterpart that UAVs, (2) was significantly linear relationship between estimated field- UAV-based data, (3) decreased increasing grazing intensity nonlinearly, are similar tendencies two methods. These suggest UAVs suitable efficiently correctly, will useful protection sustainable grasslands.