The Airborne Coastal Observatory (ACO) is a collaborative program led by the Hakai Institute along with partners the University of Northern British Columbia. The ACO program offers rapid and accurate aerial observations of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, from Icefields to Oceans, and applied across multiple scientific disciplines. Data is collected by a Piper Navajo aircraft equipped with an array of integrated Earth imaging systems and technology, including: 1) A Riegl VQ-780 airborne laser scanner; 2. Two PhaseOne iXU-RS 1000 digital medium format cameras; 3. Specim AisaFENIX Imaging Spectrometer; 4. Applanix Inertial Navigation System. All data is processed and maintained by the Hakai Geospatial Technology team. The aircraft is provided and maintained by Kisik Aerial Surveys Inc. (Delta, BC).
The ACO collected LiDAR and high-resolution imagery in the Gordon River area of Vancouver Island to explore Karst potential. The results of this inventory will inform in-person field visits by the archaeological team for further studies.
This project and associated data represents an important partnership between Hakai Institute, The University of Victoria, and the Pacheedaht First Nation, and is an important project within Hakai's broader archaeological program.
For more information on post processing, data quality assurance, software used, and summary of results please contact data@hakai.org
