Gordon River Archaeology - 2022 - Hakai Airborne Coastal Observatory

Duncan McLaren and the Hakai Archaeological team requested that the ACO fly lidar and imagery in the Gordon River area to explore Karst potential on Vancouver Island. Sites found in the lidar data will be visited in person by the archaeological team for further field studies. This project and associated data represents an important partnership between Hakai, UVic, and the Pacheedaht First Nation.

The Airborne Coastal Observatory (ACO) is a collaborative program led by the Hakai Institute with partners the University of Northern British Columbia and Kisik Aerial Surveying. The program offers rapid and accurate aerial observations of coastal ecosystems, from Icefields to Oceans. A Kisik Aerial Piper Navajo aircraft is packed with an array of integrated Earth imaging sensors and technology to provide highly visual and highly accurate data. Hakai’s Airborne Coastal Observatory was developed to map and monitor icefields to oceans by using a combination of airborne Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging), high-resolution imagery, and hyperspectral imagery. Combined, the ACO sensors provide data to quantify changes in seasonal snow cover and glacier mass loss. The ACO is an aerial remote sensing platform used by the Hakai Institute to survey landscapes in detail. A Piper Navajo aircraft carries an array of integrated airborne mapping sensors installed to collect data in concert. The aircraft is operated and maintained by Kisik Aerial Surveys (Delta, BC). For more information on post processing, data quality assurance, software used, and summary of results please contact data@hakai.org