Eyes in the Sky

Randolph-Macon Academy’s vision is making leaders who will improve humanity – and that’s something that happens every day on The Hill.

This fall, students in Drone Applications II are using the Unmanned Systems Lab to address a local problem - algae blooms along the Shenandoah River - and make a positive impact for their community.

In June of 2021, the Virginia Department of Health issued an advisory for the North Fork of the Shenandoah. It was experiencing a benthic harmful algae bloom, caused by cyanobacteria. The public was advised to avoid contact with the resulting algae mats and scum. Contact could cause a variety of problems for people, including skin rashes and gastrointestinal illnesses, and could even be fatal to livestock and animals.

The class’s challenge: to survey and monitor these algae blooms. Students began by researching and considering how Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are used to address similar problems around the world.

“I challenged my students to take technology designed for one purpose and ask, ‘how can this be applied to other problems?’” said Brian Kelly, Director of the Unmanned Systems Lab. “This keeps them curious, because they are constantly identifying problems and developing solutions.”

Next, the two student teams each identified, selected, contacted and consulted with an outside research entity. One team selected the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the second team selected the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ).

The teams then set up video conferences and consultation meetings with their respective partners. Questions centered on the respective organizations’ research and use of UAV technology in the study of water quality and water equity. Each organization had or was using UAVs to assist in this research. Students then applied their partner research and recommendations to the design of the Shenandoah River project.

To assess the scope of the problem, the teams conducted multiple UAS flights along an approximately 1-mile stretch of the river adjacent to R-MA’s campus. Variables included time of day and position of the sun, cloud cover, and observations of recent rainfall, affecting visibility and sediment contamination. During these flights, they collected visual imagery they would need to create orthomosaics – large, mapquality images with high levels of detail and resolution - and 3D models, as well as multi-spectral data sets of the research area. Students then shared data with the VDEQ and USDA.

While the Department of Health’s advisory was lifted in September, the project continues. “We just received some very valuable feedback on our study from both organizations and students are currently factoring in that analysis to the next chapter in their research,” said Mr. Kelly.

“Seeing the student reaction to ‘partner’ feedback from such respected sources was definitely a great way to end the first quarter. Whatever comes next, I consider that a very big win for a high-school based research team.”