UAV based multispectral imaging over a lagoon with corals in Reunion Island

A UAV-based hyperspectral survey was carried out in September 2014 over the fringing reef of l’Ermitage, Saint Gilles, Reunion Island. This site is of particular interest because it shows signs of major erosion and is subject to sudden flooding occuring during heavy swells associated with storms and cyclones. Human impacts growing on the shoreline and on river basin in the recent decades have also affected coastal sedimentation. We show some preliminary tests regarding the efficiency of the miniaturised hyperspectral camera for mapping bottom types in coralian context. Comparison with images produced from previous hyperspectral data acquired at lower spatial resolution / higher spectral resolution, and in situ measurements are still underway. Preliminary analysis of the dataset shows good discrepancy between corals and sands.