Small unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) are now often used for collecting aerial visible image data and creating 3D digital surface models (DSM) that incorporate terrain and dense vegetation. Lightweight thermal sensors provide another sensor option for generation of sub meter resolution aerial thermal infrared orthophotos that can be used to infer hydrogeological processes. UAS-based sensors allow for the rapid and safe survey of groundwater discharge areas, often present in inaccessible, boggy, and/or dangerous terrain. Visible light and thermal infrared image data were collected March 2018 and March 2019, respectively, at Tidmarsh Farms, a former commercial cranberry bog located in coastal Massachusetts, USA (41°54'17.6"N 70°34'17.4"W), where a comprehensive stream and wetland restoration was performed. Wetland restoration actions at Tidmarsh Farms were made possible by a landowner decision to enroll in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Easement Program. The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration (MDER) later became the lead manager for the design, permitting, and implementation of stream and wetland restoration actions on the site. In 2017, after the completion of the largest freshwater wetland restoration in Massachusetts to date, the property was purchased by the Massachusetts Audubon Society who in 2018 opened the Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary to the public.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft above land surface) airborne thermal infrared, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system (UAS or ‘drone’) deployed along the river corridor encompassing two U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) stream gage locations near Claryville, NY, USA. One site is the West Branch Neversink River at Claryville, NY (USGS station number 01434498) and the Neversink River at Claryville, NY (USGS station number 01435000). Beginning in summer 2019 these stations serve as groundwater/surface water instrumentation ‘test beds’ for the NGWOS program. Data collected at the sites include water electrical conductivity, level, and temperature in mapped groundwater discharge zones adjacent to the gage houses, soil moisture on the streambank, and a suite of supporting atmospheric data. Unmanned aviation system-based visible-light imagery data were collected from October 8-10, 2019 in .jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic) using Agisoft Metashape (Agisoft LLC, St. Petersburg, Russia) software as described in the ‘processed_data’ subfolders of this data release. Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific, digital surface models (DSM). In addition to the visible-light data, thermal infrared still images were collected in radiometric .tif format. Thermal data were compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft above land surface) airborne thermal infrared, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system (UAS or ‘drone’) deployed along the river corridor encompassing two U.S. Geological Survey Next Generation Water Observing Systems (NGWOS) stream gage locations near Claryville, NY, USA. One site is the West Branch Neversink River at Claryville, NY (USGS station number 01434498) and the Neversink River at Claryville, NY (USGS station number 01435000). Beginning in summer 2019 these stations serve as groundwater/surface water instrumentation ‘test beds’ for the NGWOS program. Data collected at the sites include water electrical conductivity, level, and temperature in mapped groundwater discharge zones adjacent to the gage houses, soil moisture on the streambank, and a suite of supporting atmospheric data. Unmanned aviation system-based visible-light imagery data were collected from October 8-10, 2019 in .jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic) using Agisoft Metashape (Agisoft LLC, St. Petersburg, Russia) software as described in the ‘processed_data’ subfolders of this data release. Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific, digital surface models (DSM). In addition to the visible-light data, thermal infrared still images were collected in radiometric .tif format. Thermal data were compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.

The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude airborne thermal infrared data and visual imagery via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed from the northern bank of Oh-be-joyful Creek and adjacent to the Peeler fault, approximately 6 kilometers northwest of the town of Crested Butte, in Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, on August 17, 2017. Thermal infrared still images were collected in jpg and radiometric tiff formats, and non-radiometric thermal infrared video was collected. The radiometric thermal infrared still images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Structure from Motion techniques were applied to the visual imagery to derive a time-specific digital elevation model (DEM).

Small unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) are now often used for collecting aerial visible image data and creating 3D digital surface models (DSM) that incorporate terrain and dense vegetation. Lightweight thermal sensors provide another sensor option for generation of sub meter resolution aerial thermal infrared orthophotos that can be used to infer hydrogeological processes. UAS-based sensors allow for the rapid and safe survey of groundwater discharge areas, often present in inaccessible, boggy, and/or dangerous terrain. Visible light and thermal infrared image data were collected March 2018 and March 2019, respectively, at Tidmarsh Farms, a former commercial cranberry bog located in coastal Massachusetts, USA (41°54'17.6"N 70°34'17.4"W), where a comprehensive stream and wetland restoration was performed. Wetland restoration actions at Tidmarsh Farms were made possible by a landowner decision to enroll in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Easement Program. The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration (MDER) later became the lead manager for the design, permitting, and implementation of stream and wetland restoration actions on the site. In 2017, after the completion of the largest freshwater wetland restoration in Massachusetts to date, the property was purchased by the Massachusetts Audubon Society who in 2018 opened the Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary to the public.

These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide information on the tile-drain network in individual fields with the goal of understanding already observed patterns in runoff amount and water quality from these sites. A 3DR Solo quadcopter served as the flight vehicle, flights were pre-planned using Mission Planner, and flights were flown using Tower. Geospatial data were originally in WGS84 and projected to a local coordinate system for each site. Visible color (Vis-C) imagery was collected with a Ricoh GRII as a single band. Multispectral (MS) imagery was collected with a MicaSense RedEdge 3 as five co-located bands: blue (B; approximately 475-500 nanometers [nm]), green (G; 550-560 nm), red (R; 660-670 nm), red-edge (710-720 nm), and near infrared (NIR; 820-860 nm). Thermal-infrared (TIR) data were collected using a FLIR Vue Pro R 640 camera with an uncooled vanadium oxide microbolometer and a 13-mm lens. Images were collected at 2-second intervals, with a flight speed of 9 meters per second (m/s), 7 m/s, or 5 m/s (visible, multispectral, thermal, respectively) with approximately 75% overlap between sequential images and 70% sidelap between adjacent flight lines. Cameras used local time for visible and thermal imagery collection but Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for multispectral imagery collection. Photogrammetry to integrate the individual images into an orthophoto and digital surface model (for visible imagery) was done using Agisoft Metashape.

These orthophotos and digital surface model (DSM) were derived from low-altitude (approximately 92-m above ground surface) images collected from Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) flights over edge-of-field sites that are part of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) monitoring. The objective of this UAS photogrammetry data collection was to provide information on the tile-drain network in individual fields with the goal of understanding already observed patterns in runoff amount and water quality from these sites. A 3DR Solo quadcopter served as the flight vehicle, flights were pre-planned using Mission Planner, and flights were flown using Tower. Geospatial data were originally in WGS84 and projected to a local coordinate system for each site. Visible color (Vis-C) imagery was collected with a Ricoh GRII as a single band. Multispectral (MS) imagery was collected with a MicaSense RedEdge 3 as five co-located bands: blue (B; approximately 475-500 nanometers [nm]), green (G; 550-560 nm), red (R; 660-670 nm), red-edge (710-720 nm), and near infrared (NIR; 820-860 nm). Thermal-infrared (TIR) data were collected using a FLIR Vue Pro R 640 camera with an uncooled vanadium oxide microbolometer and a 13-mm lens. Images were collected at 2-second intervals, with a flight speed of 9 meters per second (m/s), 7 m/s, or 5 m/s (visible, multispectral, thermal, respectively) with approximately 75% overlap between sequential images and 70% sidelap between adjacent flight lines. Cameras used local time for visible and thermal imagery collection but Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for multispectral imagery collection. Photogrammetry to integrate the individual images into an orthophoto and digital surface model (for visible imagery) was done using Agisoft Metashape.

The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific digital surface models (DSM). Thermal infrared still images were collected in jpg and radiometric tiff formats, while multispectral data were collected in tif format. Although not done yet here, multispectral and thermal data can be compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.

The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific digital surface models (DSM). Thermal infrared still images were collected in jpg and radiometric tiff formats, while multispectral data were collected in tif format. Although not done yet here, multispectral and thermal data can be compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.

The U.S. Geological Survey collected low-altitude (typically 200-350 ft als) airborne thermal infrared, multispectral, and visual imagery data via a multirotor, small unoccupied aircraft system deployed along beaver-impacted sections of the East River and Coal Creek stream corridors, near the town of Crested Butte, CO. Visual imagery was collected in jpg format, and the images were compiled automatically into a larger stitched image (orthomosaic). Structure from Motion techniques were also applied to the visual imagery to derive time-specific digital surface models (DSM). Thermal infrared still images were collected in jpg and radiometric tiff formats, while multispectral data were collected in tif format. Although not done yet here, multispectral and thermal data can be compiled into orthomosaics and DSMs in a similar manner to visible light imagery.