The potential of UAV based remote sensing for monitoring hindu kush himalayan glaciers

Abstract

Remote sensing acts as a valuable tool for the regular mapping and monitoring of glaciers. The spatial resolution of satellite data used for mapping and monitoring is often too coarse to monitor the small changes in average sized glaciers. The high cost of high-resolution LIDAR and airborne datasets along with the problem cloud cover and shadow of peaks are major drawbacks of satellite datasets. To tackle these problems, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has grown significantly for monitoring the changes in glaciers over the last decade, however; the use of UAVs for monitoring Himalayan glaciers is nonexistent. Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) constitutes over 54,000 glaciers with an average size of 1.1 km2. Having more than 6000 km3 ice reserves, HKH glaciers influence both global and local climate. Meltwater from these glaciers feed Asia’s ten largest river systems which together provide water to more than 1.3 billion people. Thus, monitoring the changes in Himalayan glaciers is vital for assessment of climate change and hydrology of the region. Majority of the Himalayan glaciers are unexplored due to the remoteness and harsh environment. Hence, there is a great need for highly accurate and systematic observation of HKH glaciers with the high spatial and temporal resolution to further advance our understanding of the climate-glacier system in the region. This paper attempts to assess the potential of UAVs for monitoring glaciers in HKH region.