Research With Regional Impact
Harnessing Technology to Study Hurricane Impacts
Florida Gulf Coast University students are using technology for several projects designed to help Southwest Florida community partners manage challenges in coastal areas, ranging from hurricane-related beach erosion to the impact of boat propellers on vulnerable aquatic habitats.
Guided by Dhruvkumar Bhatt, an instructor in The Water School, the students are gaining hands-on experience with geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing technology and airborne drones. Using these tools to collect location data, they are working on understanding coastal problems as a way to enhance decision making in fields such as coastal and aquatic habitat management.
Since Hurricane Ian hit Florida in September 2022, Bhatt and about a dozen students have been mapping local coastlines using high-resolution airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) to gather data on beach erosion caused by storms.
“Major storms like Hurricane Ian can have a significant impact on the coastline by moving beach sands in high amounts through storm surge and wind,” Bhatt said. “Using technological advancements such as LiDAR sensors on board a drone, we can measure erosion and deposition of sands on the beaches from drone flights conducted before and after a storm event.”
The assessments help local governments develop budgets for beach renourishment and assess preparedness for future storms, he said.