The Drones in the Coastal Zone (DITCZ) meeting is on February 6th – 8th, 2024, in Beaufort, North Carolina. This in-person meeting is a great opportunity to network with colleagues in the U.S. Southeast and Caribbean with common interests in using unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, for coastal and ocean research and management. The meeting includes tours of the NOAA Beaufort Lab and the Duke University Marine Lab, hands-on equipment demonstrations, and discussions on the future of the DITCZ Community of Practice.
Meeting Objectives
Participants will:
- Network with colleagues in the U.S. Southeast and Caribbean with common interests in using Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, for coastal and ocean research and management
- Learn about use of drones in the Beaufort area
- Discuss and troubleshoot the use drones
- Interact with drone technology through equipment tables and an airshow
- Discuss the future of the Drones in the Coastal Zone Community of Practice
Travel Information
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Beaufort Hotel (2440 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort, NC 28516) under the name of “SECOORA 2024”. Everyone is responsible for making their own hotel reservations. Please book your hotel stay by calling the hotel reservations at (252) 728-3000. The deadline to book is Friday, December 29, 2023 to get the discounted rate of $115 (or prevailing per diem rate) plus taxes and fees. The rate will increase substantially after this date.
Day 2 of the meeting will be held at Duke University Marine Lab (135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516). See below for a draft of the participant agenda (subject to change).
Draft Agenda – Subject to Change
Tuesday, February 6th, 2024
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1:00 PM | Meeting check-in begins at Beaufort Hotel |
| 1:30 PM | Welcome & Vision for Drones in the Coastal Zone (DITCZ) Meeting Objectives & Agenda Review Plenary: Using Drones to Manage the Rachel Carson Reserve Icebreaker |
| 2:45 PM | Networking Break with Sponsors |
| 3:15 PM | Group Brainstorming & Topical Breakout Groups |
| 5:00 PM | Adjourn |
| 5:30 PM | Evening Reception with Sponsors |
| 7:30 PM | Dinner on your own |
Wednesday, February 7th, 2024
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast at Beaufort Hotel |
| 9:00 AM | Tour of NOAA Beaufort Lab & Duke University Marine Lab Carpool to Pivers Island – 12 minute drive 9:20am – Group 1 tours NOAA Beaufort Lab & Group 2 tours Duke University Marine Lab 10:30am – Group 1 tours Duke University Marine Lab & Group 2 tours NOAA Beaufort Lab |
| 11:30 AM | 15 Minute Break |
| 11:45 AM | Lunch at Duke Marine Lab |
| 12:30 PM | Equipment Showcase – Duke University Marine Lab Auditorium |
| 1:45 PM | Break & Get Ready for Airshow |
| 2:15 PM | Airshow – Duke University Marine Lab |
| 3:30 PM | Travel Back to Beaufort Hotel |
| 4:00 PM | Discussion: What do we want the Drones in the Coastal Zone Community of Practice to be? How do we move forward? |
| 4:50 PM | Action Items, Next Steps & Closing Remarks |
| 5:00 PM | Adjourn |
Thursday, February 8th, 2024
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Optional, space-limited trainings at Duke University Marine Lab, Bookhout PC Computer Lab
- Photogrammetry Activity: Participate in the whole workflow for focused photogrammetry of target organisms. From the field to the screen, this activity will include hands-on experience conducting mission preparation, data collection, and image analysis. Participants will learn about camera setting considerations, practice collecting imagery over targets, and use freely available software tools to make measurements. 18 participants
- Mapping Activity: The exercise will have participants engage in the various parts of conducting a UAS mapping survey. We will cover the distribution and surveying of ground control, mission planning, data collection, processing the imagery, and analysis of the products. During the exercise, participants will experience some of the different tools that can be used during the UAS mapping workflow. 18 participants
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Certification Training: Registration fee TBD, 10 participants
Lunch for training participants at Duke University Marine Lab
