UAS-SFM and Airborne Lidar to Measure Hurricane Impacts and Short-Term Recovery Along Little St. George Island, FL, USA

This study utilizes airborne lidar and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) structure-from-motion (SfM) derived elevation models to examine the impact of Hurricane Michael on Little St. George Island's subaerial beach and foredune system and its respective short-term recovery. Volumetric change detection, horizontal shoreline movement, and feature extraction analyses were conducted for the purposes of monitoring its geomorphic evolution succeeding the storm event. Results of the study indicate Hurricane Michael had considerable impacts on the island, causing a net loss of 198,786 m
³
of sediment and an average reduction of dune crest elevations by 0.62 m. Derived results of the recovery period suggest that, despite an average increase of dune crests elevations by 0.04 m, Little St. George Island has sustained a net loss of approximately 14,340 m
³
.