Wetland Watch
Measure it to protect it. · Operation HEADWATERS · 3 days suggested (1–7)
A restored wetland is one year old. Is it working? The data will decide if the project expands. Conservation scientists use drones to monitor habitat, measure erosion, track invasive plants and count nesting sites — without trampling the places they're protecting. Low, quiet, careful flights matter.
- ◆ I can fly a repeatable survey so results can be compared over time.
- ◆ I can respect sensitive areas and explain why minimum disturbance matters.
- ◆ I can describe how drone data supports conservation decisions.
- Pilot: Flies the survey quietly and precisely.
- Mission Commander: Holds the plot map and records each sample.
- Engineer / Safety Observer: Guards the nesting areas and the battery; calls STOP.
Simulator challenges
Wildlife notices sudden movements. Hold a gentle 1 m hover for 3 seconds and set down softly on the boardwalk pad.
Fly it →Sample four survey plots in any order, never entering a nesting area, and land at the boardwalk.
Fly it →Follow the restored stream through the gates, low and smooth, and land on the boardwalk without crossing into the nesting beach.
Fly it →Scientists repeat the same transect every month. Program a straight transect with three evenly spaced samples using a loop, then return and land.
Fly it →Use get_height() over 'plots' of different heights to measure 'water level' — the way scientists compare data month to month.
- ☐ Recorded tape-measure heights first
- ☐ Collected sensor readings over each box
- ☐ Explained what the bottom range sensor measures
- ☐ Safe coded flight
Survey three plot markers while keeping clear of roped-off 'nesting areas'.
- ☐ Route planned around sensitive areas
- ☐ Never entered a nest area
- ☐ Sampled all plots
Vegetation sensor (simulated): Holding over a plot records plant cover and water level in the simulation. Real CoDrone EDU: CoDrone EDU has no vegetation sensor. Its bottom range sensor measures height above a surface — crews use get_height() to compare 'water level' boxes of different heights.
Plant cover is up, water is stable, and you caught invasive grass and bank erosion early — all without disturbing a single nest. That data helps the project expand.