To celebrate GIS month, we wanted to highlight how Planning Departments in Pennsylvania utilize GIS and drones to improve their planning practices. The APA recently published a Planning Advisory Service Report 597 entitled, Using Drones in Planning Practice. This report highlights how drones can be used and incorporated into planning practices. These include photo simulations, community engagement, environmental assessment, and planning studies. Below are a few examples of how local agencies have used drones to improve their ordinances.
In 2017, the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (TCRPC) partnered with Shippensburg University and Susquehanna Township to analyze the impact of parking formulas on development. Utilizing drones, staff and students from Shippensburg’s GIS program gathered data from a mix of commercial uses, including retail strip shopping centers, fast food, and commercial office buildings, to assess off-street parking conditions in the Township. Aerial photographs were collected with a small Unmanned Aviation System over properties that agreed to participate in this parking study. Every effort was made to collect imagery during peak hours on peak days, including the “Black Fridays” in November 2017 and 2018, and during the 2018 back-to-school shopping season. Each set of photographs was stitched into a mosaic, which can be used for counting the number of unused parking spaces in each area at a particular moment in time. This information was then used to analyze the existing parking standards and propose new standards, including parking maximums. More details about this project are available here: https://arcg.is/11zjXL.
Another project utilizing drone data was a partnership with the Center for Watershed Protection, Inc., the Water Science Institute (WSI), and the Paxton Creek Cooperative. The Paxton Creek Restoration Project Prioritization was funded through a NFWF Grant. WSI was subcontracted to perform LiDAR differencing of the Paxton Creek Watershed to create a “hotspot” map and measure sediment transport through the watershed (erosion and deposition). Drone analysis was performed over the existing creeks to refine the error in measurement. The resulting information was used to verify where the highest levels of erosion and deposition were occurring within the watershed to prioritize streambank revitalization projects as part of the MS4 permit requirements.
While many communities are aware of drones’ value, staff typically does not have the time or money to invest in drone usage. However, local universities are investing in technology and training students to use drones for planning studies. If you have a project in mind but are unsure where to start, reach out to your local university’s geography program to get more information. This provides an excellent opportunity for students to engage in current planning projects and for agencies to be supported by the newest drone technology.
