PORT ANGELES — Scientists are using remote-control planes to record video of changes in the Elwha River following the removal of two Olympic Peninsula dams.
The drones called Ravens were used in June and were back in the air this week to record high-definition video and thermal images for the U. S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service.
The Peninsula Daily News reported that the video will help estimate how much sediment is spilling into the Strait of Juan de Fuca following the removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams. The images also show changes in the riverside habitat.
The 4-foot wide Raven is made by AeroVironment of Monrovia, Calif. Launched by hand, the drone can fly for an hour as high as 500 feet.
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