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| Fri, 6th Mar 2020 13:03:00 |
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Edinburgh University researchers use drones to map retreating Andes glaciers |
An Edinburgh university researcher has used drones to capture a bird's-eye view of some of the highest glaciers in South America.
Rosie Bisset is part of a project to map the Andes glaciers which are retreating in the face of global heating, despite their high altitude.
Experts say these glaciers are a vital resource which are under threat.
The glaciers in Peru have shrunk by about 30% in the last couple of decades.
Peter Nienow, professor of geology at the University of Edinburgh, said it could have a devastating effect on local people.
"In the Andes in Peru, which have about 70% of the world's glacier area in the tropics, those glacial areas are retreating," he said.
"As they retreat that impacts downstream communities because they rely on the water resources for agriculture, for industry, for hydroelectric power."
'Major obstacle'
Doctoral student Rosie Bisset knew this before she trekked high into the Andes with her drones.
She wanted to know more about both the extent of the retreat and exactly how glaciers melt.
The altitude of 4,600m (15,000 ft) presented a major obstacle.
"At that altitude the air is really thin, making it difficult to operate many drones," she said.
"So we collaborated with a local company called Skytech Aerial to help us build a drone that would cope with the high altitude but also have the sensors we needed."
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