Case study by SPH Engineering · Ground Penetrating Radar · Glaciology
Drone GPR maps the inside of remote rock glaciers
Researchers at the University of Arizona used drone-based ground penetrating radar to study rock glaciers at Sourdough, Alaska, and Galena Creek, Wyoming. A MALÅ GeoDrone 80 on a DJI Matrice 600 Pro, linked through SkyHub and planned in UgCS, flew low over terrain that ground crews could not safely cross. SPH Engineering describes this as research in progress.
The challenge
To understand how rock glaciers and debris-covered glaciers respond to warming, researchers need their total thickness and ice purity. Traditional GPR means dragging antennas across the surface, which at these sites means rough, steep and icy ground. Manual surveys are slow, cover limited areas and give sparse data. The radar also had to fly at about 3 m above the surface to see through the debris layer.
The solution
- SkyHub with UgCS linked the DJI Matrice 600 Pro and the MALÅ GeoDrone 80 and handled automated terrain following, keeping the drone at a steady 3 m over jagged ground.
- Photogrammetry flights first produced digital elevation models (DEMs) for planning the low-altitude GPR missions in UgCS.
- The same DEMs were used for clutter simulations, to confirm that the reflectors seen inside the ice were real and not echoes from surface boulders.
The results
- Large parts of both glaciers were covered with a data density ground teams could not reach.
- Maximum thickness was 28.5 m at Sourdough and 48.6 m at Galena Creek.
- The radargrams let researchers measure the debris layer on top and judge ice purity from distinct reflectors inside the glacier.
- Steep, icy areas previously treated as inaccessible were surveyed.
Where this applies in India
Low, terrain-following drone GPR suits hazardous or hard-to-walk ground:
- Himalayan glacier, permafrost and rock glacier research;
- debris and moraine studies for hydropower and glacial lake projects;
- landslide and slope investigations on mountain roads;
- subsurface surveys on steep or unstable ground in mines and quarries.
SPH Engineering's GPR training is also available through HobiTech.
The equipment, available from HobiTech
| Ground penetrating radar | MALÅ GeoDrone 80 was used in this project. See our drone GPR range. |
| Onboard computer | SkyHub by SPH Engineering with the SkyHub GPR software |
| Terrain following | True Terrain Following |
| Flight planning | UgCS - Drone Flight Planning Software: see UgCS PRO, UgCS EXPERT and UgCS ENTERPRISE |
| Drone | DJI Matrice 600 Pro was used in this project. Ask us for current compatible drones. |
Case study by SPH Engineering, published February 2026, based on Aguilar, Holt, Christoffersen, Meng and Nerozzi (2026), University of Arizona, Georgia Institute of Technology and Washington University in St. Louis. This page summarises it in our own words; the research was carried out by the University of Arizona, not by HobiTech. Read the original case study on SPH Engineering ↗
Need GPR data from ground you cannot walk?
Tell us the site, the depth you need and the terrain. We will recommend the GPR, drone, SkyHub and UgCS setup, quoted in rupees with a GST invoice.