UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends

Soil erosion affects land productivity, water quality, and ecosystem resilience. Traditional monitoring methods are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and resource-demanding, while unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide high-resolution, near-real-time data, improving accuracy. This study conduc...

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Main Authors: Beatriz Macêdo Medeiros, Bernardo Cândido, Paul Andres Jimenez Jimenez, Junior Cesar Avanzi, Marx Leandro Naves Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Drones
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/4/305
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author Beatriz Macêdo Medeiros
Bernardo Cândido
Paul Andres Jimenez Jimenez
Junior Cesar Avanzi
Marx Leandro Naves Silva
author_facet Beatriz Macêdo Medeiros
Bernardo Cândido
Paul Andres Jimenez Jimenez
Junior Cesar Avanzi
Marx Leandro Naves Silva
author_sort Beatriz Macêdo Medeiros
collection DOAJ
description Soil erosion affects land productivity, water quality, and ecosystem resilience. Traditional monitoring methods are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and resource-demanding, while unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide high-resolution, near-real-time data, improving accuracy. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of UAV-based soil erosion research to explore trends, technologies, and challenges. A systematic review of Web of Science and Scopus articles identified 473 relevant studies after filtering for terms that refer to types of soil erosion. Analysis using R’s bibliometrix package shows research is concentrated in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with 304 publications following a surge. Multi-rotor UAVs with RGB sensors are the most common. Gully erosion is the most studied form of the issue, followed by landslides, rills, and interrill and piping erosion. Significant gaps remain in rill and interrill erosion research. The integration of UAVs with satellite data, laser surveys, and soil properties is limited but crucial. While challenges such as data accuracy and integration persist, UAVs offer cost-effective, near-real-time monitoring capabilities, enabling rapid responses to erosion changes. Future work should focus on multi-source data fusion to enhance conservation strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-1ae9012efae64d41a09110d4b43063b12025-08-20T03:13:47ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2025-04-019430510.3390/drones9040305UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and TrendsBeatriz Macêdo Medeiros0Bernardo Cândido1Paul Andres Jimenez Jimenez2Junior Cesar Avanzi3Marx Leandro Naves Silva4Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, MG, BrazilDivision of Plant Sciences and Technology, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USADepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, MG, BrazilDepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, MG, BrazilDepartment of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras, P.O. Box 3037, Lavras 37203-202, MG, BrazilSoil erosion affects land productivity, water quality, and ecosystem resilience. Traditional monitoring methods are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and resource-demanding, while unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide high-resolution, near-real-time data, improving accuracy. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of UAV-based soil erosion research to explore trends, technologies, and challenges. A systematic review of Web of Science and Scopus articles identified 473 relevant studies after filtering for terms that refer to types of soil erosion. Analysis using R’s bibliometrix package shows research is concentrated in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with 304 publications following a surge. Multi-rotor UAVs with RGB sensors are the most common. Gully erosion is the most studied form of the issue, followed by landslides, rills, and interrill and piping erosion. Significant gaps remain in rill and interrill erosion research. The integration of UAVs with satellite data, laser surveys, and soil properties is limited but crucial. While challenges such as data accuracy and integration persist, UAVs offer cost-effective, near-real-time monitoring capabilities, enabling rapid responses to erosion changes. Future work should focus on multi-source data fusion to enhance conservation strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/4/305dronephotogrammetryremote sensingscientometricsoil conservation
spellingShingle Beatriz Macêdo Medeiros
Bernardo Cândido
Paul Andres Jimenez Jimenez
Junior Cesar Avanzi
Marx Leandro Naves Silva
UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
Drones
drone
photogrammetry
remote sensing
scientometric
soil conservation
title UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
title_full UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
title_fullStr UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
title_full_unstemmed UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
title_short UAV-Based Soil Water Erosion Monitoring: Current Status and Trends
title_sort uav based soil water erosion monitoring current status and trends
topic drone
photogrammetry
remote sensing
scientometric
soil conservation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/4/305
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AT bernardocandido uavbasedsoilwatererosionmonitoringcurrentstatusandtrends
AT paulandresjimenezjimenez uavbasedsoilwatererosionmonitoringcurrentstatusandtrends
AT juniorcesaravanzi uavbasedsoilwatererosionmonitoringcurrentstatusandtrends
AT marxleandronavessilva uavbasedsoilwatererosionmonitoringcurrentstatusandtrends