MULTI-ROTOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES (UAVs) AND HIGH-RESOLUTION COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERAS: A PROMISING NEW METHOD FOR MONITORING CHANGES TO SURFACE KARST RESOURCES/MULTIROTORSKA ZRACNA PLOVILA BREZ POSADKE (UAV) IN KOMPAKTNE DIGITALNE KAMERE VISOKE LOCLJIVOSTI: OBETAVNA NOVA METODA ZA SPREMLJANJE SPREMEMB POVRSINSKIH KRASKIH POJAVOV

In the course of doctoral research, the authors have required a quick and accurate means of documenting the real-time state of surface karst features at a variety of scales in remote and challenging field conditions. The main difficulty was finding an aerial platform that was consistently effective; versatile; and relatively inexpensive. High resolution vertical images obtained during recreational use of a small multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) seemed to have the potential to answer this need. Using five case studies, the authors have examined the potential of these images for mapping, documenting, and monitoring changes to surface karst resources following forestry-related activities in the coastal temperate rainforest of British Columbia. Possible applications, strengths and limitations of this technology are discussed. The authors concluded that, mini quadcopter UAVs equipped with high-resolution compact digital cameras are a promising and cost-effective new tool for karst scientists and karst managers.