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A University of Alaska Fairbanks research project has shown that drones can accurately
measure icebergs shed by tidewater glaciers, a potential boon for studying vanishing
coastal habitat for seals and other animals in the North Pacific.
Aerial surveys of such icebergs have taken place for decades, but they typically require
good weather and expensive fixed-wing aircraft. Drone surveys are much cheaper and
more easily deployed.
However, it was previously unclear whether drones could deliver accurate images when
both they and the floating icebergs were drifting in winds and currents.
The study found that the drones performed well, recording the height and size of icebergs
with mean error ratios of less than 10%.
Contact: Jeff Richardson
A $300,000 state grant will help the University of Alaska Fairbanks train local residents
for jobs at the Kinross Manh Choh mine project.
Manh Choh is a gold prospect located on Tetlin tribal land southeast of Tok. The funding
is part of a pilot project to train up to 28 residents from the Tok area.
UAF’s Mining and Petroleum Training Service, a branch of the university’s Cooperative
Extension Service, will provide the training at its center near Delta Junction.
MAPTS director William Bieber said trainees will gain the skills necessary to start
and hold mine-related jobs. Many of these lifelong skills are transferable to other
jobs, he said.
“This program and facility is the only one in the world that trains entry-level miners
in a real mining environment,” Bieber said.
Contact: Julie Stricker
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