PROJECT DESCRIPTION

As a part of the on-going management of the University of Melbourne’s (UoM) Parkville Campus’ sustainability, comfort and efficiency performance, the campus infrastructure services division required data regarding the thermal characteristics and behaviour of the martials of the campus.

Uaviation developed a methodology using autonomous unmanned aircraft (Drones) that collected surface temperature measurements for every 10cm of the 24-hectare campus. The survey was collected during a hot day in summer and again after dusk to determine the behaviour of different materials (delta T). These two data sets and an inventory of surface materials were analysed to ascertain differences in thermal characteristics and behaviour.

Results from this survey were synthesised into a thermal performance report that discussed and visualised the findings of the survey, and highlighted which surface types reached peak temperatures, retained heat after dusk, how they interacted with their surroundings, and their implications on the local urban heat island effect and human thermal comfort.