Gitga'at Drone Training

Last fiscal year, the Gitga’at Emergency Response Team purchased a sophisticated drone through Transport Canada funding under the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness (EMSA) program.

Along with the drone, several specialized cameras were acquired, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, high-resolution, and night-vision cameras. This equipment has already been put to good use in the community, collecting LiDAR data and high-resolution imagery for the rock quarries, road system, hydro project, and community infrastructure. These assets will be valuable for various applications in planning, operations, and maintenance.

Three members of the Emergency Response Team—Jessel Bolton, George Fisher, and Eddie Robinson—have obtained their advanced pilot licenses to operate this specialized equipment. They are now actively engaged in a range of projects.

In addition to the work mentioned above, Gitga’at Guardian Watchman George Fisher recently collaborated with representatives from the Hakai Institute to begin using the drone and LiDAR camera on a shoreline mapping project initiated by the GOLD team.

This mapping aims to document the current condition of the shoreline throughout Gitga’at Territory and to monitor potential impacts from increased marine shipping and climate change, such as shoreline erosion caused by vessel wakes and changes in sea levels that may deviate from historical patterns.