Abstract: The unmanned autonomous vehicles, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USV), and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) are one of the new driving forces for economic development over the next few decades. These vehicles are widely used for civil operations, including but not limited to transportation, hazard monitoring, delivery service, public safety, and water quality monitoring and sampling. During the EWRS presentation, the presenter will share ongoing water resources research and discuss how fast-moving technologies can advance water research in American waterways. Applications of UAV and USV will be further highlighted to advance water quality monitoring and sampling followed by a STEM education initiative known as “Interstate Drone League (iDrone)” to promote environmental stewardship by leveraging STEM pipelines across the nation.
