Mapping drone hitting the skies above Moose Jaw

Moose Jaw residents may notice a drone in the skies over the next few days.

The city says aerial imaging and mapping activities of identified geohazards will be completed May 12-16, as part of the Slope Assessment and Monitoring Program. 

The assessments will be conducted by AECOM Canada Ltd. and will include aerial surveys and mapping of the terrain using a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS).

AECOM will collect current photos of the slopes for comparison and analysis and the information will be used to update and review the Slope Monitoring Program.

Work will be conducted under a Transport Canada Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for operations conducted within three nautical miles of a Department of Defence facility, which is 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

The imagery collected will consist of geotagged photos which will be used to create digital elevation models of the ground terrain. 

All imagery will be provided to the City of Moose Jaw and will become the property of the city.

Images may be used in public reports. 

All affected landowners, residents and occupants affected by the drone flight path will receive notification via door knocker.

The city completed its first slope monitoring program in 2021, which identified 47 locations of concern, mainly near the banks of the Moose Jaw River, Thunder Creek and Spring Creek. 

Of those locations, 24 locations were considered low or very low risk, 12 were medium risk, 11 were high risk and none were very high risk that would have needed immediate attention. 

Four of the 11 high-risk locations are considered high priority. These are just south of Grandview Street West, the 800 block of Skipton Road, Wellesley Street East and near Aldergate Street and Seventh Avenue Southeast.

- with files from Shawn Slaght/Discover Moose Jaw