Hurricane Isabel Aerial Photography: High-Resolution Imagery of the North Carolina Outer Banks After Landfall

The National Geodetic Survey Remote Sensing Division in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Emergency Management Agency, Department of Natural Resources, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency flew an Emerge/Applanix Digital Sensor System along the outer banks of North Carolina in support of recovery efforts and coastline change evaluation following Hurricane Isabel. On September 19, 2003, within a day after the hurricane hit land, NGS flew a NOAA Twin Otter equipped with the digital camera to collect imagery that could be quickly supplied to agencies for rapid response within the disaster areas. The digital sensor system incorporates the camera with an inertial navigation system including a GPS unit and inertial measurement unit (IMU) to allow for rapid georeferencing of the images. The camera was flown at about 2500 meters collecting imagery from Topsail Island near Camp Lejeune, NC up to the NC/Virginia state line. Over 600 images were collected over the three day period. Imagery collected by the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 1998 offered a quick reference to pre-storm conditions. Selected images are available to view online.