Accelerating discovery
The Fossett Lab combines field and satellite observations with continuous, AI-assisted analysis. We run drone and lidar surveys, process and analyze the data, and turn it into finished maps, models, and visualizations.
How science is changing
Field science has often followed a cycle: collect data, bring it home, analyze it, and repeat. That approach strains as satellites revisit frequently, sensors stream data, and drones survey the same sites again and again — data now arrive faster than anyone can process by hand.
Continuous analysis compares each new observation against what came before and points to where something's really changed. That leaves the scientist to do the part that needs judgment: figuring out what it means.
What we do
The vision rests on services the lab provides today, from field surveys to published results.
01
Collect
Drone surveys, terrestrial laser scanning, GNSS, total stations, and ground-penetrating radar — run end-to-end by lab staff, or by collaborators we train.
Explore Collect →02
Process
Raw field data become research-ready products — photogrammetric reconstruction, orthomosaics, and point clouds — through reproducible, automated pipelines.
Explore Process →03
Analyze
Deep-learning segmentation and classification, GIS workflows, and statistical analysis, delivered as version-controlled code with methods documentation.
Explore Analyze →04
Share
Publication figures, interactive 3D viewers, XR experiences, and an open data catalog with programmatic STAC access.
Explore Share →Beyond the lifecycle, the lab also takes on AI consulting — helping research groups apply machine learning and foundation models to their own data.
cm-scale
Positioning Accuracy
Sub-canopy
Lidar Penetration
5-band
Multispectral Imaging
Open
STAC Data Catalog
From the field to discovery
Collection, processing, analysis, and delivery, handled end-to-end by lab staff. Open to WashU researchers, external collaborators, and industry partners.
Plan a Campaign