Abstract ID: 28.7292 | Accepted as Talk | Talk/Oral | 2025-02-27 15:00 - 15:15 | Ágnes‐Heller‐Haus/Small Lecture Room

Alpine glaciers are threatened by ongoing climate change, experiencing annual retreat and significant ice volume loss. This retreat has severe consequences, including increased rockfall hazards in areas with alpine infrastructure and disruptions to hydrological regimes, particularly those heavily reliant on glacial meltwater. Accurate knowledge of glacier volume is therefore crucial. While photogrammetry effectively quantifies annual glacier surface area loss, precisely determining the remaining ice volume remains challenging. Traditional ground-based Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys, although accurate, are time-consuming and inherently dangerous due to crevasse hazards. These limitations hinder detailed investigations at high spatial resolution. Recent advancements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology have enabled the integration of geophysical systems, facilitating rapid, large-scale, and high-resolution data acquisition. This significantly enhances the level of detail achievable in glacier volume quantification. This case study presents the findings of initial tests conducted on two glaciers in the Hohe Tauern Range, Austria: Schmiedingerkees (~ 0.72 km²) and Stubacher Sonnblickkees (~ 0.71 m²). We highlight the strengths and limitations of UAV-borne GPR, while assessing its precision and accuracy through comparisons with complementary measurement techniques and repeat surveys. The successful implementation of these initial tests demonstrates the high potential of UAV-borne GPR for advancing glacier monitoring. While measuring glacier thickness and volume is the primary application, this method can be adapted to various needs by utilizing different antenna frequencies. For example, higher frequencies can be employed to investigate smaller glacial features such as englacial channels. Moreover, repeated measurements enable the study of temporal changes, allowing for the construction of 4D glacier depictions.