MRRI Drone Program

Drones, also known as UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems), can access remote or hard-to-reach areas that may be difficult or impossible for humans to reach. This makes them uniquely suited for conducting tasks such as inspecting infrastructure, classifying land-use, or monitoring wildlife habitats with minimal disturbance. The Meadowlands Research & Restoration Institute (MRRI) uses drones to conduct aerial surveys & monitor various sites throughout the Hackensack Estuary, outputting imagery with extremely high spatial resolution.

MRRI currently operates 2 UAS platforms: a DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral & a DJI Phantom 4 RTK. These platforms allow for the utilization of both true color & multispectral sensors in conjunction with RTK GNSS receivers to ensure that the datasets MRRI outputs are highly detailed while maintaining the accuracy of their geographical location.

Drone data services provided to in-house departments & outside private parties include georeferenced panoramic & orthomosaic imagery acquisition (both true color & multispectral), 4k video production, land / plant cover measurements, plant health assessment, & both 2D/3D mapping & rendering. MRRI’s drone pilots are FAA part 107 sUAS certified. For inquiries regarding drone projects, please contact Eric Manke via e-mail at [email protected] .

NJSEA Drone Missions Application

As of December 2025, MRRI has amassed an inventory of over 170 drone maps, the oldest of which date back to October of 2017. This inventory is viewable to outside organizations & members of the general public via an application hosted on ArcGIS Online, which can be accessed through the link below. Through this application users can view the metadata corresponding to each flight in the inventory, preview low-resolution versions of each orthomosaic map, & send requests to MRRI’s drone team to acquire specific datasets. NJSEA Drone Missions Application.

1E Landfill – Brushfire Flight (3-18-2025)

In early March of 2025 a brushfire broke out on the southeastern portion of the 1E landfill located in Kearny, NJ. MRRI was able to conduct a mapping flight over the burnt area in order to estimate the total area burned by the fire.

1E Landfill – Film Scouting (3-11-2025)

The NJSEA rents out some of its owned properties for the purpose of filming media such as television or movies. Here, MRRI’s remote pilots fly one of our drones across the top of the 1E Landfill in Kearny, NJ so that its viability as a filming location can be assessed by interested parties.

Anderson Creek Marsh – Sediment Trap Placement Inspection (4-24-2025)

MRRI is monitoring the contamination of sediment flowing into and out of wetlands via sediment traps created in-house. This image shows a post-retrieval inspection of the placement of the sediment trap mount along the thalweg of Anderson Creek Marsh in Secaucus, NJ.

River Barge Park Overview (6-4-2025)

Drone flight orbiting the NJSEA’s River Barge Park in Carlstadt, NJ.

Rothman Park Construction (6-2-2025)

In early 2025, construction of the new Rothman Park began in Carlstadt, NJ. In this video, our drone orbits the site to showcase the progress of the construction project.

MRRI Drone Program

What We Do