Wachapreague Town Marina: A Topobathy and 3D Modeling Project

At Earth System Management, LLC, our work at the Wachapreague Town Marina in Virginia combined both aerial orthophoto surveys and bathymetric mapping to produce a detailed, multi-layered view of the marina and its surrounding waters.

This project was especially meaningful for us—not just because of the data we gathered, but because it served as a real-world training ground for our ESM Drone Club. The owner of the building generously allowed our team to use the space free of charge for meetings and hands-on sessions, making this a vital hub for learning, innovation, and community building.

Using this opportunity, we refined our workflows, tested equipment in real conditions, and captured valuable spatial data that helped enhance our mapping capabilities. Projects like this are what allow us to train the next generation of coastal and environmental professionals while also giving back to our local communities.