From 2019-2021 a remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was used to complete surveys of the coastal bluffs along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan in Allegan and Berrien Counties Michigan.

The purpose of the survey was to asses bluff changes through a series of drone flights and remote sensing methods coupled with physical geologic assessments of the surficial bluff geology. All testing was done to validate indirect rapid assessment methods of the bluff conditions. The initial bluff assessment included three different areas of surficial bluff conditions:

1. St. Joseph, within the city with stormwater controls and minimal to no septic systems.
2. Miami Park north and south having some to no stormwater controls from the bluff to Blue Star Highway, East, and some sewage systems with limited septic systems and suggesting installation of natural grasses versus watering lawns.
3. Ludington/Pentwater (Peter Pan Land) a native grass and tree covered area with no housing or other development along Lakeshore Drive, just north of the Consumers Power pump storage power system.