Abstract: A digital elevation model (DEM) of the land space ecology at the hydropower project reservoir area could be quickly obtained by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); However, it is rare to focus on the continuous further optimal application of DEM. This study investigated the application of UAV in the rapid modeling and numerical analysis of the land space ecology with a pumped-storage reservoir project. According to the topographic map generated from the DEM, a three-dimensional  numerical model was built with the professional numerical software to verify the stress state and perform the stability analysis. The results show that the three-dimensional DEM generated by the UAV was able to highly duplicate the field site, which helped the following indoor numerical studies by scientists and engineers. Besides, based on the regular flying by the UAV, the spatiotemporal status of the land space ecology could be efficiently acquired at a low cost, which allows to achieve the goal of the health monitoring of the land space ecology.

Key words: UAV photogrammetry, rapid modeling, numerical analysis, land sp ace ecology