April 18, 2025 — UAS close-up of south vent spatter

During UAS (uncrewed aircraft systems) overflights on April 18, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists flew their aircraft directly above the south vent within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea for a close-up view into its depths. Here, a small lava pond can be seen several tens of meters (yards) down within the vent, throwing spatter into the conduit but not all the way to the surface through the vent opening, which they estimated to measure about 5–10 meters (16–33 feet) wide. These UAS flights were conducted with the permission of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, owing to the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's mission to monitor active volcanoes in Hawaii, assess their hazards, issue warnings, and advance scientific understanding to reduce the impacts of eruptions. Unauthorized launching, landing, or operating of a UAS from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service is prohibited under 36 CFR Closures & Public Use. USGS photo by M. Zoeller.