This data set contains the UAV-based multispectral image data of a forest succession dataset in the context of boreal ecosystems survey. The data provides structural and biophysical information on forest state, structure, disturbance (wildfire, thaw slumps, windfall), thermokarst lake-shore interfaces, among others. Main data products are multispectral orthomosaics. Photogrammetric survey was conducted over 21 selected vegetation transects using the MicaSense Altum multispectral camera. Each transect (500m by 200m) contains at least one ground vegetation reference plot (https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.943547). The data was acquired in August and early September 2021 (07.08.2021 - 01.09.2021) along an extended 670 km line segment in Central and Eastern Yakutia (Republic of Sakha), Siberia, Russia. The principal study areas are the intramontane Oymyakon region in the Verkhoyansk mountain range near Lake "Ulu", and the central-eastern Yakutian lowlands with a slightly different ecological setting. A transect was covered by UAV-based multispectral imaging at flight heights between 70-100 m above ground level, at 80-85 % forward/sideward overlap. Subsequent analysis and segmentation algorithms allows single-tree crown and canopy analysis.

All data products are provided in .TIFF format. Further information are provided in the detailed ReadMe file.This data was collected during the international joint Russian-German expedition 'RU-Land_2021_Yakutia' in collaboration between the Alfred-Wegener-Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Potsdam, and the North-Eastern Federal University of Yakutsk, with UAV flight support by the Technical University Berlin. Additional funding for equipment was provided by the "Potsdamer InnoLab für Arktisforschung" grant no. F221-08-AWI/001/002, namely the Brandenburg Ministry for Science, Research and Culture and the Strategischer Call 2020 "Pro Nachhaltigkeit" by the Technical University of Berlin.