Many river ice processes and conditions can be difficult to quantitatively assess from the river banks. Remotely piloted aerial systems (RPAS) equipped with high resolution cameras can provide an entirely different perspective from the air, and help to qualitatively assess ice conditions and location. When equipped with an advanced LiDAR system and communicating with a real-time kinematic base station, these RPAS can become even more powerful by accurately measuring ice elevation over a considerable area. The benefits of measuring ice elevation and assessing ice roughness using RPAS-based LiDAR systems will be discussed, with examples from the Dauphin River, Manitoba presented to demonstrate typical results. Additional details on how river ice can look different from the perspective of a thermal imaging system mounted to a RPAS will also be presented for interest and discussion.