A system and method for operating an automated aerial vehicle are provided wherein influences of ground effects (e.g., which may increase the effective thrusts of propellers by interfering with the respective airflows) are utilized for sensing the ground or other surfaces. In various implementations, operating parameters of the automated aerial vehicle are monitored to determine when ground effects are influencing the parameters associated with each of the propellers, which correspondingly indicate proximities to a surface (e.g., the ground). Utilizing such techniques, different propellers of an automated aerial vehicle may provide different sensing data (e.g., for detecting issues with an uneven landing area, a sloped ground, determining an automated aerial vehicle's location based on a unique ground surface profile, etc.)