62 results on '"unmanned aerial systems"'
Search Results
2. A framework for adoption of drones in the Dominican Republic construction industry
- Author
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Reynoso Vanderhorst, Hamlet, Suresh, Subashini, Heesom, David, and Renukappa, Suresh
- Subjects
qualitative ,research ,unmanned aircraft vehicle ,UAV ,unmanned aerial systems ,UAS ,policy ,PESTLE ,framework ,adoption ,Dominican Republic ,interviews - Abstract
There is a severe problem in developing countries in whether or not adopt technologies for facilitating daily tasks. It is happening mostly in sectors with low skills employees as the construction industry. The adoption of technologies in developing countries is a challenge that affect health, economy, and consciousness advancement. Furthermore, the scepticism in the what, how, and why the effectiveness of certain technologies, as drones, difficult the cost-benefit of the decision-making process for organisations in developing countries. This cost-benefit decision, involved in the cases of UAS applications, covers the regulatory and practical implications that are barriers in developed countries. But, in developing one, seems to have another set of barriers that should be investigate in-depth. Therefore, the aim of this research is to develop an ontology for public, private, and non-profit organisations that explain the epistemological implications in the implementation of Unmanned Aerial Systems for the Construction Industry in the Dominican Republic. The study approaches an iterative strategy of interviewing 24 participants in a semi-structured format. Then, the Nvivo 2020 software was used to identify cases utilising ground theory coding, thematic and content analysis. Later, the root cause reasons and challenges of implementing UAS were identified utilising Interpretative Structured Method (ISM) and their sub analyses. 5 Cases of studies were presented (real estate, construction, infrastructure, urban development, and disaster management) to illustrate the drone operations. The findings reveal that a hybrid management adoption approach have been the most suitable with drones in the country. The root cause of drone implementation and its barriers were cost reduction and reactive cultural respectively. Strategic and operational ontologies for UAS skill programs, understanding of UAS outcomes, and Building Information Modelling integration were developed in order to focus efforts on developing drones for cargo, assisting humans, and digitalisation. Mandates are recommended for policy makers as drones for digitalisation initiates digital workflows towards BIM. Other scenarios should be considering scenarios where autonomous aerial operations affect safety in future operations. Furthermore, recommendations on legal and standards should be updated in order to allow UAS outcomes as law acceptable. Further works are recommended in decentralised systems, artificial intelligence, and drone applications.
- Published
- 2022
3. IoT Privacy, Security and Forensics Challenges: An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Case Study
- Author
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Diaz Linares, Isis, Pardo, Angelife, Patch, Eric, Dehghantanha, Ali, Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond, Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond, editor, and Dehghantanha, Ali, editor
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Assessment and Prediction of Impact of Flight Configuration Factors on UAS-Based Photogrammetric Survey Accuracy.
- Author
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Liu, Yajie, Han, Kevin, and Rasdorf, William
- Subjects
- *
DIGITAL photogrammetry , *FOCAL length , *COMPUTER vision , *PREDICTION models , *FORECASTING , *CAMERA calibration , *QUANTITATIVE research - Abstract
Recent advances in computer vision and camera-equipped unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for 3D modeling enable UAS-based photogrammetry surveys with high spatial-temporal resolutions. To generate consistent and high-quality 3D models using UASs, understanding how influence factors (i.e., flight height, image overlap, etc.) affect the 3D modeling accuracy and their levels of significance are important. However, there is little to no quantitative analysis that studies how these influence factors interact with and affect the accuracy when changing the values of the influence factors. Moreover, there is little to no research that assesses more than three influence factors. Therefore, to fill this gap, this paper aims to evaluate and predict the accuracy generated by different flight combinations. This paper presents a study that (1) assessed the significance levels of five influence factors (flight height, average image quality, image overlap, ground control point (GCP) quantity, and camera focal lengths), (2) investigated how they interact and impact 3D modeling accuracy using the multiple regression (MR) method, and (3) used the developed MR models for predicting horizontal and vertical accuracies. To build the MR model, 160 datasets were created from 40 flight missions collected at a site with a facility and open terrain. For validating the prediction model, five testing datasets were collected and used at a larger site with a complex building and open terrain. The results show that the findings of this study can be applied to surveyors' better design flight configurations that result in the highest accuracies, given different site conditions and constraints. The results also provide a reasonable prediction of accuracy given different flight configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Analysis of Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Sensor Data for Natural Resource Applications: A Review.
- Author
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Fraser, Benjamin T., Bunyon, Christine L., Reny, Sarah, Lopez, Isabelle Sophia, and Congalton, Russell G.
- Subjects
- *
DRONE aircraft , *NATURAL resources , *SHRUBLANDS , *GRASSLANDS , *DATA analysis - Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS, UAV, or drones) have become an effective tool for applications in natural resources since the start of the 21st century. With their associated hardware and software technologies, UAS sensor data have provided high resolution and high accuracy results in a range of disciplines. Despite these achievements, only minimal progress has been made in (1) establishing standard operating practices and (2) communicating both the limitations and necessary next steps for future research. In this review of literature published between 2016 and 2022, UAS applications in forestry, freshwater ecosystems, grasslands and shrublands, and agriculture were synthesized to discuss the status and trends in UAS sensor data collection and processing. Two distinct conclusions were summarized from the over 120 UAS applications reviewed for this research. First, while each discipline exhibited similarities among their data collection and processing methods, best practices were not referenced in most instances. Second, there is still a considerable variability in the UAS sensor data methods described in UAS applications in natural resources, with fewer than half of the publications including an incomplete level of detail to replicate the study. If UAS are to increasingly provide data for important or complex challenges, they must be effectively utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. A Review of Security Incidents and Defence Techniques Relating to the Malicious Use of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems.
- Author
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Swinney, Carolyn J. and Woods, John C.
- Abstract
Critical national infrastructure sites, such as airports and nuclear facilities, have been subject to a number of airspace breaches from malicious unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in recent years. Not only can these incidents cause major disruptions, but they can have significant financial consequences. This article conducts a short review of security incidents caused by the malicious use of small UASs at airports and nuclear facilities. We conclude that the number of incidents of concern remain high and suggest the increased use of UAS with longer flight times, indicating a move away from commercially available platforms, which have limited flight times. The detection and classification methods presented in this review each have strong benefits but this is not withstanding their own challenges. Hence, this review recommends that more than one sensor type are considered in parallel for live systems. A comprehensive detection and classification system must extend further than typical commercially available platforms if we are to fully realize the threat. We also conclude that while successful countermeasure methods do exist there still remains many policy and legal challenges ahead for their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Phase I Final Technical Report, DOE16R1-19a: Miniaturized UAS Spectroradiometer for Quantifying Ecosystems
- Author
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Sack, Christina [Sporian Microsystems Inc., Lafayette, CO (United States)]
- Published
- 2016
8. Assessment and Prediction of Impact of Flight Configuration Factors on UAS-Based Photogrammetric Survey Accuracy
- Author
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Yajie Liu, Kevin Han, and William Rasdorf
- Subjects
unmanned aerial systems ,UAS ,photogrammetry ,surveying ,Science - Abstract
Recent advances in computer vision and camera-equipped unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for 3D modeling enable UAS-based photogrammetry surveys with high spatial-temporal resolutions. To generate consistent and high-quality 3D models using UASs, understanding how influence factors (i.e., flight height, image overlap, etc.) affect the 3D modeling accuracy and their levels of significance are important. However, there is little to no quantitative analysis that studies how these influence factors interact with and affect the accuracy when changing the values of the influence factors. Moreover, there is little to no research that assesses more than three influence factors. Therefore, to fill this gap, this paper aims to evaluate and predict the accuracy generated by different flight combinations. This paper presents a study that (1) assessed the significance levels of five influence factors (flight height, average image quality, image overlap, ground control point (GCP) quantity, and camera focal lengths), (2) investigated how they interact and impact 3D modeling accuracy using the multiple regression (MR) method, and (3) used the developed MR models for predicting horizontal and vertical accuracies. To build the MR model, 160 datasets were created from 40 flight missions collected at a site with a facility and open terrain. For validating the prediction model, five testing datasets were collected and used at a larger site with a complex building and open terrain. The results show that the findings of this study can be applied to surveyors’ better design flight configurations that result in the highest accuracies, given different site conditions and constraints. The results also provide a reasonable prediction of accuracy given different flight configurations.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. A method to support the requirements trade-off of integrated vehicle health management for unmanned aerial systems
- Author
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Heaton, Andrew Edward, Fan, Ip-Shing, and Lawson, C. P.
- Subjects
629.133 ,Integrated Vehicle Health Management ,IVHM ,Unmanned Aerial Systems ,UAS ,Design ,Requirements Analysis ,Stakeholders - Abstract
he digital revolution in the latter part of the twentieth century has resulted in the increased use and development of Cyber-Physical Systems. Two of which are Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM). Both are relatively new areas of interest to academia, military, and commercial organisations. Designing IVHM for a UAS is no easy task – the complexity inherent in UAS, with projects involving multiple partners/organisations; multiple stakeholders are also interested in the IVHM. IVHM needs to justify itself throughout the life of the UAS, and the lack of established knowledge makes it hard to know where to start. The establishment and analysis of requirements for IVHM on UAS is known to be important and costly – and for IVHM a complex one. There are multiple stakeholders to satisfy and ultimately the needs of the customer, all demanding different things from the IVHM, and with limited resources they need to be prioritised. There are also many hindrances to this: differences in language between stakeholders, customers failing to see the benefits, scheduling conflicts, no operational data. The contribution to knowledge in this thesis is the IVHM Requirements Deployment (IVHM-RD) – a method for a designer of UAS IVHM to build a tool which can consolidate and evaluate the various stakeholder’s requirements. When the tool is subsequently populated with knowledge from individual Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), it provides a prioritised set of IVHM requirements. The IVHM-RD has been tested on two design cases and generalised for the use with other designs. Analysis of the process has been conducted and in addition the results of the design cases have been analysed in three ways: how the results relate to each design case, comparison between the two cases, and how much the relationships between requirements are understood. A validation exercise has also been conducted to establish the legitimacy of the IVHM-RD process. This research is likely to have an impact on the elicitation and analysis of IVHM requirements for UAS – and the wider design process of IVHM. The IVHM-RD process should also prove of use to designers of IVHM on other assets. The populations of the design cases also provide information which could be useful to other designer and future research.
- Published
- 2014
10. Incorporating Safety Excellence into Urban Air Mobility (UAM): Insights from Commercial Aviation, Rotorcraft, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
- Author
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Jang, Seyoung "Evie"
- Subjects
- Urban Air Mobility, UAM, Aviation Safety, Commercial Aviation, Rotorcraft, Unmanned Aerial Systems, UAS, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Concept of Operations, ConOps, Autonomy, Safety Management Systems, Aviation Safety and Security, Management and Operations, Transportation and Mobility Management
- Abstract
This paper focused on safety considerations in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) through a cross-industry examination of commercial aviation, rotorcraft, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Although UAM promises transformative benefits, there are safety concerns remaining. Based on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Concept of Operations (ConOps), the literature review explained the fundamental concepts of UAM. In commercial aviation, regulatory framework, pilot training and certification, vehicle design and maintenance, and emergency response planning are emphasized. For rotorcraft, safety requirements for vertical flight, collision avoidance systems, heliport standards, and weather adaptability are crucial. Leveraging UAS advancements, the study suggested autonomous systems, sense-and-avoid technology, and remote piloting for enhanced safety in the UAM sector.
- Published
- 2024
11. INTEGRATION OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS IN MODERN CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC .
- Author
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Kosuda, Marek, ., Stanislav Szabo, Horvath, Agnesa, Kelemen, Martin, and Balla, Filip
- Subjects
- *
CRISIS management , *PUBLIC administration , *NATIONAL unification , *DEFENSE industries , *DATA transmission systems , *SYSTEM integration , *MILITARY technology - Abstract
Human societies have had to face various forms of threat, since the onset of our predecessors. For societies to survive they must be capable adapting to the fluctuations of environment, reinventing established society models and leverage development of technologies. Aside from securing sustainable society, development and implementation of technologies for defense against war conflicts, various forms of armed violence, including terrorism, but also natural disasters, epidemics or pandemics is indispensable endeavor defining survival from another point of view. Along with the gradual development of human society via levering technology for society overall benefits such as medicine, agriculture and environment, there is a constant development of the armaments industry and new technologies potentially threatening security and stability, therefore it is necessary to constantly adapt individual defense systems to new real as well as potential threats. The principal body of preparations for these possible scenarios is the crisis management of public administration. Based on theoretical concepts of crisis management of public administration, an integrated rescue system has been created, as one of the key subsystems of crisis management ensuring coordinated action of its components in crisis situations where there is an immediate threat to life, health, property or the environment. As part of the process of adapting to new potential safety risks at regional level, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have considerable potential to increase the effectiveness of the integrated rescue system. At the same time, the practical implementation of unmanned aerial systems in the various components of the integrated rescue system necessarily requires adequate technical support for the UAS integration in the national airspace, transmission of collected data, trained personnel, technical compatibility of the gathered data with information systems used in the integrated rescue system and other special processes. This paper focuses on the current situation of UAS in the Slovak Republic from legislative perspective within the crisis management at the national level and regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Drones Minimize Antarctic Predator Responses Relative to Ground Survey Methods: An Appeal for Context in Policy Advice
- Author
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Douglas J. Krause, Jefferson T. Hinke, Michael E. Goebel, and Wayne L. Perryman
- Subjects
animal behavior ,disturbance ,RPAS ,unmanned aerial systems ,UAS ,UAV ,Science ,General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,QH1-199.5 - Abstract
Unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) have become common tools for ecological monitoring and management. However, UAS use has the potential to negatively affect wildlife. Both policy makers and practitioners require data about the potential impacts of UAS on natural biota, but few studies exist and some of the published results conflict. We conducted two experiments to assess the responses of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus), Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) to UAS overflights. First, to provide a baseline for assessing disturbance from UAS operations, we compare behavioral responses from UAS flights to those from traditional, ground surveys. Second, to inform users and policy makers about preferred flight methods, we assess behavioral and physiological responses to UAS flown at specific altitudes, during different stages of breeding chronology, and with other site factors. Between January 2017 and March 2018 we conducted 268 UAS flight approaches and 36 ground-based surveys at Cape Shirreff, Antarctic Peninsula. We applied generalized linear mixed effects models and Kruskal-Wallis tests to 10,164 behavioral scores obtained from three independent observers. When directly compared, behavioral responses by all species to UAS overflights at 30 m were not different from control periods, while responses to ground surveys were significantly more intense. Behavioral responses generally increased as UAS flew lower, and for penguins those increases intensified as the breeding season progressed (i.e., guard and molt stages). We argue that results from UAS wildlife response studies need to be assessed relative to the impacts of alternative methods, and within the ecological context of the target species. Finally, we suggest data-driven best practices for both UAS use and for the design of future UAS-wildlife response studies.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
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13. TRENDS, BENEFITS, AND BARRIERS OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A SURVEY STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES.
- Author
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Albeaino, Gilles and Gheisari, Masoud
- Subjects
DRONE aircraft ,CONSTRUCTION industry ,BUILDING site planning ,ROTORCRAFT - Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have rapidly been integrated into the construction industry over the past few years, and their application is continually growing in this domain. The recent development in UAS regulations and technical capabilities have played a significant role in their popularity and wide deployment in various stages of the construction lifecycle. UASs could be used as a platform to enhance the construction practices in general; however, little is known about how construction professionals are adopting this technology in specific construction practices and the barriers they are facing for their successful implementation. The purpose of this study is to explore the current state-of-practice of UAS integration in construction from the industry professionals' viewpoint. A comprehensive survey study was conducted in the United States to identify the practical construction UAS application areas, their adopted technologies, as well as the benefits and barriers encountered during their implementation. Responses (n=56) showed that most common UAS applications include progress monitoring, site planning, and site surveying/mapping. Rotary-wing vehicles and visual and thermal cameras were the most used platforms and onboard sensors, respectively. Saving time, improving accessibility to compromised spaces, and reducing cost while accomplishing construction tasks were highly regarded as UAS implementation benefits in construction. Participants also considered flying in various weather conditions, within confined or congested areas, as well as the advanced technical know-how requirements, and the increased liability and legal challenges as barriers to using UASs in construction-related tasks. By understanding UAS adoption in construction, this study provides a roadmap to better identify the industry needs and guide researchers and professionals in investigating application areas and barriers that might have maximum benefits for the construction industry in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Drone-Based Identification of Erosive Processes in Open-Pit Mining Restored Areas
- Author
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Joan-Cristian Padró, Johnsson Cardozo, Pau Montero, Roger Ruiz-Carulla, Josep Maria Alcañiz, Dèlia Serra, and Vicenç Carabassa
- Subjects
UAS ,Unmanned Aerial Systems ,mining ,restoration ,erosion ,digital terrain models ,Agriculture - Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Systems, or drones, are very helpful tools for managing open-pit mining operations and developing ecological restoration activities. This article presents a method for identifying water erosion processes in active quarries by means of drone imagery remote sensing, in the absence of pre-existing imagery or mapping for comparison. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with a spatial resolution (SR) >10 cm and an orthophoto with an SR >2.5 cm were generated from images captured with a drone and their subsequent photogrammetric processing. By using Geographical Information Systems tools to process the DEM, a detailed drainage network was obtained, the areas of detected water erosion were separated, and the watersheds in the gullies identified. Subsequently, an estimated DEM before the erosive processes was reconstructed by interpolating the gully ridges; this DEM serves as a reference for the relief before the erosion. To calculate the volume of eroded material, the DEM of Differences was calculated, which estimates the volume difference between the previously estimated DEM and the current DEM. Additionally, we calculated the material necessary for the geomorphological adaptation of the quarry and the slope map, which are two valuable factors closely related to the monitoring of erosive processes. The results obtained allowed us to identify the erosion factors quickly and accurately in this type of mining. In the case of water-filled quarries, it would be important to characterize the subsurface relief. Essentially, the presented method can be applied with affordable and non-invasive materials to create digital grid maps at 10 cm resolution, obtaining data ready for 3D metrics, being a very practical landscape modelling tool for characterizing the restoration evolution of open-pit mining spaces.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. DroneShield gets $4.3M order from U.S. government client.
- Author
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O'Shea, Dan
- Subjects
SUPPLIERS ,FEDERAL government - Abstract
DroneShield, a supplier of counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) products, said it has received a $4.3 million "repeat order" from an unidentified U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
16. BlueHalo continues defense tech shopping spree with Eqlipse buy.
- Author
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O'Shea, Dan
- Abstract
BlueHalo, a defense technology company that has been landing many federal government and military contracts in recent years, announced it is planning to acquire Eqlipse Technologies, a fellow suppl [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
17. SSIMS-Flow: UAV image velocimetry workbench - example video #2
- Author
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Robert Ljubicic
- Subjects
optical flow ,digital image stabilization ,UAV ,image velocimetry ,UAS ,image enhancement ,unmanned aerial vehicles ,unmanned aerial systems - Abstract
Example video #2forSSIMS-Flow: UAV image velocimetry workbench tool(Official repository).
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Unmanned aerial system–assisted wilderness search and rescue mission.
- Author
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Truong Duy Dinh, Pirmagomedov, Rustam, Van Dai Pham, Ahmed, Aram A., Kirichek, Ruslan, Glushakov, Ruslan, and Vladyko, Andrei
- Subjects
- *
RESCUE work , *CELL phones , *COMPUTER vision - Abstract
The success of the wilderness search and rescue missions is highly dependent on the time required to search for the lost person. The use of unmanned aerial systems may enhance search and rescue missions by supplying aerial support of the search process. There are unmanned aerial system–based solutions, which are capable of detecting the lost person using computer vision, infrared sensors, and detection of a mobile phone signal. The most pressing issue is reducing the cost of a search and rescue mission. Thus, to improve the efficiency of the resource utilization in wilderness search scenario, we consider the use of unmanned aerial system for both mobile phone detection and enabling Wi-Fi communication for the ground portion of the search and rescue team. Such an approach does not require specific additional tools (e.g. access point, specific user equipment) for communication, which reduces the cost and improves the scalability and coordination of the search and rescue mission. As a result, the article provides methods of searching the wilderness for a person using beacon signals from a mobile phone for two situations: when the distance to the source of emergency signals is unknown and when the distance is known. In addition, the voice transmission delay and the number of unmanned aircrafts are found to guaranty the quality of a call. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. RPAS Automatic ADS-B Based Separation Assurance and Collision Avoidance System Real-Time Simulation Results
- Author
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Vittorio Di Vito and Giulia Torrano
- Subjects
remotely piloted aircraft systems ,RPAS ,unmanned aerial vehicles ,UAV ,unmanned aerial systems ,UAS ,Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics ,TL1-4050 - Abstract
Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) are increasingly becoming relevant actors that are flying through the airspace and will gain much more importance in the future. In order to allow for their safe integration with manned conventional traffic in non-segregated airspaces, in accordance with the overall air traffic management (ATM) paradigm, specific enabling technologies are needed. As is well known, the detect and avoid (DAA) technology is fundamental among the enabling technologies identified as crucial for RPAS integration into the overall ATM system. In the meantime, to support extended surveillance, the universal introduction of cooperative automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) on-board aircraft is being increasingly implemented because it has the potential to allow for the coverage of the entire airspaces in remote areas not usually covered by conventional radar surveillance. In this paper, experimental results that were obtained through the real-time validation, with hardware and human in the loop (RTS-HIL) simulations, of an automatic ADS-B based separation assurance and collision avoidance system aimed to support RPAS automatic operations (as well as remote pilot decision making) are presented and discussed. In the paper, after an introductory outline of the concept of operations (ConOps) of the system and its architectural organization, in addition to basic information about the main system functionalities, a description of the tests that were carried out is reported, and the obtained results are described and discussed in order to emphasize the performance and limitations of the proposed system. In particular, the obtained quantitative performances are reported and commented on, and the feedback presented by pilots in order to improve the system, e.g., in terms of preferred typology of conflict resolution maneuver elaborated by the system, is described.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Quantitative Comparison of UAS-Borne LiDAR Systems for High-Resolution Forested Wetland Mapping
- Author
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Narcisa Gabriela Pricope, Joanne Nancie Halls, Kerry Lynn Mapes, Joseph Britton Baxley, and James JyunYueh Wu
- Subjects
Unmanned aerial systems ,UAS ,LiDAR ,wetlands delineation ,mapping ,topographic modeling ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services across a range of environmental gradients and are at heightened risk of degradation from anthropogenic pressures and continued development, especially in coastal regions. There is a growing need for high-resolution (spatially and temporally) habitat identification and precise delineation of wetlands across a variety of stakeholder groups, including wetlands loss mitigation programs. Traditional wetland delineations are costly, time-intensive and can physically degrade the systems that are being surveyed, while aerial surveys are relatively fast and relatively unobtrusive. To assess the efficacy and feasibility of using two variable-cost LiDAR sensors mounted on a commercial hexacopter unmanned aerial system (UAS) in deriving high resolution topography, we conducted nearly concomitant flights over a site located in the Atlantic Coastal plain that contains a mix of palustrine forested wetlands, upland coniferous forest, upland grass and bare ground/dirt roads. We compared point clouds and derived topographic metrics acquired using the Quanergy M8 and the Velodyne HDL-32E LiDAR sensors with airborne LiDAR and results showed that the less expensive and lighter payload sensor outperforms the more expensive one in deriving high resolution, high accuracy ground elevation measurements under a range of canopy cover densities and for metrics of point cloud density and digital terrain computed both globally and locally using variable size tessellations. The mean point cloud density was not significantly different between wetland and non-wetland areas, but the two sensors were significantly different by wetland/non-wetland type. Ultra-high-resolution LiDAR-derived topography models can fill evolving wetlands mapping needs and increase accuracy and efficiency of detection and prediction of sensitive wetland ecosystems, especially for heavily forested coastal wetland systems.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Designing Simulation to Meet UAS Training Needs
- Author
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Ison, David C., Terwilliger, Brent A., Vincenzi, Dennis A., Hutchison, David, editor, Kanade, Takeo, editor, Kittler, Josef, editor, Kleinberg, Jon M., editor, Mattern, Friedemann, editor, Mitchell, John C., editor, Naor, Moni, editor, Nierstrasz, Oscar, editor, Pandu Rangan, C., editor, Steffen, Bernhard, editor, Sudan, Madhu, editor, Terzopoulos, Demetri, editor, Tygar, Doug, editor, Vardi, Moshe Y., editor, Weikum, Gerhard, editor, and Yamamoto, Sakae, editor
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Habitat structure modifies microclimate: An approach for mapping fine‐scale thermal refuge.
- Author
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Rachlow, Janet L., Milling, Charlotte R., Olsoy, Peter J., Shipley, Lisa A., Thornton, Daniel H., Chappell, Mark A., Johnson, Timothy R., and Forbey, Jennifer S.
- Subjects
CLIMATE change ,LANDSCAPES ,STELLULA calliope ,SELASPHORUS platycercus ,ANOLIS cristatellus - Abstract
Abstract: Contemporary techniques predicting habitat suitability under climate change projections often underestimate availability of thermal refuges. Habitat structure contributes to thermal heterogeneity at a variety of spatial scales, but quantifying microclimates at organism‐relevant resolutions remains a challenge. Landscapes that appear homogeneous at large scales may offer patchily distributed thermal refuges at finer scales. We quantified the relationship between vegetation structure and the thermal environment at a scale relevant to small, terrestrial animals using a new approach for mapping fine‐scale thermal heterogeneity. We expected that vegetation would create attenuated microclimates and that the influence of vegetation structure would vary seasonally. We measured shrub volume, horizontal cover and operative temperature (T
e ) in a sagebrush‐steppe habitat in Idaho, USA, at 534 microsites across two study sites of c. 1 km2 each. We modelled relationships between habitat structure and both mean daily maximum temperature ( T ¯ max) and mean diurnal temperature range ( DTR ¯) for each study site during summer and winter. Aerial imagery from unmanned aerial systems was used to estimate shrub volume and canopy cover at 1‐m resolution, and we applied the best fit model to map thermal heterogeneity across broader extents. Increasing shrub volume and cover was associated with lower T ¯ max and DTR ¯, but strengths of the relationships differed between study sites. There was considerable heterogeneity in availability of thermal refuges across sagebrush‐steppe rangelands that have traditionally been considered relatively homogeneous. This technique can help ecologists and land managers identify critical thermal refuges that large‐scale climate modelling can overlook and thus contribute to an understanding of animal–habitat relationships under changing climates and land uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
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23. AN INTRODUCTION TO FRAMEWORK ADAPTATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL ASSURANCE OF A DEEP NEURAL NETWORK WITHIN NAVAL TEST AND EVALUATION
- Author
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Lyon, Blake A., Mortlock, Robert F., and Defense Management
- Subjects
unmanned ,UAS ,unmanned systems ,unmanned aerial systems ,test and evaluation ,T&E ,DNN - Abstract
The complexity of modern warfare has rapidly outmatched the capacity of a human brain to accomplish the required tasks of a defined mission set. Task-shedding mundane tasks would prove immensely beneficial, freeing the warfighter to solve more complex issues; however, most tasks that a human might find menial, and shed-worthy, prove vastly abstract for a computer to solve. Advances in Deep Neural Network technology have demonstrated extensive applications as of late. As DNNs become more capable of accomplishing increasingly complex tasks, and the processors to run those neural nets continue to decrease in size, incorporation of DNN technology into legacy and next-generation aerial Department of Defense platforms has become eminently useful and advantageous. The assimilation of DNN-based systems using traditional testing methods and frameworks to produce artifacts in support of platform certification within Naval Airworthiness, however, proves prohibitive from a cost and time perspective, is not factored for agile development, and would provide an incomplete understanding of the capabilities and limitations of a neural network. The framework presented in this paper provides updated methodologies and considerations for the testing and evaluation and assurance of neural networks in support of the Naval Test and Evaluation process. Commander, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2022
24. Monitoring Tropospheric Gases with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) during the Second CLOUDMAP Flight Campaign
- Author
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Travis J. Schuyler, Sean C. C. Bailey, and Marcelo I. Guzman
- Subjects
unmanned aerial vehicles ,unmanned aerial systems ,UAV ,UAS ,drones ,trace ,gases ,troposphere ,atmospheric boundary layer ,ABL ,emission ,quantification ,methane ,carbon dioxide ,ammonia ,Meteorology. Climatology ,QC851-999 - Abstract
Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are a promising technology for atmospheric monitoring of trace atmospheric gases. While sUAS can be navigated to provide information with higher spatiotemporal resolution than tethered balloons, they can also bridge the gap between the regions of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) sampled by ground stations and manned aircraft. Additionally, sUAS can be effectively employed in the petroleum industry, e.g., to constrain leaking regions of hydrocarbons from long gasoducts. Herein, sUAS are demonstrated to be a valuable technology for studying the concentration of important trace tropospheric gases in the ABL. The successful detection and quantification of gases is performed with lightweight sensor packages of low-power consumption that possess limits of detection on the ppm scale or below with reasonably fast response times. The datasets reported include timestamps with position, temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and variable mixing ratio values of ~400 ppm CO2, ~1900 ppb CH4, and ~5.5 ppb NH3. The sensor packages were deployed aboard two different sUAS operating simultaneously during the second CLOUDMAP flight campaign in Oklahoma, held during 26−29 June 2017. A Skywalker X8 fixed wing aircraft was used to fly horizontally at a constant altitude, while vertical profiles were provided by a DJI Phantom 3 (DJI P3) quadcopter flying upward and downward at fixed latitude-longitude coordinates. The results presented have been gathered during 8 experiments consisting of 32 simultaneous flights with both sUAS, which have been authorized by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) under the current regulations (Part 107). In conclusion, this work serves as proof of concept showing the atmospheric value of information provided by the developed sensor systems aboard sUAS.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. A Photogrammetric Workflow for the Creation of a Forest Canopy Height Model from Small Unmanned Aerial System Imagery
- Author
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Philippe Lejeune, Stéphanie Bonnet, Marc Pierrot-Deseilligny, and Jonathan Lisein
- Subjects
canopy height ,forestry ,photogrammetry ,MICMAC ,Unmanned Aerial Systems ,UAS ,UAV ,forest inventory ,uneven-aged broadleaf stands ,Plant ecology ,QK900-989 - Abstract
The recent development of operational small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) opens the door for their extensive use in forest mapping, as both the spatial and temporal resolution of UAS imagery better suit local-scale investigation than traditional remote sensing tools. This article focuses on the use of combined photogrammetry and “Structure from Motion” approaches in order to model the forest canopy surface from low-altitude aerial images. An original workflow, using the open source and free photogrammetric toolbox, MICMAC (acronym for Multi Image Matches for Auto Correlation Methods), was set up to create a digital canopy surface model of deciduous stands. In combination with a co-registered light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital terrain model, the elevation of vegetation was determined, and the resulting hybrid photo/LiDAR canopy height model was compared to data from a LiDAR canopy height model and from forest inventory data. Linear regressions predicting dominant height and individual height from plot metrics and crown metrics showed that the photogrammetric canopy height model was of good quality for deciduous stands. Although photogrammetric reconstruction significantly smooths the canopy surface, the use of this workflow has the potential to take full advantage of the flexible revisit period of drones in order to refresh the LiDAR canopy height model and to collect dense multitemporal canopy height series.
- Published
- 2013
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- View/download PDF
26. Bauwerksprüfung unterstützt durch neuartige Besichtigungstechniken - Erste Erfahrungen.
- Author
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Holst, Ralph, Sperber, Martin, and Gößmann, Rainer
- Abstract
Structural inspection supported by new inspection techniques - First results The road infrastructure has reached the edge of its service capability by increased external impacts and increasing average age and maintenance measure will be implemented in future to a considerable extent. To carry out the maintenance measures in a technically and economically optimal may, it's necessary to be informed at an early stage as fully as possible about the current state of the structure. For this it's necessary to find and evaluate new innovative techniques to support bridge inspection in accordance with German Standard DIN 1076. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) provide a range of possibilities of photo recording and may thus be used as an auxiliary in bridge inspections. As part of this research project, flights were operated to three bridges and the use of UAS allowed identifying damage to the bridges in question. Given the possibility to operate flights to areas which are not easily accessible as well as time savings during testing offered by the use of UAS, this technology seems attractive for inspections of bridges. The targeted use of UAS will result in reduced service failures and an increase in the quality of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Drones Minimize Antarctic Predator Responses Relative to Ground Survey Methods: An Appeal for Context in Policy Advice
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Jefferson T. Hinke, Michael E. Goebel, Douglas J. Krause, and Wayne L. Perryman
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RPAS ,lcsh:QH1-199.5 ,UAV ,Wildlife ,Ocean Engineering ,Context (language use) ,lcsh:General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,Aquatic Science ,animal behavior ,unmanned aerial systems ,Oceanography ,Peninsula ,biology.animal ,Hydrurga leptonyx ,lcsh:Science ,Baseline (configuration management) ,Water Science and Technology ,disturbance ,Global and Planetary Change ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,biology ,Arctocephalus gazella ,Leopard ,biology.organism_classification ,Fishery ,Pygoscelis antarcticus ,lcsh:Q ,UAS - Abstract
Unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) have become common tools for ecological monitoring and management. However, UAS use has the potential to negatively affect wildlife. Both policy makers and practitioners require data about the potential impacts of UAS on natural biota, but few studies exist and some of the published results conflict. We conducted two experiments to assess the responses of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus), Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) to UAS overflights. First, to provide a baseline for assessing disturbance from UAS operations, we compare behavioral responses from UAS flights to those from traditional, ground surveys. Second, to inform users and policy makers about preferred flight methods, we assess behavioral and physiological responses to UAS flown at specific altitudes, during different stages of breeding chronology, and with other site factors. Between January 2017 and March 2018 we conducted 268 UAS flight approaches and 36 ground-based surveys at Cape Shirreff, Antarctic Peninsula. We applied generalized linear mixed effects models and Kruskal-Wallis tests to 10,164 behavioral scores obtained from three independent observers. When directly compared, behavioral responses by all species to UAS overflights at 30 m were not different from control periods, while responses to ground surveys were significantly more intense. Behavioral responses generally increased as UAS flew lower, and for penguins those increases intensified as the breeding season progressed (i.e., guard and molt stages). We argue that results from UAS wildlife response studies need to be assessed relative to the impacts of alternative methods, and within the ecological context of the target species. Finally, we suggest data-driven best practices for both UAS use and for the design of future UAS-wildlife response studies.
- Published
- 2021
28. Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems for the Navy and Marine Corps: Future Hardware Development Needs
- Author
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Hale, Britta, Van Bossuyt, Douglas, Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), Naval Research Program (NRP), and Systems Engineering
- Subjects
C-UAS ,C-UxS,C-UxS Security ,geopolitical issues ,C-UAS developing technology ,ComputingMethodologies_SIMULATIONANDMODELING ,C-UAS use constraints ,C-UAS interoperability ,ComputerApplications_COMPUTERSINOTHERSYSTEMS ,unmanned security ,unmanned aerial systems ,counter-unmanned systems ,C-UAS Security ,UAS ,counter-unmanned aerial systems - Abstract
NPS NRP Executive Summary Counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology enables detection, location, and interception of adversarial unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Use of C-UAS is not only contingent on available technology and the technology of the threat itself, but also the use-case geopolitical operational environment. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are tasked with providing global C-UAS defense for a multitude of mission facets to include fixed installations, forward operating bases, maritime assets, and mobile ground elements. In this context, C-UAS coordination and integration is essential to the Navy and Marine Corps’ amphibious and expeditionary warfare doctrine. This work addresses the future hardware and interoperability acquisition needs for the Navy and Marine Corps C-UAS kill chains based on existent and emerging C-UAS and UAS technologies, as well was as use per areas of responsibility (AOR) during active and non-active conflicts. It applies a systems engineering approach to model C-UAS effectiveness against current and emerging threats, e.g., 5G-enabled UAS. We focus on threats imposed by smaller, handheld, commercial UASs. This work demonstrates that current C-UAS approaches and techniques will be asymmetrically ineffective against the variegated UAS threat domain and points to a necessity for interoperability among DoD-procured C-UAS to enable mission effectiveness even under current threats. This work informs and supports future requirements and concepts of operations for the Department of the Navy C-UAS and interoperability for Navy and Marine Corps C-UAS operations. Marine Corps Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM) This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrp Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2021
29. Naval Research Program 2021 Annual Report
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Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), Naval Research Program, Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), and Naval Research Program (NRP)
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operational planning ,GPS ,STORM ,communications ,NOSSA ,Logistics ,military operations in the information environment ,intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting ,operational effectiveness analysis ,Shi ,CubeSat form factor ,hypervelocity missile ,MDUSV ,cognitive radio ,LOCE ,EMP ,adoption ,PBT ,sensing ,systems engineering ,geopolitical issues ,response ,social identity ,strategic supply chains ,CIR ,time series analysis ,acoustic vector sensors ,high frequency ,intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance ,Predictive Modeling ,communications intelligence ,simulation ,neural networks ,Naval Expeditionary Forces ,AFSI ,MQ-25A ,multilevel networks ,C5ISRT ,nuclear weapons ,symbol error rate ,JP-5 ,TLA ,competence ,UxV networked control system ,tactical maneuver ,SATCOM ,pilot training ,EOD ,Navy Analytic Agenda ,DMO ,SysML ,programs of record (PoRs) ,Joint Task Force Commander ,resource generators ,competency model ,trust ,CLA ,NAE ,item mission essentiality code ,design of experiments ,joint campaign analysis ,DoD ,WIEVLE ,ERA5 ,electronic intelligence ,cognition ,Long Range Unmanned Surface Vessel ,GBASM ,USMC ,information environment operations ,delivery schedule ,networking ,failures ,radio communications ,combat modeling ,naval power ,mobile learning ,Department of Defense ,DOE ,collection ,Arctic Ocean ,coefficient of variance ,Reliability Engineering ,information operations ,FRWQ ,OFDM ,unexploded ordinance detection ,subseasonal to seasonal ,training ,non-lethal weapons ,Special Operations Forces ,3D printing ,pre-positioning ,artificial intelligence ,GPS-denied navigation ,competency ,VSW ,SZ ,alcohol-drug abuse ,renewable ,Optimization ,ISRT ,non-kinetic targeting ,batteries ,Red Cell analysis ,degraded communications ,business intelligence ,EMCON ,storage ,ESG ,salvos ,interdependence analysis ,supply chain ,constant energy modulation ,Information Stream ,zoning ,CWMD ,pandemic ,performance-based training ,littoral operations in contested environments ,Firing Theory ,Great Power War ,MCM ,competency-based education ,Earth Systems Prediction Capability (ESPC) ,virtualization ,DRL ,Assignment Modeling ,cyber-security ,signals intelligence ,hydrodynamics ,transport ,social capital ,Finance ,MDA ,mission planning ,human on the loop control ,EDRAM ,force structure ,transmission control protocol ,Wargaming ,Bonuses ,emissions control ,law ,Navy ESPC ,exponential random graph models (ERGMs) ,laser weapon system ,C-UxS,C-UxS Security ,mobile telephony ,flashbang grenades ,naval tactical grid ,UUV ,High Intensity Conflict ,logistical independence ,situational awareness ,wireless communications ,Hadoop ,tactical operations centers ,battery ,Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) ,COMINT ,agent-based simulation ,energy ,Heat Treatment ,Maintenance ,cost model ,unmanned security ,CSG ,standoff ,JADC2 ,PLM ,Budgeting ,NMCS ,OODA ,Domain Awareness ,internet protocol ,Wreck Interior Exploration Vehicle ,resilience ,C2 ,deep reinforcement learning ,subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) ,information warfare ,cyber ,modeling ,humility ,UxV ,and Modeling ,Document relevance ,AI ,fire support coordination ,Commander’s Intelligence Requirements ,UxV NCS ,Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis ,fusion ,combat logistics ,expeditionary advanced base operations ,Great Power Competition ,RRL ,Tribes ,medical ,Machine Learning ,access ,procurement lead time ,Grey Zone Conflict ,lead time reduction ,capabilities assessment ,distributed maritime operations ,MS sensor ,Atlantic Ocean ,discrete event simulation ,POM ,surf zone ,Model Based Systems Engineering Methodology for Employing Architecture for Systems Analysis ,regulation ,energy optimization ,C5I ,representing situations ,technology adoption ,officer pay ,campaign analysis ,littoral operations in a contested environment ,BFTN ,PPE ,Naval Special Warfare Command ,Intelligence Gathering ,maritime domain awareness ,target tracking ,F-76 ,Compensation ,budget ,EABO ,leadership ,very shallow water ,industrial base ,explosive ordnance disposal ,LRUSV ,security ,data farming ,CONOPS ,RAATM ,Cold Spray ,projected situational awareness ,meteorology and oceanography (METOC) ,automation ,C-UAS ,human machine teaming ,A2/AD ,Program Objective Memorandum ,Apache Webserver ,Reliability Predictions ,distributed operations ,behavioral decision making ,Systems Modeling Language ,MBSE MEASA ,sUAS ,learning management systems ,USVs ,Seabed-to-Space ,event-driven graph data model ,offensive mine warfare ,HF ,peer-to-peer systems ,Battlefield Tactical Network ,causal learning ,cellular telephony ,Integration ,classifications ,infrastructure ,counter-unmanned systems ,context ,orthogonal division multiplexing ,constructive simulation ,automated decision aids ,air- to-air refueling ,counter-detection ,escalation ladder ,federated learning ,ground-based anti-ship missile ,Unmanned Surface Vessels ,addictive behaviors ,High Altitude Platforms ,business model ,maritime strategy ,Tropical cyclones ,AVO ,technology ,counter-proliferation ,PESTONI ,LLA ,decision support systems ,additive manufacturing ,ordnance ,safety ,NATO ,non-mission capable supply ,inventory management ,Salvo Model ,lexical link analysis ,beamforming ,diversity ,anti ,navigational aid ,Aviation Depot Readiness Availability Model ,satellite communications ,acoustic intensity processing ,land use ,Crowds ,LMS ,lighter-than-air gas delivery system ,IP ,trade studies ,command and control (C2) ,Indo-Pacific ,Ready Relevant Learning ,generative adversarial networks ,Portfolio ,LEO, low-Earth orbit, ML ,informal networks ,Naval Expeditionary Combat Forces ,blockchain ,social network analysis ,data analysis ,strike group protection ,cloud based ,sea-control ,model-based systems engineering ,data visualization ,3-Tier Architecture ,offensive mining ,evidence-based training ,Baltic, Deterrence, Distributed Lethality, Enhanced Forward Presence, Fleet Design, Fleet Posture, Grey Zone Conflict, Host Nation Support, NATO, Naval Bases, Naval Operations, Russia ,risk ,mine countermeasures ,NSS ,BZ ,intelligence community ,Advanced Framework for Simulation ,anti-ship missile ,courses of action ,joint all-domain command and control ,Model Based Systems Engineering ,CP ,Retention ,arms race ,UAS ,human-machine teaming ,regulatory ,NTG ,CR ,battle management aids ,mixed integer program ,ELINT ,Navy training ,alcohol and drug management ,UAV ,EBT ,Recruiting ,unmanned aerial systems ,decision making ,C-UAS Security ,Naval Simulation System ,Mechanical Properties ,Synthetic Theater Operations Research Model ,hypervelocity missile ship launch platform ,Chinese Communist Party ,root causes ,countering weapons of mass destruction ,C-UAS interoperability ,COVID-19 ,agent-based modeling ,decision-making ,safety analysis ,naval fuel ,Turnover ,inclusion ,secondary repairable materiel ,data science ,dynamical-statistical forecasting ,gap analysis ,permitting ,control ,Reports ,C-UAS developing technology ,Vertical Launch System ,load balancing ,detection ,unmanned ,PV ,digital twins ,blue networks ,Russia ,Video Game ,Observe-Orient-Decide-Act ,SIGINT ,mine ,data maturation ,Readiness optimization ,cognitive laser ,emergent behavior ,Alliance Cohesion ,bit error rate ,solar ,ADRAM ,antenna arrays ,feature extraction and matching ,LTA ,hydrogen fuel cell ,Database Schema Design ,contested environment ,CBE ,simulations ,efficient experimental design ,blended learning strategies ,system safety ,TCP ,CBA ,policy ,unmanned surface vessel (USV) ,Naval Aviation Enterprise ,coercion ,China ,electromagnetic pulse ,CBT ,vision odometry ,psychological functioning ,operations ,development processes ,photovoltaic ,collaborative learning agents ,cycle of research ,SA ,high-quality force ,Markov-Chain ,Total Learning Architecture ,wargames ,Monterey Phoenix ,HMT ,CCP ,tasking ,Data Analytics ,non-kinetic weapons ,(non) permissive environment ,MCDA ,5G NR ,microgrid ,financially restricted work queue ,command and control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting ,beach zone ,aggregation over layers ,Naval Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) ,processing ,air and missile defense ,internet ,denied environment ,social processes ,C-UAS use constraints ,seabed warfare ,quantum intelligence game ,modeling and simulation ,cost benefit analysis ,clandestine ,unmanned systems ,counter-unmanned aerial systems ,interconnection ,decision science ,legal ,CEM ,acquisition ,SER ,program management ,Resetting Anchor Antenna Tether Mechanism ,soft skills ,Tactics ,deterrence ,decision support ,Dynamic Programming ,cybersecurity ,workflow ,sea-denial ,competency-based training ,unmanned aerial, surface, underwater and ground vehicles ,instructional design ,exploitation and dissemination (TCPED ,supervised learning ,electrolyzer ,contextually adaptive battlespace ,models ,intermittency ,information fusion ,wind ,orchestration ,ISR ,missile defense ,great power competition (GPC) ,BER ,transformation ,social network analysis (SNA) ,fifth generation cellular - new radio ,human-machine trust ,sustainment ,Joint Targeting Folders ,ML ,Problematic video gaming ,casualty report ,weapons engagements ,tactical warfare ,metacognition - Abstract
NPS NRP Annual Report The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Naval Research Program (NRP) is funded by the Chief of Naval Operations and supports research projects for the Navy and Marine Corps. The NPS NRP serves as a launch-point for new initiatives which posture naval forces to meet current and future operational warfighter challenges. NRP research projects are led by individual research teams that conduct research and through which NPS expertise is developed and maintained. The primary mechanism for obtaining NPS NRP support is through participation at NPS Naval Research Working Group (NRWG) meetings that bring together fleet topic sponsors, NPS faculty members, and students to discuss potential research topics and initiatives. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2021
30. Unmanned Aerial Systems: Theoretical Foundation and Applications
- Author
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Koubaa, Anis, Azar, Ahmad, and Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico do Porto
- Subjects
Unmanned Aerial Systems ,UAS ,Drones - Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Systems: Theoretical Foundation and Applications presents some of the latest innovative approaches to drones from the point-of-view of dynamic modeling, system analysis, optimization, control, communications, 3D-mapping, search and rescue, surveillance, farmland and construction monitoring, and more. With the emergence of low-cost UAS, a vast array of research works in academia and products in the industrial sectors have evolved. The book covers the safe operation of UAS, including, but not limited to, fundamental design, mission and path planning, control theory, computer vision, artificial intelligence, applications requirements, and more. This book provides a unique reference of the state-of-the-art research and development of unmanned aerial systems, making it an essential resource for researchers, instructors and practitioners.
- Published
- 2021
31. Quantitative Comparison of UAS-Borne LiDAR Systems for High-Resolution Forested Wetland Mapping
- Author
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Joseph Baxley, Joanne N. Halls, Kerry L. Mapes, Narcisa G. Pricope, and James JyunYueh Wu
- Subjects
topographic modeling ,LiDAR ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Aerial survey ,Aircraft ,Coastal plain ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Point cloud ,Wetland ,Terrain ,02 engineering and technology ,Forests ,lcsh:Chemical technology ,unmanned aerial systems ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Article ,Analytical Chemistry ,Ecosystem ,lcsh:TP1-1185 ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,mapping ,Instrumentation ,021101 geological & geomatics engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Remote sensing ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Lasers ,Elevation ,Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics ,Lidar ,Wetlands ,Remote Sensing Technology ,Environmental science ,UAS ,wetlands delineation - Abstract
Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services across a range of environmental gradients and are at heightened risk of degradation from anthropogenic pressures and continued development, especially in coastal regions. There is a growing need for high-resolution (spatially and temporally) habitat identification and precise delineation of wetlands across a variety of stakeholder groups, including wetlands loss mitigation programs. Traditional wetland delineations are costly, time-intensive and can physically degrade the systems that are being surveyed, while aerial surveys are relatively fast and relatively unobtrusive. To assess the efficacy and feasibility of using two variable-cost LiDAR sensors mounted on a commercial hexacopter unmanned aerial system (UAS) in deriving high resolution topography, we conducted nearly concomitant flights over a site located in the Atlantic Coastal plain that contains a mix of palustrine forested wetlands, upland coniferous forest, upland grass and bare ground/dirt roads. We compared point clouds and derived topographic metrics acquired using the Quanergy M8 and the Velodyne HDL-32E LiDAR sensors with airborne LiDAR and results showed that the less expensive and lighter payload sensor outperforms the more expensive one in deriving high resolution, high accuracy ground elevation measurements under a range of canopy cover densities and for metrics of point cloud density and digital terrain computed both globally and locally using variable size tessellations. The mean point cloud density was not significantly different between wetland and non-wetland areas, but the two sensors were significantly different by wetland/non-wetland type. Ultra-high-resolution LiDAR-derived topography models can fill evolving wetlands mapping needs and increase accuracy and efficiency of detection and prediction of sensitive wetland ecosystems, especially for heavily forested coastal wetland systems.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. A Photogrammetric Workflow for the Creation of a Forest Canopy Height Model from Small Unmanned Aerial System Imagery.
- Author
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Lisein, Jonathan, Pierrot-Deseilligny, Marc, Bonnet, Stéphanie, and Lejeune, Philippe
- Subjects
PHOTOGRAMMETRY ,FOREST mapping ,REMOTE sensing ,FOREST canopy ecology ,OPTICAL radar ,REGRESSION analysis ,EQUIPMENT & supplies - Abstract
The recent development of operational small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) opens the door for their extensive use in forest mapping, as both the spatial and temporal resolution of UAS imagery better suit local-scale investigation than traditional remote sensing tools. This article focuses on the use of combined photogrammetry and "Structure from Motion" approaches in order to model the forest canopy surface from low-altitude aerial images. An original workflow, using the open source and free photogrammetric toolbox, MICMAC (acronym for Multi Image Matches for Auto Correlation Methods), was set up to create a digital canopy surface model of deciduous stands. In combination with a co-registered light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital terrain model, the elevation of vegetation was determined, and the resulting hybrid photo/LiDAR canopy height model was compared to data from a LiDAR canopy height model and from forest inventory data. Linear regressions predicting dominant height and individual height from plot metrics and crown metrics showed that the photogrammetric canopy height model was of good quality for deciduous stands. Although photogrammetric reconstruction significantly smooths the canopy surface, the use of this workflow has the potential to take full advantage of the flexible revisit period of drones in order to refresh the LiDAR canopy height model and to collect dense multitemporal canopy height series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Drone-Based Identification of Erosive Processes in Open-Pit Mining Restored Areas.
- Author
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Padró, Joan-Cristian, Cardozo, Johnsson, Montero, Pau, Ruiz-Carulla, Roger, Alcañiz, Josep Maria, Serra, Dèlia, and Carabassa, Vicenç
- Subjects
DRONE aircraft ,REMOTE sensing ,SPATIAL resolution ,GEOGRAPHIC information systems ,SOIL erosion - Abstract
Unmanned Aerial Systems, or drones, are very helpful tools for managing open-pit mining operations and developing ecological restoration activities. This article presents a method for identifying water erosion processes in active quarries by means of drone imagery remote sensing, in the absence of pre-existing imagery or mapping for comparison. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with a spatial resolution (SR) >10 cm and an orthophoto with an SR >2.5 cm were generated from images captured with a drone and their subsequent photogrammetric processing. By using Geographical Information Systems tools to process the DEM, a detailed drainage network was obtained, the areas of detected water erosion were separated, and the watersheds in the gullies identified. Subsequently, an estimated DEM before the erosive processes was reconstructed by interpolating the gully ridges; this DEM serves as a reference for the relief before the erosion. To calculate the volume of eroded material, the DEM of Differences was calculated, which estimates the volume difference between the previously estimated DEM and the current DEM. Additionally, we calculated the material necessary for the geomorphological adaptation of the quarry and the slope map, which are two valuable factors closely related to the monitoring of erosive processes. The results obtained allowed us to identify the erosion factors quickly and accurately in this type of mining. In the case of water-filled quarries, it would be important to characterize the subsurface relief. Essentially, the presented method can be applied with affordable and non-invasive materials to create digital grid maps at 10 cm resolution, obtaining data ready for 3D metrics, being a very practical landscape modelling tool for characterizing the restoration evolution of open-pit mining spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. High spatial resolution three-dimensional mapping of vegetation spectral dynamics using computer vision.
- Author
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Dandois, Jonathan P. and Ellis, Erle C.
- Subjects
- *
HIGH resolution imaging , *THREE-dimensional imaging , *VEGETATION mapping , *COMPUTER vision , *REMOTE sensing , *ENVIRONMENTAL management , *ECOLOGICAL research - Abstract
Abstract: High spatial resolution three-dimensional (3D) measurements of vegetation by remote sensing are advancing ecological research and environmental management. However, substantial economic and logistical costs limit this application, especially for observing phenological dynamics in ecosystem structure and spectral traits. Here we demonstrate a new aerial remote sensing system enabling routine and inexpensive aerial 3D measurements of canopy structure and spectral attributes, with properties similar to those of LIDAR, but with RGB (red-green-blue) spectral attributes for each point, enabling high frequency observations within a single growing season. This “Ecosynth” methodology applies photogrammetric “Structure from Motion” computer vision algorithms to large sets of highly overlapping low altitude (<130m) aerial photographs acquired using off-the-shelf digital cameras mounted on an inexpensive (
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. A comparison of image and observer based aerial surveys of narwhal
- Author
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Mads Peter Heide-Jørgensen, Koen Bröker, William R. Koski, Rikke G. Hansen, Kathleen E. Leonard, and Palsbøll lab
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0106 biological sciences ,Aerial survey ,Aquatic Science ,unmanned aerial systems ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,MARINE MAMMALS ,WHALES ,Arctic ,strip census ,UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM ,Abundance (ecology) ,abundance estimation ,aerial surveys ,BAFFIN-BAY ,Observer based ,line-transect survey ,Transect ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,MONODON-MONOCEROS ,Abundance estimation ,biology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Melville Bay ,Monodon monoceros ,West Greenland ,biology.organism_classification ,Population abundance ,Data set ,narwhal ,Geography ,ESTIMATING ABUNDANCE ,VEHICLES ,WINTER ,UAS ,Narwhal ,Cartography - Abstract
From 25 to 30 August 2014 a double-observer line-transect survey was conducted over Melville Bay, home to one of two summering populations of narwhal (Monodon monoceros) off West Greenland. A total of 1,932 linear kilometers was surveyed along 33 transects. In addition to using observers, the aircraft was equipped with two oblique cameras to capture a comparable data set. Analysts reviewed the images for narwhal sightings, which were then matched to the observer sightings. The objectives of the study were to determine advantages and disadvantages of the detection capabilities of both methodologies, and to conduct a comparative analysis of population abundance estimates. Correcting for the truncated detection distance of the images (500 m), the image analysts recorded more sightings (62) and a lower mean group size (2.2) compared to aerial observers (36 and 3.5, respectively), resulting in comparable numbers of individuals detected by both platforms (135 vs. 126). The abundance estimate based on the image sightings was 2,536 (CV = 0.51, 95% CI: 1,003-6,406), which was not significantly different from the aerial observers estimate of 2,596 individuals (CV = 0.51; 95% CI: 961-7,008). This study supports the potential of using UAS for marine mammal abundance studies.
- Published
- 2019
36. sUAS Swarm Navigation using Inertial, Range Radios and Partial GNSS
- Author
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Joel Huff, Maarten Uijt de Haag, and Svenja Huschbeck
- Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,energy awareness ,Computer science ,Real-time computing ,Satellite system ,02 engineering and technology ,Interference (wave propagation) ,600 Technik, Technologie ,Schwarm ,01 natural sciences ,Unmanned Aerial Systems ,0203 mechanical engineering ,Inertial measurement unit ,Position (vector) ,component ,navigation ,Drohne ,sensor integration ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,GNSS ,predictive alerting ,Swarm behaviour ,020302 automobile design & engineering ,Collision ,GNSS applications ,ddc:000 ,000 Informatik, Informationswissenschaft, allgemeine Werke ,Precision agriculture ,UAS ,ddc:600 ,sUAS swarm ,aircraft state awareness - Abstract
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) operations are increasing in demand and complexity. Using multiple cooperative sUAS (i.e. a swarm) can be beneficial and is sometimes necessary to perform certain tasks (e.g., precision agriculture, mapping, surveillance) either independent or collaboratively. However, controlling the flight of multiple sUAS autonomously and in real-time in a challenging environment in terms of obstacles and navigation requires highly accurate absolute and relative position and velocity information for all platforms in the swarm. This information is also necessary to effectively and efficiently resolve possible collision encounters between the sUAS. In our swarm, each platform is equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensor, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a baro-altimeter and a relative range sensor (range radio). When GNSS is available, its measurements are tightly integrated with IMU, baro-altimeter and range-radio measurements to obtain the platform’s absolute and relative position. When GNSS is not available due to external factors (e.g., obstructions, interference), the position and velocity estimators switch to an integrated solution based on IMU, baro and relative range meas-urements. This solution enables the system to maintain an accurate relative position estimate, and reduce the drift in the swarm’s absolute position estimate as is typical of an IMU-based system. Multiple multi-copter data collection platforms have been developed and equipped with GNSS, inertial sensors and range radios, which were developed at Ohio University. This paper outlines the underlying methodology, the platform hardware components (three multi-copters and one ground station) and analyzes and discusses the performance using both simulation and sUAS flight test data.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF A FUTURE SURFACE FORCE DEVELOPMENT SQUADRON (SURFDEVRON)
- Author
-
Mcdaniel, Timothy M., Gallup, Shelley P., Brien, Spencer T., Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.), Naval Research Program (NRP), and Business and Public Policy (GSBPP)
- Subjects
DEVRON ,Total Ownership Cost Model ,unmanned surface vessels ,combatant ,development squadron ,surface ,ComputerApplications_COMPUTERSINOTHERSYSTEMS ,UAS ,USV ,unmanned aerial systems ,simulation - Abstract
Student Thesis (NPS NRP Project Related) To address an increasingly competitive security environment, the U.S. Navy surface force needs new or improved capabilities to attack, deceive, and defend against adversary ships, aircraft, missiles, submarines, and cyber and electronic attacks; and, it needs more agile acquisition practices that enable a rapid and iterative approach to improving performance. To deliver these capabilities, the Navy is exploring a SURFDEVRON (surface development squadron), similar in spirit to the submarine and aviation communities. This will serve as an interface between the research community (e.g., ONR, DARPA), other Navy warfare development commands (e.g., SMWDC), and the fleet; coordinate the at-sea testing of advanced technologies and their associated tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP); and accelerate the integration of new technologies into the surface force. There are many options that exist that can facilitate the creation of a SURFDEVRON. This thesis explores some of those options and provides options that can be further explored in follow-up thesis projects. N9 - Warfare Systems http://archive.org/details/organizationalas1094562759 This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrp Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Lieutenant, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2019
38. INTEGRATION OF A GENERALISED BUILDING MODEL INTO THE POSE ESTIMATION OF UAS IMAGES
- Author
-
Unger, Jakob, Rottensteiner, Franz, Heipke, Christian, Halounova, L., Šafář, V., Toth, C.K., Karas, J., Huadong, G., Haala, N., Habib, A., Reinartz, P., Tang, X., Li, J., Armenakis, C., Grenzdörffer, G., le Roux, P., Stylianidis, S., Blasi, R., Menard, M., Dufourmount, H., and Li, Z.
- Subjects
lcsh:Applied optics. Photonics ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Relation (database) ,Unmanned aerial system ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Building model ,Bundle adjustments ,Bundle adjustment ,02 engineering and technology ,Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) ,lcsh:Technology ,01 natural sciences ,Image (mathematics) ,Unmanned aerial systems ,Simple (abstract algebra) ,Hybrid bundle adjustment ,Computer vision ,Pose ,Dewey Decimal Classification::500 | Naturwissenschaften ,Pose estimation ,Real image sequences ,Konferenzschrift ,021101 geological & geomatics engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Sequence ,lcsh:T ,business.industry ,lcsh:TA1501-1820 ,Object coordinates ,Remote sensing ,Real image ,Dewey Decimal Classification::500 | Naturwissenschaften::520 | Astronomie, Kartographie ,Image orientation ,Distance criterion ,Geography ,lcsh:TA1-2040 ,ddc:520 ,ddc:500 ,UAS ,Artificial intelligence ,lcsh:Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) ,business - Abstract
A hybrid bundle adjustment is presented that allows for the integration of a generalised building model into the pose estimation of image sequences. These images are captured by an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) equipped with a camera flying in between the buildings. The relation between the building model and the images is described by distances between the object coordinates of the tie points and building model planes. Relations are found by a simple 3D distance criterion and are modelled as fictitious observations in a Gauss-Markov adjustment. The coordinates of model vertices are part of the adjustment as directly observed unknowns which allows for changes in the model. Results of first experiments using a synthetic and a real image sequence demonstrate improvements of the image orientation in comparison to an adjustment without the building model, but also reveal limitations of the current state of the method.
- Published
- 2016
39. UNMANNED TACTICAL AUTONOMOUS CONTROL AND COLLABORATION (UTACC) QUICK-WIN ROBOT ANALYSIS
- Author
-
Comstock, Kenton M., Krajewski, Steven J., Boger, Dan C., Miller, Scot A., and Information Sciences (IS)
- Subjects
UXS ,coactive design ,unmanned ground vehicles ,UAV ,human systems interaction ,unmanned aerial systems ,collaboration ,human robotic interaction ,UMS ,unmanned tactical autonomous control and collaboration ,UTACC ,UAS ,autonomy ,unmanned aerial vehicles ,unmanned systems ,collaborative autonomy ,interdependence ,UGV - Abstract
In order to continue the Unmanned Tactical Autonomous Control and Collaboration (UTACC) program, an accurate understanding of the current unmanned vehicles (UxVs) available on the commercial market is required. This thesis used site visits, conference attendance, trade shows, and online databases to evaluate and rank both unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). This thesis identified 10 out of 46 UAVs and five UGVs that could be quick-wins for the Marine Corps if adopted. These identified platforms received the highest scores based on five measures of effectiveness (MOEs): technology readiness level (TRL), mission capability, interdependence, modularity, and security. This thesis also addressed the need to evaluate systems based on their level of interdependence instead of level of autonomy, acknowledging the importance of human-machine teaming. CRUSER https://hdl.handle.net/10945/60380 Captain, United States Marine Corps Captain, United States Marine Corps Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2018
40. USING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES FOR AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR DELIVERY IN THE SEATTLE KING COUNTY REGION FOLLOWING OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST
- Author
-
Tyerman, Aaron M., Scott, Gerald R., Fernandez, Lauren S., and National Security Affairs (NSA)
- Subjects
Seattle ,AED ,King County Medic One ,fire department ,UAS ,unmanned aerial systems ,automated external defibrillator ,emergency services ,King County - Abstract
Using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to deliver a shock to a cardiac arrest patient before emergency medical services arrive increases the likelihood that the patient will survive. This thesis explores the possibility of using unmanned aerial systems (UASs, or drones) to deliver AEDs to patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Washington’s Seattle/King County region—particularly in suburban and rural areas where traditional emergency response may be delayed. The researcher collected qualitative data on OHCA incidents in the region over a five-year period and ran simulated models to determine whether an AED-equipped UAS could arrive to a cardiac arrest patient faster than a traditional ground response. The research concluded that such UASs could be launched and maintained by a single organization, and could significantly decrease response times to the suburban and rural areas of the Seattle/King County region. http://archive.org/details/usingunmannedaer1094560360 Civilian Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2018
41. The Impact of UAS on the Passenger Airline Industry
- Author
-
Whitten, Matthew
- Subjects
- UAS, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Aviation, Autonomy, Drones, Airlines, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Aviation Technology, The Future of Aviation, Aeronautical Vehicles, Aviation Safety and Security
- Abstract
This study seeks to cover the state of modern autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration into commercial aviation, the future applications of the technology in the airline industry, and the roadblocks currently hindering its integration into passenger operations. Although great advancements are being made in the field, technological developments, economic impact, legal restrictions, airline cost, and public perception stand in the way of the full adaptation of autonomous technology into everyday passenger operations. However, technology is rapidly developing, perhaps allowing for the possibility of autonomous air travel even today, but there are likely years of refinement before regulators, executives, and consumers adopt autonomous air travel into everyday life.
- Published
- 2021
42. Assigning tie points to a generalised building model for UAS image orientation
- Author
-
Unger, Jakob, Rottensteiner, Franz, Heipke, Christian, Stachniss, C., Schneider, J., and Förstner, W.
- Subjects
lcsh:Applied optics. Photonics ,Unmanned Aerial System ,Point cloud ,Building model ,Dewey Decimal Classification::600 | Technik::620 | Ingenieurwissenschaften und Maschinenbau ,Bundle adjustments ,Bundle adjustment ,Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) ,lcsh:Technology ,Standard deviation ,Image (mathematics) ,Unmanned aerial systems ,Hybrid bundle adjustment ,Computer vision ,Buildings ,Pose ,Pose estimation ,Konferenzschrift ,Mathematics ,business.industry ,lcsh:T ,Direct method ,lcsh:TA1501-1820 ,Object coordinates ,Object (computer science) ,Image orientation ,lcsh:TA1-2040 ,Image enhancement ,Artificial intelligence ,UAS ,ddc:620 ,business ,lcsh:Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) ,Direct approach - Abstract
This paper addresses the integration of a building model into the pose estimation of image sequences. Images are captured by an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) equipped with a camera flying in between buildings. Two approaches to assign tie points to a generalised building model in object space are presented. A direct approach is based on the distances between the object coordinates of tie points and planes of the building model. An indirect approach first finds planes within the tie point cloud that are subsequently matched to model planes; finally based on these matches, tie points are assigned to model planes. For both cases, the assignments are used in a hybrid bundle adjustment to refine the poses (image orientations). Experimental results for an image sequence demonstrate improvements in comparison to an adjustment without the building model. Differences and limitations of the two approaches for point-plane assignment are discussed – in the experiments they perform similar with respect to estimated standard deviations of tie points.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Monitoring Tropospheric Gases with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) during the Second CLOUDMAP Flight Campaign
- Author
-
Marcelo I. Guzman, Travis J. Schuyler, and Sean C. C. Bailey
- Subjects
Atmospheric Science ,Quadcopter ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Aviation ,Planetary boundary layer ,UAV ,ABL ,lcsh:QC851-999 ,010501 environmental sciences ,Environmental Science (miscellaneous) ,unmanned aerial systems ,ammonia ,01 natural sciences ,Troposphere ,atmospheric boundary layer ,drones ,Fixed wing ,emission ,Mixing ratio ,gases ,trace ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Remote sensing ,business.industry ,methane ,carbon dioxide ,quantification ,Drone ,Atmosphere of Earth ,troposphere ,Environmental science ,lcsh:Meteorology. Climatology ,UAS ,unmanned aerial vehicles ,business - Abstract
Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are a promising technology for atmospheric monitoring of trace atmospheric gases. While sUAS can be navigated to provide information with higher spatiotemporal resolution than tethered balloons, they can also bridge the gap between the regions of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) sampled by ground stations and manned aircraft. Additionally, sUAS can be effectively employed in the petroleum industry, e.g., to constrain leaking regions of hydrocarbons from long gasoducts. Herein, sUAS are demonstrated to be a valuable technology for studying the concentration of important trace tropospheric gases in the ABL. The successful detection and quantification of gases is performed with lightweight sensor packages of low-power consumption that possess limits of detection on the ppm scale or below with reasonably fast response times. The datasets reported include timestamps with position, temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and variable mixing ratio values of ~400 ppm CO2, ~1900 ppb CH4, and ~5.5 ppb NH3. The sensor packages were deployed aboard two different sUAS operating simultaneously during the second CLOUDMAP flight campaign in Oklahoma, held during 26&ndash, 29 June 2017. A Skywalker X8 fixed wing aircraft was used to fly horizontally at a constant altitude, while vertical profiles were provided by a DJI Phantom 3 (DJI P3) quadcopter flying upward and downward at fixed latitude-longitude coordinates. The results presented have been gathered during 8 experiments consisting of 32 simultaneous flights with both sUAS, which have been authorized by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) under the current regulations (Part 107). In conclusion, this work serves as proof of concept showing the atmospheric value of information provided by the developed sensor systems aboard sUAS.
- Published
- 2019
44. A Review on the Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Imaging Sensors for Monitoring and Assessing Plant Stresses
- Author
-
Jayme Garcia Arnal Barbedo and JAYME GARCIA ARNAL BARBEDO, CNPTIA.
- Subjects
Stress de planta ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Computer science ,lcsh:Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics ,UAV ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Orchard ,Aerospace Engineering ,02 engineering and technology ,Crop ,drone ,Stress ,Unmanned aerial vehicles ,01 natural sciences ,Unmanned aerial systems ,stress ,Artificial Intelligence ,Agricultura de Precisão ,crop ,Environmental planning ,021101 geological & geomatics engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,precision agriculture ,Precision agriculture ,Imagem de sensor ,Drone ,Computer Science Applications ,Variety (cybernetics) ,orchard ,Control and Systems Engineering ,Uas ,lcsh:TL1-4050 ,Information Systems - Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming a valuable tool to collect data in a variety of contexts. Their use in agriculture is particularly suitable, as those areas are often vast, making ground scouting difficult, and sparsely populated, which means that injury and privacy risks are not as important as in urban settings. Indeed, the use of UAVs for monitoring and assessing crops, orchards, and forests has been growing steadily during the last decade, especially for the management of stresses such as water, diseases, nutrition deficiencies, and pests. This article presents a critical overview of the main advancements on the subject, focusing on the strategies that have been used to extract the information contained in the images captured during the flights. Based on the information found in more than 100 published articles and on our own research, a discussion is provided regarding the challenges that have already been overcome and the main research gaps that still remain, together with some suggestions for future research. Made available in DSpace on 2019-05-04T00:45:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 APReviewuseJayme.pdf: 321701 bytes, checksum: a081d80675eeb6d863775de5d697e872 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019 Article number 40.
- Published
- 2019
45. Quantitative Comparison of UAS-Borne LiDAR Systems for High-Resolution Forested Wetland Mapping.
- Author
-
Pricope, Narcisa Gabriela, Halls, Joanne Nancie, Mapes, Kerry Lynn, Baxley, Joseph Britton, and Wu, James JyunYueh
- Subjects
- *
FOREST mapping , *COASTAL wetlands , *LIDAR , *WETLAND mitigation , *FORESTED wetlands , *CONIFEROUS forests - Abstract
Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services across a range of environmental gradients and are at heightened risk of degradation from anthropogenic pressures and continued development, especially in coastal regions. There is a growing need for high-resolution (spatially and temporally) habitat identification and precise delineation of wetlands across a variety of stakeholder groups, including wetlands loss mitigation programs. Traditional wetland delineations are costly, time-intensive and can physically degrade the systems that are being surveyed, while aerial surveys are relatively fast and relatively unobtrusive. To assess the efficacy and feasibility of using two variable-cost LiDAR sensors mounted on a commercial hexacopter unmanned aerial system (UAS) in deriving high resolution topography, we conducted nearly concomitant flights over a site located in the Atlantic Coastal plain that contains a mix of palustrine forested wetlands, upland coniferous forest, upland grass and bare ground/dirt roads. We compared point clouds and derived topographic metrics acquired using the Quanergy M8 and the Velodyne HDL-32E LiDAR sensors with airborne LiDAR and results showed that the less expensive and lighter payload sensor outperforms the more expensive one in deriving high resolution, high accuracy ground elevation measurements under a range of canopy cover densities and for metrics of point cloud density and digital terrain computed both globally and locally using variable size tessellations. The mean point cloud density was not significantly different between wetland and non-wetland areas, but the two sensors were significantly different by wetland/non-wetland type. Ultra-high-resolution LiDAR-derived topography models can fill evolving wetlands mapping needs and increase accuracy and efficiency of detection and prediction of sensitive wetland ecosystems, especially for heavily forested coastal wetland systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. High spatial resolution three-dimensional mapping of vegetation spectral dynamics using computer vision
- Author
-
Erle C. Ellis and Jonathan P. Dandois
- Subjects
Canopy ,Canopy height ,Forest biomass ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,UAV ,Multispectral image ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Soil Science ,02 engineering and technology ,01 natural sciences ,Forest monitoring ,Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ,Unmanned aerial systems ,Canopy phenology ,Forest structure ,Computer vision ,Computers in Earth Sciences ,021101 geological & geomatics engineering ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Remote sensing ,business.industry ,Forestry ,Geology ,Unmanned aerial vehicle ,Understory ,Vegetation ,Tree height ,15. Life on land ,Photogrammetry ,Lidar ,Phenology ,Forest carbon ,13. Climate action ,Spatial ecology ,Environmental science ,UAS ,Artificial intelligence ,Canopy structure ,Forest ecology ,business - Abstract
High spatial resolution three-dimensional (3D) measurements of vegetation by remote sensing are advancing ecological research and environmental management. However, substantial economic and logistical costs limit this application, especially for observing phenological dynamics in ecosystem structure and spectral traits. Here we demonstrate a new aerial remote sensing system enabling routine and inexpensive aerial 3D measurements of canopy structure and spectral attributes, with properties similar to those of LIDAR, but with RGB (red-green-blue) spectral attributes for each point, enabling high frequency observations within a single growing season. This “Ecosynth” methodology applies photogrammetric “Structure from Motion” computer vision algorithms to large sets of highly overlapping low altitude (
- Published
- 2013
47. Unmanned Tactical Autonomous Control and Collaboration (UTACC) unmanned aerial vehicle analysis of alternatives
- Author
-
Roth, Brian M., Buckler, Jade L., Boger, Dan C., Miller, Scot A., and Information Sciences (IS)
- Subjects
UXS ,UAV ,ComputerApplications_COMPUTERSINOTHERSYSTEMS ,human systems interaction ,unmanned aerial systems ,collaboration ,human robotic interaction ,UMS ,unmanned tactical autonomous control and collaboration ,UTACC ,UAS ,autonomy ,unmanned aerial vehicles ,unmanned systems ,collaborative autonomy - Abstract
Includes supplementary material The further development of Unmanned Tactical Autonomous Control and Collaboration (UTACC) requires a thorough analysis of potential unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) capable of supporting the program. This thesis developed a comprehensive database with which to conduct an analytical evaluation of UAVs to include physical specifications, performance specifications, and sensor capabilities. This research determined that an aircraft satisfying established performance characteristics, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, and with a small size and modular payload capability met the requirements needed to further UTACC development. This thesis developed a list of potential aircraft that satisfy the characteristics evaluated and are suitable for research, development, test and evaluation, or operational applications. http://archive.org/details/unmannedtactical1094548586 Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2016
48. Monitoring Tropospheric Gases with Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) during the Second CLOUDMAP Flight Campaign.
- Author
-
Schuyler, Travis J., Bailey, Sean C. C., and Guzman, Marcelo I.
- Subjects
- *
TRACE gases , *ATMOSPHERIC boundary layer , *AIRPLANES , *FLIGHT , *ATMOSPHERIC methane , *GASES , *EARTH stations , *PETROLEUM transportation , *AIRPLANE wings - Abstract
Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are a promising technology for atmospheric monitoring of trace atmospheric gases. While sUAS can be navigated to provide information with higher spatiotemporal resolution than tethered balloons, they can also bridge the gap between the regions of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) sampled by ground stations and manned aircraft. Additionally, sUAS can be effectively employed in the petroleum industry, e.g., to constrain leaking regions of hydrocarbons from long gasoducts. Herein, sUAS are demonstrated to be a valuable technology for studying the concentration of important trace tropospheric gases in the ABL. The successful detection and quantification of gases is performed with lightweight sensor packages of low-power consumption that possess limits of detection on the ppm scale or below with reasonably fast response times. The datasets reported include timestamps with position, temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and variable mixing ratio values of ~400 ppm CO2, ~1900 ppb CH4, and ~5.5 ppb NH3. The sensor packages were deployed aboard two different sUAS operating simultaneously during the second CLOUDMAP flight campaign in Oklahoma, held during 26–29 June 2017. A Skywalker X8 fixed wing aircraft was used to fly horizontally at a constant altitude, while vertical profiles were provided by a DJI Phantom 3 (DJI P3) quadcopter flying upward and downward at fixed latitude-longitude coordinates. The results presented have been gathered during 8 experiments consisting of 32 simultaneous flights with both sUAS, which have been authorized by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) under the current regulations (Part 107). In conclusion, this work serves as proof of concept showing the atmospheric value of information provided by the developed sensor systems aboard sUAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Cost-based analysis of unmanned aerial vehicles/unmanned aerial systems in filling the role of logistical support
- Author
-
Denevan, Thomas J., Tick, Simona, Brinkley, Douglas, and Graduate School of Business & Public Policy (GSBPP)
- Subjects
Unmanned Aerial Systems ,UAV ,Cost-benefit ,UAS ,Logistics ,Cost-based ,Support ,Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - Abstract
This thesis conducts a comparative cost analysis for using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/unmanned aerial systems (UASs) for logistical resupply purposes as opposed to the traditional logistical resupply resources. First, the thesis examines the types of UAVs in the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) inventory as well as the traditional aircraft currently used for logistical purposes. Then, using a cost-based analysis, the thesis identifies possible logistical uses for selected UAVs based on specific capabilities and scenarios where the use of these systems would be most advantageous compared to traditional logistic resources. As the DOD continues to develop the emerging technologies of UAVs, the findings of this thesis may point to some immediate adaptations in the logistical resupply process that could result in cost savings. http://archive.org/details/costbasednalysis1094544549 Major, United States Marine Corps Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
- Published
- 2014
50. 'Perspektivenwechsel' - Luftgestützte Sensorik im Einsatz für den Bevölkerungsschutz
- Author
-
Angermann, Michael, Frassl, Martin, Lichtenstern, Michael, and Gullotta, Giulio
- Subjects
Unmanned Aerial Systems ,Micro Aerial Vehicles ,Internationaler Einsatz im Katastrophenschutz ,European Civil Protection Mechanism ,UAS ,MAV - Published
- 2012
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