ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Water-based Condensation Particle Counter
ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Water-based Condensation Particle Counter
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Fiber Optic Temperature Sensor
ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) Fiber Optic Temperature Sensor
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Landscape-scale Characterization of Arctic Tundra Vegetation Composition, Structure, and Function with a Multi-sensor Unoccupied Aerial System: Supporting Data.
Airborne remote sensing data collected using the Brookhaven National Laboratory's (BNL) heavy-lift unoccupied aerial system (UAS) octocopter platform, the Osprey, operated by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Technology (TEST) group (https://www.bnl.gov/testgroup). This package includes data from three flights flown over the NGEE-Arctic Council, Kougarok and Teller sites in July, 2018. The Osprey is a multi-sensor UAS platform that simultaneously measures very high spatial resolution optical red/green/blue (RGB) and thermal infrared (TIR) surface 'skin' temperature imagery, as well as surface reflectance at 1 nm intervals in the visible to near-infrared spectral range 350 - 1000 nm measured at regular intervals along each flight path. Derived image products include ortho-mosaiced RGB and TIR images, an RGB-based digital surface model (DSM) using the structure from motion (SfM) technique, digital terrain model (DTM), and a canopy height model (CHM). In addition, a VNIR surface reflectance file is provided for the trigger locations collected during each flight campaign. Ancillary aircraft data, flight mission parameters, and general flight conditions provided by the onboard flight and data collection computers are also included. Unprocessed and processed data products are included in this package (processing levels 0-3). Data and metadata are provided as text (*.txt, *.json, *.kml, *hdr, *.enp), tabular (*.dat, *.csv, *.waypoint, ENVI format (no extension)), point cloud (*.laz) and image (*.jpg, *.tif, *png) formats. This metadata document contains flight campaign, instrument and file metadata, along with a description of data processing levels, data products and file naming scheme.The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy?s Office of Biological and Environmental Research.The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska.Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
The feasibility of identifying forest species and delineating major timber types in California by means of high altitude small scale aerial photography Annual progress report
Optimum photographic specifications for forest species identification on high altitude aerial photographs
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY↗
Effects of reflection properties of natural surfaces in aerial reconnaissance.
Earth surfaces reflecting and polarizing properties in aerial reconnaissance
POLARIZED RADIATION↗
Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and GPS Receivers
It is proposed that a small fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) be used over a period of years to monitor the rise of pressure surfaces caused by the hypothesized rise in average temperature of the troposphere due to global warming. Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS) receivers would be used for the precise tracking required.
global warming UAV unmanned aerial vehicles GPS↗
Towards Real-time, On-board, Hardware-Supported Sensor and Software Health Management for Unmanned Aerial Systems
Unmanned aerial systems (UASs) can only be deployed if they can effectively complete their missions and respond to failures and uncertain environmental conditions while maintaining safety with respect to other aircraft as well as humans and property on the ground. In this paper, we design a real-time, on-board system health management (SHM) capability to continuously monitor sensors, software, and hardware components for detection and diagnosis of failures and violations of safety or performance rules during the flight of a UAS. Our approach to SHM is three-pronged, providing: (1) real-time monitoring of sensor and/or software signals; (2) signal analysis, preprocessing, and advanced on the- fly temporal and Bayesian probabilistic fault diagnosis; (3) an unobtrusive, lightweight, read-only, low-power realization using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) that avoids overburdening limited computing resources or costly re-certification of flight software due to instrumentation. Our implementation provides a novel approach of combining modular building blocks, integrating responsive runtime monitoring of temporal logic system safety requirements with model-based diagnosis and Bayesian network-based probabilistic analysis. We demonstrate this approach using actual data from the NASA Swift UAS, an experimental all-electric aircraft.
System & Software Health Management↗
Towards Real-Time, On-Board, Hardware-Supported Sensor and Software Health Management for Unmanned Aerial Systems
For unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to be successfully deployed and integrated within the national airspace, it is imperative that they possess the capability to effectively complete their missions without compromising the safety of other aircraft, as well as persons and property on the ground. This necessity creates a natural requirement for UAS that can respond to uncertain environmental conditions and emergent failures in real-time, with robustness and resilience close enough to those of manned systems. We introduce a system that meets this requirement with the design of a real-time onboard system health management (SHM) capability to continuously monitor sensors, software, and hardware components. This system can detect and diagnose failures and violations of safety or performance rules during the flight of a UAS. Our approach to SHM is three-pronged, providing: (1) real-time monitoring of sensor and software signals; (2) signal analysis, preprocessing, and advanced on-the-fly temporal and Bayesian probabilistic fault diagnosis; and (3) an unobtrusive, lightweight, read-only, low-power realization using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) that avoids overburdening limited computing resources or costly re-certification of flight software. We call this approach rt-R2U2, a name derived from its requirements. Our implementation provides a novel approach of combining modular building blocks, integrating responsive runtime monitoring of temporal logic system safety requirements with model-based diagnosis and Bayesian network-based probabilistic analysis. We demonstrate this approach using actual flight data from the NASA Swift UAS.
Unmanned Aerial System↗
An Integrated System for Autonomous Search and Track with a Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
This article presents a framework for searching, detecting, and tracking an object of interest with a small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAV). The vehicle is given an area to search for an object of interest. Once the object is detected, the sUAV follows the target while maintaining a fixed distance and centered on its image plane. This paper describes an architecture for integrating autonomy capabilities for search and track for sUAVs. The system has been implemented in the Robot Operating System (ROS) framework using the Parrot ARDrone platform. In this paper we present our technical approach, the system architecture and demonstrate the principles of the approach in a simulation environment and indoor flight tests.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle↗
Evolving Role of Aircraft and Airspace Operations for Aerial Fire Mitigation
Various sizes and types of aircraft are envisioned to play a critical role in fighting fires. Multiple aircraft, including drones, operating simultaneously to fight fires requires coordination to maintain effectiveness as well as safety. Presently, firefighting is limited to day time, high visibility, and low wind conditions. It is also impacted if unmanned aircraft system operates in the area or nearby. NASA is exploring opportunities where a variety of aircraft and their coordinated airspace management would improve the effectiveness of aerial firefighting. Dr. Kopardekar will discuss future aircraft requirements, approach for coordinated firefighting as well as a path towards improving effectiveness.
Aerial Fire Mitigation↗
Detection and Tracking of Aircraft in the Far-Field from Small Unmanned Aerial Systems
Onboard far-field aircraft detection is needed for safe non-cooperative traffic mitigation in autonomous small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) operations. Machine vision systems, based on standard optics and visible light detectors, possess the ideal size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements for sUAS. This work presents the design and analysis of a novel aircraft detection and tracking pipeline based on optical sensing alone. Key contributions of the work include a refined range inequality model based on sensing and detection with FAA well-clear separation assurance distances between aircraft in mind, a detector fusion method to maximize the benefit of two image detectors, and a comparative analysis of Linear Kalman-filtering and Extended Kalman-filtering to seek optimal tracking performance. The pipeline is evaluated offline against multiple intruder platforms, using two types of flight encounters: multirotor sUAS vs. fixed-wing sUAS and multirotor sUAS vs. general aviation(GA)plane. Analysis is restricted to the rate-limiting head-on and departing collision volume cases vertically separated for safety. Results indicate that it is feasible to use the proposed optical spatial-temporal tracking algorithm to provide adequate alerting time to prevent penetration of well-clear separation volumes for both sUAS and GA aircraft.
Unmanned Aerial System↗
LILI (Long-term Ice-field Levitating Investigator): Mars Aerial and Ground Explorer for Martian Polar Regions
Exploration of Mars is currently underway by use of a rover and helicopter team. A hybrid ground/aerial vehicle concept that marries the respective strengths of rovers and rotorcraft for Mars exploration is presented in this paper. LILI (Long-term Ice-field Levitating Investigator) is a novel hybrid ground- and aerial-mobility concept vehicle proposed for exploration of the Martian polar regions. LILI combines episodic rotary-wing flight with primary ground-mobility-mode of a propeller-driven sled via an arrangement of three skis/runners and tilting proprotors. In this manner, the best of both worlds can be achieved for Mars polar exploration: rapid, obstacle-bypassing flight with low-power, efficient, longer duration -- and range -- sledding. LILI’s propulsion system is based on solar-electric recharging of batteries. Consequently, periods of its air or ground movement are separated by periods of recharging. The overall project goal is to refine the vehicle and mission concept, while constrained within the current technology state of the art, and, leveraging the design heritage of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter technology demonstrator. LILI’s aerodynamic performance, flow interactions, and design characteristics, as well as potential mission profiles are suggested.
LILI↗
Operator Workload and Task Allocation in m:N Operational Architectures of Uncrewed Aerial Systems
Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) show promise in urban air transport, package delivery, and emergency services. UAS efficiency can be significantly improved by having fewer operators (m) manage a greater number of vehicles (N), or the m:N architecture of operation. The current study investigates how workload affects operators’ task-allocation decision-making and potential effects of two crucial human factors: trust and self-confidence. In the context of a simulated UAS package-delivery task, 10 participants with expertise in UAS operation were recruited. Each participant reported their preferred task-allocation strategy for a set of five subtasks while watching two sets of videos with different workload levels. Perceived workload, trust, and self-confidence were also measured after each video session. Overall, participants indicated a preference for automation for most of the subtasks under the delivery mission. Trust, rather than workload and self-confidence, played a significant role in experts’ decisions of task-allocation and assignment methods. Higher trust led to higher preference for automation.
workload↗
ILEOS: A Novel Intelligent Observing System Enabled by High Altitude Long Endurance Uncrewed Aerial Systems
Most major global satellite surveyors of climate-relevant trace gases have relatively coarse spatial resolution or temporal sampling. While these data can be supplemented by fine-pointing satellites and aircraft, the spatial and temporal resolutions available from crewed aircraft is not sufficient to observe stochastic, ephemeral events that take place between observations. Emerging High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) can operate for months at a time and loiter over targets to provide continuous daylight geostationary-like observations, allowing these new platforms to be integrated with existing satellites as part of a New Observing Strategy (NOS).To aid in the planning of future NOS missions, NASA is developing the Intelligent Long Endurance Observing System (ILEOS), a science activity planning system. ILEOS will help scientists build plans to improve spatio-temporal resolution of climate-relevant gases by fusing coarse-grained sensor data from satellites and other sources(e.g., terrain, forecasts), and plan HALE UAS flights to obtain finer-grain (high spatio-temporal) data. ILEOS will also enable observations for longer periods and of environments not accessible through in-situ observations and crewed aircraft field campaigns.
science planning pipeline↗
Aerial Measuring System (AMS) Baseline Surveys for Emergency Planning
Originally established in the 1960s to support the Nuclear Test Program, the AMS mission is to provide a rapid and comprehensive worldwide aerial measurement, analysis, and interpretation capability in response to a nuclear/radiological emergency. AMS provides a responsive team of individuals whose processes allow for a mission to be conducted and completed with results available within hours. This presentation slide-show reviews some of the history of the AMS, summarizes present capabilities and methods, and addresses the value of the surveys.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Sensor payloads for small unmanned aerial vehicles
Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are ideal for delivering sensors into areas that are inaccessible or too dangerous for human entry or manned aircraft over-flights. The systems can fly low and slow for enhanced sensitivity, and they can get into tight spaces where ordinary aircraft would never attempt to fly. We have configured and flown sensor payloads for radiation, chemical, and optical detection on small fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. For radiation detection we have flown packages consisting of sodium iodide (NaI), lanthanum bromide (LaBr3), and cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) gamma spectrometers, and we have also flown a CZT gamma imaging detector. The chemical sensing package consists of surface catalytic detectors for real-time chemical sensing, and a multi-tube chemical sampler that can be post-flight analyzed with a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS). The optical package comprises a small spectrometer with wavelength sensitivity from 200 nm to 900 nm, and it has successfully collected burst light spectra from small explosive detonations. All the sensor packages provide telemetry, GPS coordinates, LIDAR distance ranging, and absolute time of day to microsecond accuracy. Payload weights range from less than 1 kg up to 5.5 kg, and they have flown on Sandstorm and T-28 fixed wing drones, on a custom-built heavy-lift hex-copter, a 3DR Solo quad-copter, and a T-Rex 700 helicopter. Communications are over 2.4 GHz, 915 MHz radios, and 4G LTE cellular data links. Real time data feeds from the sensor payloads to web browser clients anywhere in the world are possible via a virtual server on the Amazon AWS cloud.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) on the NNSS White Paper
The Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) prides itself on being the premier outdoor, indoor, and underground national laboratory. It is the preferred location for experiments supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons Stockpile Stewardship Programs, national defense programs, and national security research, development, and training programs, as well as vital programs of other federal agencies. Work at the NNSS supports the Stockpile Stewardship Program, Global and Homeland Security programs, and Environmental Management. The NNSS looks to incorporate safer work practices and continuous improvements. Unmanned Aerial Surveys (UAS) have already been implemented in areas off the NNSS for multiple uses. Using these best practices with systems catered to the NNSS would allow integration of new technology and would allow work at the NNSS to maintain the high level of quality already exhibited. The Management and Operating Contractor (M&O) has shown experience in multiple UAS platforms. Through the coordination and experience developed through these projects, the M&O can further improve the quality and cost effectiveness of services currently rendered and offer new services not currently available today. Several NNSS departments that could implement UAS technology are Emergency Response, Facility Management, Environmental Management, and Training. These departments would be able to improve their capabilities and expand personnel effectiveness with the inclusion of UASs and the information they provide.
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
ARM-Related Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and Tethered Balloon System (TBS) Operational Requirements and Approval
This procedure addresses the requirements and process for obtaining approval for Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) and Tethered Balloon System (TBS) operations at DOE Office of Science (SC) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user facility observatories (ARM sites), ARM-supported training flights, atmospheric instrument development flights, and campaigns at non-ARM sites. ARM sites include both ARM observatories and ARM mobile facility deployments. The protection of people, property, and the environment during UAS and TBS operations is the foundation of executing a successful mission using UAS or TBS. This procedure is designed to facilitate safe mission execution. It does not address obtaining approval for ARM-supported research, which is approved through the ARM Field Campaign (AFC) or Engineering Evaluation (EE) processes. Approval of UAS and TBS operations is a prerequisite for final approval of an AFC or EE by the Infrastructure Management Board (IMB) and may be conducted in parallel with preparation and submittal of the AFC or EE proposal to the IMB. This procedure addresses UAS and TBS requirements; mission planning; documentation; maintenance; risk assessment; airworthiness determination; operation approval; training and qualification requirements and responsibilities for UAS remote pilots; TBS operators; visual observers; maintenance technicians; and A&P mechanics. It also addresses the responsibilities of ARM site managers, the Office of Science Aviation Safety Manager, principal investigators, requesting organizations, and Range Safety Officers. This procedure is derived from DOE O 440.2C, Aviation Management and Safety, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations (FARs), 14 CFR 107, and 14 CFR 101. It contains two sections: Section 3.0 addresses UAS operations; Section 4.0 addresses TBS operations.
unmanned aerial systems, tethered balloon systems,↗