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Jim Maslanik, James.maslanik@colorado

Use of a Small Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle for Remote Sensing in the Arctic – Potential and Limitations. Jim Maslanik, James.maslanik@colorado.edu. Rationale for UAVs The “Aerosonde” UAV Barrow Operations Results. Potential Research/Application Areas.

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Jim Maslanik, James.maslanik@colorado

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  1. Use of a Small Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle for Remote Sensing in the Arctic – Potential and Limitations Jim Maslanik, James.maslanik@colorado.edu • Rationale for UAVs • The “Aerosonde” UAV • Barrow Operations • Results

  2. Potential Research/Application Areas • surface characterization / time-space variations • ice-atmosphere interactions • ocean temperatures – local/regional variations, forcings • polar clouds and radiation • satellite product validation • coastal processes (erosion, productivity, currents) • wildlife studies • vegetation / lake studies • search and rescue • …

  3. Aircraft Support Issues for Polar Research • research-grade aircraft • easily deployable with less long-range planning needed • ability to stay on site for long periods • low cost • minimum hassle • basic instrument suite • long range/duration • multiple aircraft • …

  4. Why UAVs? • Considerations: • safety • access • operating conditions • logistics and cost

  5. Why UAVs? • access • local impacts

  6. The Aerosondetm Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle • Design philosophy: • fully robotic • low cost per plane (approx. $50,000) • low/moderate operations/logistics costs • long range/flight duration • small but effective payload capacity • flexible communications/operations modes

  7. Advantages/Disadvantagesof the Aerosonde • Relatively low cost • Ease of deployment • Global sat-comm operation • Range and multi-plane capabilities • payload restrictions • no “see and avoid”

  8. Manufactured and operated by Aerosonde, Ltd., Melbourne (www.aerosonde.com) • Instrument Payloads: • air temp., RH, wind speed and direction • digital camera (800 image capacity) • infrared pyrometer (skin temps., cloud top temps.) • video (visual and thermal: long-range transmission) • icing sensor • imaging radar, profiling laser, pyranometers, cloud particle sampler • ozone sampler, profiling spectrometer, turbulent flux measurements

  9. Multi-Plane / Long-Duration Mission Configurations • aircraft at multiple altitudes • two planes flying in tandem • tag-team missions

  10. Mission Planning and Control Lead Mission: 29 March 2003 Profiles Survey Legs

  11. Barrow-Based Operating Area

  12. Engineering accomplishments for operations in cold regions • Oil heating • Icing sensor for avoidance • Insulate electronics • Replace carburetor with fuel injection system • Strengthened airframe to withstand icing

  13. Limitations: • airframe icing • availability and maintenance of launch/landing areas • payload/power restrictions • availability and scheduling • cost • local impacts • FAA restrictions

  14. Research Examples (Barrow Missions)

  15. james.maslanik@colorado.edu curryja@eas.gatech.edu g.holland@aerosonde.com www.aerosonde.com

  16. Ice-Atmosphere Processes

  17. Lead Processes and Surface Temperature Studies air temperature skin temperature wind direction

  18. Mesoscale variability caused by open water downwind upwind

  19. Sea Surface Temperature Studies

  20. 4am ADT, Tuesday, July 29 Improving Weather Forecasts L Winds: West-southwest at 38 mph, Gust of 49 mph, Temperature: 47°F

  21. Surface Characterization Shoreline/Vegetation Mapping

  22. Potential Contribution to Other Programs • SEARCH • RIME • EOS / NPOESS • PARCA • Int. Polar Year • …

  23. Links and Contacts www.aerosonde.com http://polarbear.colorado.edu/barrow03/ James.maslanik@colorado.edu Curryja@eas.gatech.edu g.holland@aerosonde.com

  24. Questions?

  25. Major (Barrow Area) Limiting Factors / Solution Options • #1.FAA flight restrictions • FAA limits flight operations to outside 12 miles from shore • FAA requires visual-flight-rule (VFR) conditions for take-off (Aerosondes are capable of operating under IFR conditions) • increased FAA flexibility, clearly-defined FAA technology requirements for UAVs, new flight monitoring technology (e.g., “Capstone” program) • #2. Airframe icing • detect and avoid icing conditions through onboard instrumentation and mission planning • anti-icing engineering • #3. Cross-winds • presently limited to east-west launch tracks • launch procedure mods. • additional launch area

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