Joint Chilean and US mobility testing in extreme environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Parker ◽  
Alex Stott ◽  
Brian Quinn ◽  
Bruce Elder ◽  
Tate Meehan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Area Network ◽  
The Us ◽  
Vehicle Mobility ◽  
Data Collections ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Vehicle Sensor

Vehicle mobility in cold and challenging terrains is of interest to both the US and Chilean Armies. Mobility in winter conditions is highly vehicle dependent with autonomous vehicles experiencing additional challenges over manned vehicles. They lack the ability to make informed decisions based on what they are “seeing” and instead need to rely on input from sensors on the vehicle, or from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or satellite data collections. This work focuses on onboard vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus sensors, driver input sensors, and some externally mounted sensors to assist with terrain identification and overall vehicle mobility. Analysis of winter vehicle/sensor data collected in collaboration with the Chilean Army in Lonquimay, Chile during July and August 2019 will be discussed in this report.

scholarly journals Species-Level Vegetation Mapping in a Himalayan Treeline Ecotone Using Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Imagery

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niti Mishra ◽  
Kumar Mainali ◽  
Bharat Shrestha ◽  
Jackson Radenz ◽  
Debendra Karki
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Environments ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Object Based ◽  
Ecological Patterns ◽  
Geographic Object ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
The Himalaya

Understanding ecological patterns and response to climate change requires unbiased data on species distribution. This can be challenging, especially in biodiverse but extreme environments like the Himalaya. This study presents the results of the first ever application of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) imagery for species-level mapping of vegetation in the Himalaya following a hierarchical Geographic Object Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) method. The first level of classification separated green vegetated objects from the rest with overall accuracy of 95%. At the second level, seven cover types were identified (including four woody vegetation species). For this, the suitability of various spectral, shape and textural features were tested for classifying them using an ensemble decision tree algorithm. Spectral features alone yielded ~70% accuracy (kappa 0.66) whereas adding textural and shape features marginally improved the accuracy (73%) but at the cost of a substantial increase in processing time. Contrast in plant morphological traits was the key to distinguishing nearby stands as different species. Hence, broad-leaved versus fine needle leaved vegetation were mapped more accurately than structurally similar classes such as Rhododendron anthopogon versus non-photosynthetic vegetation. Results highlight the potential and limitations of the suggested UAS-GEOBIA approach for detailed mapping of plant communities and suggests future research directions.

scholarly journals Feasibility study of using the RoboEarth cloud engine for rapid mapping and tracking with small unmanned aerial systems

2014 ◽  
Vol XL-1 ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Li-Chee-Ming ◽  
C. Armenakis
Keyword(s):  
Data Storage ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Processing Strategies ◽  
Outdoor Environments ◽  
Aerial Systems

This paper presents the ongoing development of a small unmanned aerial mapping system (sUAMS) that in the future will track its trajectory and perform 3D mapping in near-real time. As both mapping and tracking algorithms require powerful computational capabilities and large data storage facilities, we propose to use the RoboEarth Cloud Engine (RCE) to offload heavy computation and store data to secure computing environments in the cloud. While the RCE's capabilities have been demonstrated with terrestrial robots in indoor environments, this paper explores the feasibility of using the RCE in mapping and tracking applications in outdoor environments by small UAMS. <br><br> The experiments presented in this work assess the data processing strategies and evaluate the attainable tracking and mapping accuracies using the data obtained by the sUAMS. Testing was performed with an Aeryon Scout quadcopter. It flew over York University, up to approximately 40 metres above the ground. The quadcopter was equipped with a single-frequency GPS receiver providing positioning to about 3 meter accuracies, an AHRS (Attitude and Heading Reference System) estimating the attitude to about 3 degrees, and an FPV (First Person Viewing) camera. Video images captured from the onboard camera were processed using VisualSFM and SURE, which are being reformed as an Application-as-a-Service via the RCE. The 3D virtual building model of York University was used as a known environment to georeference the point cloud generated from the sUAMS' sensor data. The estimated position and orientation parameters of the video camera show increases in accuracy when compared to the sUAMS' autopilot solution, derived from the onboard GPS and AHRS. The paper presents the proposed approach and the results, along with their accuracies.

scholarly journals The effect of political affiliation on support for police drone monitoring in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-144
Author(s):  
Mattie N. Milner ◽  
Stephen Rice ◽  
Scott R. Winter ◽  
Emily C. Anania
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Political Party ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
Political Protests ◽  
The Us ◽  
Aerial Systems

As unmanned aerial systems grow in popularity, police agencies are using this technology to provide aerial support for officers; however, public opinion could affect the success of this technological collaboration. Using social identity theory, researchers may be able to predict people’s support for various government projects. In a series of studies, participants were presented with a brief description of a proposal for using police drones to monitor political protests. Additional information was provided about the type of protest and type of person attending the protest. In general, conservatives were more supportive of police drones monitoring protests compared to liberals. However, this support was moderated by the type of participant and the type of protest; that is, support dropped when a participant believed that the protest supported their own political party beliefs. The current study provides a foundation for understanding what factors affect the public’s support of police incorporating drones into their daily workforce in the US.

scholarly journals System Operation of Regional UTM in Taiwan

Aerospace ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin E. Lin ◽  
Pei-Chi Shao ◽  
Yu-Yuan Lin
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Management ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Data Streaming ◽  
Wide Area Network ◽  
Trial Test ◽  
System Verification ◽  
Under Construction ◽  
Aerial Systems

The hierarchical unmanned aerial systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) is proposed for UAS operation in Taiwan. The proposed UTM is constructed using the similar concept of ATM from the transport category aviation system. Based on the airspace being divided by 400 feet of altitude, the RUTM (regional UTM) is managed by the local government and the NUTM (national UTM) by the Civil Aeronautical Administration (CAA). Under construction of the UTM system infrastructure, this trial tests examine the effectiveness of UAV surveillance under 400 feet using automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B)-like on-board units (OBU). The ground transceiver station (GTS) is designed with the adoptable systems. In these implementation tests, five long-range wide area network (LoRa) gateways and one automatic packet reporting system (APRS) I-Gate are deployed to cover the Tainan Metropolitan area. The data rates are set in different systems from 8 to 12 s to prevent from data conflict or congestion. The signal coverage, time delay, data distribution, and data variance in communication are recorded and analyzed for RUTM operation. Data streaming and Internet manipulation are verified with cloud system stability and availability. Simple operational procedures are defined with priority for detect and avoid (DAA) for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Mobile communication and Zello broadcasts are introduced and applied to establish controller-to-pilot communication (CPC) for DAA. The UAV flight tests are generally beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) near suburban areas with flight distances to 8 km. On the GTS deployment, six test locations examine communication coverage and effectiveness using ADS-B like OBUs. In system verification, the proposed ADS-B like OBU works well in the UTM infrastructure. The system feasibility is proven with support of receiving data analysis and transceiver efficiency. The trial test supports RUTM in Taiwan for UAV operations.

scholarly journals Use of a Value Model to Ethically Govern Various Applications of Small UAS

Drones ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Philpott ◽  
Benjamin Kwasa ◽  
Christina Bloebaum
Keyword(s):  
Federal Aviation Administration ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Us ◽  
Value Model ◽  
Aerial Systems

Widespread use of small unmanned aircraft systems is becoming prominent in the US. From structural health monitoring to journalism, small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) are allowing people to gain a view of their surroundings and conduct their jobs in ways like never before. With this come many ethical concerns that must be addressed before the sight of a sUAS flying overhead is a widely acceptable occurrence to a majority of the population. Currently, UAS operations used in civil airspace are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 rules, but these regulations do not address certain ethical considerations. This paper will use the concept of a value model to quantify these ethical concerns so that they may be encoded into the design of a UAS and evaluation of missions before the missions are conducted. This could prove valuable in addressing the ethical challenges that are faced when implementing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations into the airspace, especially when UASs are in airspace in densely populated areas.

scholarly journals Industry Analysis: Unmanned Aerial Systems

10.28945/4144 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 083-104
Author(s):  
Darren Spencer
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Free Access ◽  
National Airspace System ◽  
The Us ◽  
Market Leader ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
New Industry ◽  
New Jobs

According to Michael Kratsios, Deputy US Technology Officer, and Executive Assistant of President, UASs will contribute to 100,000 new jobs and provide nearly $80 Billion in economic impact in the United States over the next decade, but "errant use poses unique safety and technological challenges" (Kratsios, 2018). It is these two opposing potential results that pit the advocates for fully integrating UASs into the National Airspace System against those that warn for caution and separation. The profit potential of being the market leader in a new industry clashes with an already established manned system that is recovering from years of losses following September 11, 2002, and regulatory agencies whose mission is the safe and efficient utilization of airspace, particularly of existing manned aviation, clashes with users who want unrestricted and free access at any time and may not necessarily understand the regulatory environment of the complex airspace system they want to occupy. UAS sales are growing irrespective of this, with sales doubling annually from 2013 to 2017, reaching an estimated 2.4 million units sold in the US in 2017 (Scott, 2017) (Meola, The Rise of the Drone Industry, 2017).

scholarly journals Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Agricultural Operation Management: Part III: Best Practices for Efficient Aerial Surveying

EDIS ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Singh ◽  
James Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Operation Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Biological Engineering ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Data Collections ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Agricultural Operation

With the increasing use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in the agricultural domain, ensuring the consistency and completeness of aerial surveys is critical in order to establish repeatability and consistency in data collection activities. This publication covers five main steps to ensure that aerial data collections are repeatable and consistent among missions. It is one of a three-part series focusing on the applications, configuration, and best practices for using UASs in agricultural operations management. Written by Aditya Singh and James Fletcher, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2021.

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