Estimating Road Vehicle Instantaneous Fuel Consumption by Aerial Traffic Observation with a Multi-Rotor Drone

This study presents a preliminary approach to estimate instantaneous fuel consumption base on image processing from aerial observation using a multi-rotor drone. A drone was deployed over an actual road traffic to capture images of vehicle activities and feed into a program that was developed in this study. The program identifies and tracks the vehicle activities using pixel-based adaptive approach. The vehicle activities were then processed into variables as an input for the generic vehicle model. Coupled with model constants, the generic vehicle model then estimates the instantaneous fuel consumption and CO2 emission and tags the estimated results on the tracked vehicle on the program user-interface. In comparison with the actual experimental measurements, the estimated instantaneous fuel consumption shows a trend with correlation coefficient of 0.741 with higher total fuel usage by 10.6%. The estimation results were useful to map the distribution of fuel consumption over the routes of the observed area in relation to the natural traffic.

“A Three-Year Vacation”

This chapter recounts the Big Blowdown of 1950 in Adirondack, New York. It introduces Clarence Petty, a New York State Forest Ranger who was asked to go up and look at the damage that had happened in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. The chapter outlines the appeal of foresters to the state legislature to start a salvage logging program in the forest preserve. It then turns to narrate the early life of Clarence, from being a park ranger to pilot, as well as the story of his brother's life Bill Petty, a regional director of the Conservation Department. Clarence became the undisputed authority on the forest preserve. He combined his years of aerial observation with three major surveying assignments that took him to every acre of state-owned land in the Adirondacks. He called his first assignment “a three-year vacation.” The chapter examines the statewide version of the disagreement between the Petty brothers, in which Clarence and other Forever Wild advocates were horrified by salvage logging in the forest preserve, while Bill and other scientific foresters replied that the friends of the Forever Wild clause were silly and sentimental. Ultimately, the chapter reviews the work of Neil Stout and Clarence Petty to make detailed maps and gather as much useful data as possible on the large roadless areas in the forest preserve.

Preliminary morpho-structural analyses of the summit craters of Etna, in the last 4 Years, based on data extracted through SfM technique

<p>Morphological changes of the summit craters of active volcanoes are of pivotal interest in volcano monitoring because they could be the consequences of volcanic activities and represent the prelude of dangerous events.<br>Several methodologies have been used during the years in the volcanological monitoring, starting from ground measurements and remote sensing techniques such as aerial observation and satellite data analysis.  However, in the last decade UAVs have emerged in monitoring active volcanoes. In fact, they represent tools of indisputable value due to their relatively low cost, speed in mission planning, repeatability of surveys for data acquisition and increased operator safety.<br>During the last 4 Years we performed 15 UAVs surveys and 3 from helicopter to monitor the four summit craters of ETNA. The acquired data have been processed through structure-from-motion photogrammetric software to extract DEMs and orthomosaics with resolution ranging between 5 and 20 cm. A multi-temporal comparison of the extracted data has been successively performed on a GIS platform with the final aims of performing morpho-structural analyses of Etna summit craters, identifying areas of structural weakness, that could indicate areas of possible lateral collapses, and computing volume balances between gained and lost volumes.<br>The presented elaborations could help to quantify the hazard related to Etna summit eruptive activity and to mitigate the risk on an area visited by several tourists, especially in summer time.</p>

Exploring the Challenges Posed by Regulations for the Use of Drones in Agriculture in the African Context

Global food demands have led to the rapid introduction of Information Communication Technology (ICT) innovations in the agriculture sector—one such innovation is drone technology. Drones are used in precision agriculture, including aerial observation, sensing, and the spraying of pesticides. Regulations on the use of drones are necessary because drones can violate privacy rules, data protection rights, and public peace. However, many African countries have either very restrictive regulations, or no proper regulation in place, making the process of acquiring a license for drone operation cumbersome. In this study, we present the results of a literature review that explores the current drone regulations in Sub-Saharan Africa and the results of a systematic literature review (SLR) and survey study whereby we have interviewed the relevant stakeholders, in order to understand the challenges posed by the regulations to the effective use of drones for agriculture. The results indicate that the regulations contain about 40 to 85 per cent of the provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) manual on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPASs). In addition, whilst the SLR focused on the technology, safety, ethics and regulatory hurdles towards drones, the interviewees focused on the need for skill and awareness among the responsible authorities to enforce regulations, and the need for sustainability and participatory process in defining regulations.

Behaviour reactions of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) represent a novel and cost effective research tool to investigate cetacean behaviour, as conventional aircraft are expensive, limited in the altitude they can fly at and potentially disturb sensitive wildlife. In addition, the aerial observation from the UAVs allows assessment of cetacean behaviour from an advantageous perspective and can collect high spatial and temporal resolution data, providing the opportunity to gather accurate data about group size, age class and subsurface behaviour. However, concerns have been raised about the potential risks of disturbance to animals caused by the UAV’s visual and acoustic stimuli. Boat-based surveys were conducted to assess the short-term behavioural responses of resting bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to a lightweight Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV flown at 10, 25, and 40 m altitude. Changes in group swim direction and frequencies of surface and aerial behavioural events were recorded from an anchored research vessel before (control) and during the aerial survey. The number of reorientation and tail slap events increased significantly between controls and flights when the UAV was flown at 10 m over the animals. In contrast, no significant differences were detected when the aircraft was flown at 25 and 40 m altitude. However, a precautionary approach is recommended for research applications requiring lower flight altitudes, with further research recommended to assess how different cetacean species and age class may respond to the UAV presence.

Mathematical Model for Errors Estimation of Object’s Location Parameters Determination Using Flying Platform

Some tasks require identification of landmarks in districts beyond the reach of existing optical observation facilities. The accuracy of their determination significantly affects the effectiveness of the use necessary equipment during the task. In the paper an algorithm to determine the object parameters using a flying platform is offered. An observation point is installed which is equipped with a navigation system to solve this task. This ensures its orientation and positioning. From the observation point an aerial observation point is displayed. It is suggested to use a flying platform. The coordinates of the flying platform are determined relative to the observation point, the coordinates of the landmarks are determined relative to the flying platform. The mathematical model of the estimation error determination of object coordinates with the help of a flying platform is proposed. The analysis of errors in determining the parameters of the object using a flying platform is conducted. Analysis of the results of mathematical modeling is conducted using the package of applications Mathcad. The dependence of these parameters on the relative position of the observation point, platforms and object is examined. It is shown that the main contribution to the error of determining the coordinates of the landmark is given by the errors of determining the observation point location and measuring the range. An analytical correlation is obtained, which allows to estimate the errors of determining the coordinates of the landmark using the flying platform with known errors in determining the observation point coordinates and the range determination of the range finder.

APPLICATION OF AERIAL OBSERVATION DRONE FOR TESTING MORTAR PROJECTILES ON THE RANGE

The paper dwells on application of a vertical take-off/landing aerial observation drone that is equipped with a video camera to localise on testing range places of falling for experimental 120 mm inert mortar projectiles having head percussion fuse and filled with a black powder charge. The drone was flying at the height of 50-80 m and filming with the rate of 25 pictures per second when observing an area of predicted projectiles falls. A typical sequence of pictures taken by the drone camera and showing the terminal fragment of projectile trajectory with effects of hitting into the ground is presented. The falling sites of all (ten) fired projectiles were identified. Application of the drone for the range tests has also enhanced the level of their safety and allowed the monitoring of a fire threat.

Beginnings, West Point, and Early Assignments

The first chapter functions as an introduction and early biography to Kuter. It begins by focusing on his early life, his decision to attend West Point, his time at the Academy and his graduation and marriage. Following this, it shows how a young artillery officer found an interest in airplanes and their use as aerial observation platforms. Finally, it follows the Kuter family arriving at and attending flying training in the wastelands of Texas at Brooks Field. An interesting aspect of this is how Kuter and family move from the very plush Presidio in California to the “hardly palatial” San Antonio. This chapter also introduces Mrs. Ethel Kuter, whose diaries, scrapbooks, and passion for documenting Larry’s exploits provided a rich historical record to pull from.