Unmanned Systems Integration

Unmanned systems have rapidly gained popularity over the last ten years, and although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already announced plans to integrate unmanned aerial systems in the national airspace (NAS), progress seems to have slowed down to a crawl. The reason that the integration of unmanned systems is more challenging than originally thought is due to controversial issues, specifically the issue of privacy. In order to ensure a smooth integration and implementation of unmanned systems in within known limits, certain issues will need to be addressed. For the purpose of simplicity this post will discuss the implementation of law enforcement unmanned aerial systems.

A seamless transition would need to address multiple hot topics, specially the privacy, ethical, safety, and lost link or lost of control implications. Due to the amount of negative publicity, it is important to remember that getting people to be receptive to your ideas and points of view can be a lot more difficult than we might think.

The privacy issue is perhaps one of the most widely discussed subjects in regards to the integration of unmanned systems within the community. Because privacy is the most important right that we have as Americans, it is important for each company to specifically address the issue. Enact rules within the company, that illegal violation of privacy would not be tolerated. Law enforcement UAS can initially seem intimidating, but all police departments using drones should guarantee the community that drones will only specifically track areas where criminal activities is highly probable.

The topic of ethics can be directly tied to the issue of privacy. Every police department should include a code of ethics. Police department should continue to enforce the law and remain unbiased and free of prejudice and only prosecute those people who are actively involved in criminal activity. Assumptions should never be made based on race, or ethnic background.

When it comes to safety, law enforcement unmanned aerial systems should do what the law enforcement mission dictates; to ensure the safety of every citizen. Law enforcement unmanned aerial systems should be able to block a portion of working airspace to ensure that they can operate freely and have the flexibility to conduct its mission in a safe manner. Due to the nature of the mission, I believe law enforcement drones should be carefully inspected before and after flights by an expert in the system.

Finally, lost link situations could pose a threat to other people or aircraft. Fortunately, lost link conditions are being addressed  and systems are now equipped with a return home feature in case of lost link. Systems are also equipped with multiple sense and avoid sensors that allow it to maneuver away from obstacles while returning to the launch point.

The integration and implementation of unmanned aerial systems for law enforcement purposes should not create skepticism if a solid plan that offers transparency is developed and shared with the community. Once people begin to see positive results due to the benefits offered by unmanned aerial systems, the community will be more receptive.

UAS Sensor Placement

The DJI Phantom 4 Pro is a small aerial imaging unmanned aerial system (UAS). The Phantom 4 Pro features a one-inch sensor with an F2.8 aperture, capable of 4K, 60 frames per second video recording as well as 14 frames per second burst mode, 20 megapixel photography. Its mechanical shutter eliminates the rolling shutter bending typically seen when taking photographs at high speeds. The system is accompanied by a Ground Control Station (GCS) controller with its bright, 1080p, 5.5 Inch monitor. During video recording, Phantom 4 Pro offers active tracking with three intelligent flight modes; profile, which tracks the target horizontally from any perspective; spotlight, locks the camera on a specific subject and follows it from any angle; and circle, which records video 360 degrees around a subject (DJI, 2016; Perlman, 2016).


Another interesting feature of the Phantom 4 Pro is Tap fly and, the newly added, reverse tap fly. Tap fly allows the operator to tap a point on the map screen and the UAS will fly to that point, reverse tap fly, on the other hand, allows the operator to keep the camera focus on a subject while it flies to a specific point. The Phantom 4 has been equipped with obstacle avoidance capability; Forward, rear, downward, and infrared side sensors provide five direction obstacle sensing. In the event of a lost link condition, the Phantom 4 Pro is able to return home avoiding any obstacles and it even flies the same route home while trying to regain link. Flight endurance on the Phantom 4 Pro has been extended to 30 minutes. The phantom 4 Pro is made of titanium alloy and magnesium alloy which decreases weight and increases durability (DJI, 2016; Pearlman, 2016).


Finally, the GCS controller of the Phantom 4 Pro integrates a two frequency transmission support at 2.4 GHz a d 5.8 GHz which reduces the probability of interference. When the systems is switched on the system automatically analyzes both frequencies and selects the one with the least amount of interference to ensure smooth signal and video transmission. With an ascent speed of 6 meters per second and a descent speed of 4 meters per second, the Phantom 4 Pro can reach speeds of up to 45 mph. Additionally, the system has a maximum service ceiling of 6,000 meters and utilizes GPS and GLONASS for positioning (DJI, 2016).


Race drones are a lot smaller and lighter and are designed to reach speeds of over 100 mph. These systems are typically custom made and specifically designed for speed, agility, and endurance (Bloomberg, 2016). One of the fastest race drones in the market is the Arris FPV 250. The Arris FPV 250 is a small sport UAS made up of composite carbon/glass fiber. The Arris carries a 700TVL sensor that provides excellent quality video and has no video latency making it ideal for racing. The total weight of the system, with the battery, is 554 grams and it has total flight endurance of 10 minutes. One of the most interesting features of race drones includeing the Arris is that these systems are fully customizable. Beginners; however, are recommended to use the system as it comes before deciding to customize (Berstein, 2016; ArrisHobby, n.d.).

The Arris FPV 250 is designed as a first person view (FPV), meaning that the operator will see exactly from the system’s perspective. These systems are most commonly compatible with FPV goggles for a more exhilarating experience. Racing drones’ sensors are fixed in the front of the UAS which makes them ideal for racing. Imaging unmanned aerial systems, on the other hand, are designed to record video and take photos. The Phantom 4 Pro’s sensor has a horizontal field of view of 70 degrees and a vertical field of view of +/- 54 degrees and it is specifically designed to record high quality imaging. In the case of the Phantom 4 Pro, sensors are distributed throughout the system to provide more effective obstacle avoidance.


References

ArrisHobby FPV racing drones store. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.arrishobby.com/arris-fpv250-mini-racing-sport-quadcopter-bnf-assembled-p-2616

Bersnstein, B. (2016, March 18). Drone racing: 5 fastest drones to buy. Retrieved from
http://heavy.com/tech/2016/03/best-drone-racing-fastest-racing-drones-to-buy-fpv-racer-quadco pter/

Bloomberg. (2016, 23 March). Go inside the world’s first $1 million drone race. [video file] retrieved fromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ0viMxYDA4

DJI. (2016, November 15). DJI: Introducing Phantom 4 Pro. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVNO-fib6fg

Perlman, A. (2016, June 24). The top professional drones for serious commercial UAV pilots. Retrieved from http://uavcoach.com/professional-drones/

Using Unmanned Maritime Systems in Search and Rescue

For this assignment I have selected the submarine rescue diving and recompression system (SRDRS). The SRDRS is an unmanned underwater system used to rescue damaged or disabled submerged submarines. It is designed as a rapid deployment system in the event of a submarine accident and can be easily transported by air, ground, or sea. Once on site, the SRDRS is tethered to a mothered ship, lowered into the water and remotely operated to the accident area where it attaches to the disabled submarine’s hatch. The SRDRS is able to carry up to 16 rescued personnel. The system is comprised of three subsystems; the assessment/underwater work system (AUWS); the submarine rescue system-rescue capable system (SRS-RCS); and the submarine rescue system-submarine decompression system (SRS-SDS). The SRDRS is built by Phoenix international in San Diego, California, it measures 49 feet in length and can reach a maximum depth of 2,000 feet (Keller, 2015; U.S. NAVY, 2015).






The first system of the SRDRS, the AUWS, consists of the ADS2000, is a manned atmospheric dive system capable of clearing debris and inspecting the damaged submarine. This system is expected to be replaced soon by an unmanned underwater system. The second system consists of the pressurized rescued module (PRM), launch and recovery system, and support equipment. The third system, the submarine decompression system (SDS), is the system that allows rescued personnel to remain under pressure providing direct transfer to decompression chambers (submarine rescue, n.d.; U.S. NAVY 2008).


What proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors does your selected system have that are specifically designed for the maritime environment?

Among the proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors on the SRDRS are forward and aft scanning sonar, doppler sonar, forward profiling sonar, ultra-short baseline (USBL) acoustic tracking beacon, charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, and a SIT equivalent ocean camera. A total of 12 cameras and three scanning sonars.

What is one modification you would make to the existing system to make it more successful in maritime search and rescue operations?

The only modification I would make, which by the way is one of the already proposed changes, is to make the assessment/underwater diving system fully unmanned. Unmanned underwater vehicles can now be used to conduct inspections of the submerged, disabled vehicles.

How can maritime unmanned systems be used in conjunction with UAS to enhance their effectiveness?

Maritime unmanned systems can work in conjunction with unmanned aerial systems and enhanced operational effectiveness by maintaining communication between the two or three assets. UAVs can get to the area rapidly and analyze the situation before the unmanned maritime system gets on station. In fact, earlier this year a Lockheed Martin’s unmanned underwater vehicle, the Marlin 2, was able to launch a Vector Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle proving that unmanned underwater systems and unmanned aerial vehicles can work jointly and autonomously toward the same objective (Lockheed Martin, 2016).

What advantages do unmanned maritime systems have over their manned counterparts? Are there sensor suites that are more effective on unmanned systems?

One the advantages that unmanned maritime systems have over their manned counterparts, is cost savings. Because unmanned maritime systems do not carry humans on board, they don’t need life support systems allowing them to be smaller in size.

References

English, J. & Gibson, J. (n.d.). Pressurized rescue module system: U.S. NAVY’s future submarine rescue vehicle. Retrieved from http://www.oceanworks.com/admin/sitefile/1/files/OW2002_Pressurized%20Rescue%20Module.pdf

Keller, J. (2015, November 9). Navy readies deployable unmanned underwater vehicle to rescue sunken submaribne crews. Retrieved from http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2015/11/unmanned-submarine-rescue.html

Lockheed martin. (2016, September 28). From under the sea to up in the air: Lockheed Martin conducts first underwater unmanned aircraft launch from unmanned underwater vehicle. Retrieved from http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2016/september/160928-rms-first-underwater-unmanned-aircraft-launch-from-unmanned-underwater-vehicle.html

Submarine rescue diving and recompression system. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/systems/srdrs.htm

U.S. NAVY. (2015, October 19). Submarine rescue diving and recompression system (SRDRS). Retrieved from http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=400&ct=4

U.S. NAVY. (2008, October 2). New submarine rescue asset joins fleet. Retrieved from http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=40147

Robotic Sensing in Disaster Response

In the article tiled "Drones: The future of disaster response" Heather Kelly begins the article by highlighting the difficulties faced by first responders as they arrive to the devastating scene left by a massive tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma on May 20, 2013. Destroyed homes, downed power lines, and massive amounts of debris blocked roads in and out of the area making it nearly impossible to navigate the area in search for survivors. Although the air provided easier access to the area, the airspace was quickly inundated by the loud noise of media and law enforcement helicopters making it more difficult to hear those survivors trapped under the debris. The entire area was consequently declared a no-fly zone and the search for survivors continued on the ground.

Nevertheless, advancements in airborne technology will improve disaster response. One emerging technology that can prove vital to disaster response efforts is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Unmanned aerial vehicles can be light weight, portable, quiet, and versatile; qualities that can prove invaluable to search an rescue missions. UAVs provide the flexibility to be launched quickly from any location and the data gathered can be transmitted real time to first responders on the ground. There is a lot of excitement about the inclusion of UAVs in search and rescue, but regulatory issues, privacy concerns, and media portrayal continue to halt progress. 

One sensor that can provide invaluable assistance to search and rescue efforts is the infra-red sensor or IR sensor. An IR sensor is a special sensor that can detect the light in the IR region of the electromagnetic spectrum. IR energy is not visible to the human eye making it beneficial for night operations. IR sensors are also sensitivy to heat which makes them ideal in identifying a human heat signature. Mrs. Kelly discusses how a Canadian UAV with an IR sensor was able to search and track a man whose car had rolled off the road into the forest. The incident is living proof of the potential benefits of unmanned systems, but privacy issues remain a controversial topic. The article goes on to discuss how privacy concerns are mounting in regards to unmanned systems, and how potential applications for unmanned systems continue to attract more enthusiasts. Mrs. Kelly's article seems to advocate for the use of unmanned systems and does a great job presenting examples that support her position.

References

Chilton, A. (2014, October 15). The working principle and key applications of infra-red sensors. Retrieved from http://www.azosensors.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=339

Kelly, H. (2013, May 23). Drones: The future of disaster response. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/23/tech/drones-the-future-of-disaster-response/