NOAA Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (UAS) Program Strategy
& Arctic Collaboration
“Alaska is our aircraft carrier in the Arctic!”
John “JC” Coffey
NOAA UAS Program Office
10 September 2013
Purpose and Outline
•
•
•
NOAA UAS Strategic Vision and Roadmap
Arctic Missions & Future
Challenges & Success!
Unmanned Flight
It is not new!!!
1862 Balloons (manned) used to survey Civil War battlefields
1903 Wright Brothers manned flight
1923 First radio controlled flight
1944 First use of a cruise missile in combat
1946 First UAV used in the science research role
1959 First UAV used in the reconnaissance role
1998 First trans-Atlantic crossing by an unmanned aircraft (Aerosonde)
2001 First trans-Pacific crossing by an unmanned aircraft
(Global Hawk)
2013 Balloon used to survey Central Park, NY
(Digital Design & Imaging Services)
Concept of Operations
Why Unmanned Systems?
• Dirty, Dull, Dangerous, Denied
• Efficient, Effective,
Economical & Environmentally
Friendly
• Prolific because:
– Command and Control
improvement
– Propulsion improvements
– Sensor miniaturization
– Remote operations
– Timely operations
– Economic benefits
NOAA UAS Strategic Vision
and Goals
• Vision
– UAS will revolutionize NOAA observing strategies by
2015 comparable to the introduction of satellite and
radar assets decades earlier
• Goals
– Goal 1: Increase UAS observing capacity
– Goal 2: Develop high science-return UAS missions
• High impact weather monitoring,
• Polar monitoring
• Marine monitoring
– Goal 3: Transition cost-effective, operationally
feasible UAS solutions into routine operations
5
NASA/NOAA Arctic
Global Hawk UAS Missions
• NASA / NOAA Global Hawk Pacific (2010)
• First Global Hawk science mission
• Flights spanned 12 to 85 deg N Latitudes
• NOAA Corp Officer becomes first certified NASA Global Hawk pilot
• NASA Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (2010)
• First Global Hawk flights over tropical cyclones
• Real-time data delivery
• NOAA Winter Storm Pacific and Atmospheric Rivers (2011)
• First operational dropsonde deployment, 177 sondes total
• First dropsonde in the Arctic since 1950s
• NASA Hurricane Severe Storm Sentinel (2012 – 2013)
• Three-year experiment deploying 2 Global Hawks
• 2011 test flight comparison of G-IV and Global Hawk dropsondes
shows very good agreement
• First East Coast deployment of Global Hawk
• Three NOAA Corps certified pilots and maintenance crew
• Dropsonde data delivered in real-time to National Hurricane
Center
NASA Hurricane Severe Storm
Sentinel (HS3) Experiment
Environment Observations
• Profiles of temperature, humidity,
wind, and pressure (AVAPS)
• Cloud top height (CPL)
• Cloud top temperature and profiles of
temperature and humidity (S-HIS)
Over-storm Observations
•Doppler velocity, horizontal winds, and
ocean surface winds (HIWRAP)
• Profiles of temperature and humidity
and total precipitable water (HAMSR)
• Ocean surface winds and rain
(HIRAD)
7
USCGC Icebreaker Healy & PUMA
Mission & Science Objectives
Sept 7-23, 2013
The demonstration will utilize Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and Government-Off-The-Shelf
(GOTS) technologies, from the USCG Icebreaking Cutter HEALY to demonstrate the ability to respond
to oil spills in the Arctic.
Six specific components will be evaluated including:
1. Unmanned Aircraft System (NOAA & University of Alaska PUMA AE UAS)
2. Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute SeaBED UUV)
3. Oil Recovery Skimmer (National Strike Force’s Helix skimmer)
4. Remotely Operated Vehicle (PAC Area’s VideoRay Pro 4 ROV )
5. Ruttar Radar system (Rutter Radar)
6. NOAA’s Environmental Response Management Application (NOAA)
USCG Icebreaker Healy Arctic
Monitoring Mission
MIZOPEX FY13
(July 10-August 10, 2013)
Science Objectives
•
(Goal) Fly a combination of different types of remote sensing instruments
over the marginal ice zone off the North Slope, along with deploying
small buoys to measure ocean conditions.
•
(Objectives) Assess ocean and sea ice variability during the melt season.
•
(Outcome) The data will be used to investigate:
-
Amount and distribution of heat in the ocean mixed layer
Relationships between atmospheric conditions and solar heating
Sea ice characteristics and relationships to melt rates and change
Validation and improvement of satellite-derived products for sea surface
temperature, ice concentration and ice type, thickness and roughness.
MIZOPEX Mission Location
Oliktok Point, AK
Oliktok Point Alaska, Oliktok Long
Range Radar Site, USAF-PACVNMH-13
Ice
Oliktok Point
Issues & Barriers to
Success
• Unmanned Systems have been “Wildly successful!”
• Plenty of issues but, “We have chosen to admire the problem.”
• Issues & Barriers to Success
– Privacy
– FAA Regulations & Access – Airspace, Airworthiness, Quals
– Program Management
• Engineering, Logistics, T&E, Operations, Contracting…
• Cost, Schedule, Performance, Risk, Requirement Traceability, Commonality
– Administrative hurdles to cooperation & asset pooling
• MOUs & IAAs
• Buying data or capability (assets, personnel, infrastructure)?
• Understanding utilization rates
– S&T… R&D… “Three months of install and ground test for 1 Flt-Hr
– Flt Hours vs On-station Hours vs Sensor Hours vs Data Hours vs Used DH
Success!
• High Utilization Rate
– FAA Airspace Access
• Dangerous, Dirty, Dull, Denied
• Efficient, Effective, Economical and Environmentally Friendly
– Common and Pooled Assets & Operators
• Logistic, Configuration Management, Training
• Data Standardization, Quality, Storage and Cataloging
• Overarching Inter-Agency Agreement (IAA) & Scheduling
• Cheaper & Greener
– Autonomous
• Completely
• Multiple platforms controlled by single operator
– Uses 10% of the fuel or “new fuels” or “no fuel”
Small UAS Operations
FY13
Project
Mission Dates
Location
COA Required
Platform(s)
Mission
Coyote Launch
May - August
California / Avon Park
No
Coyote / GALE
Clear Air and Storm Drop
VX-30 PUMA Emergency Response
Exercise
June 18th or June 19th
Plead Control Range
No
PUMA (Army System)
Emergency Response
Olympic Coast NMS
PUMA: Travel June 16, PUMA OPS 17-30,
Quad: Travel 23, OPS 24-30
Washington / Oregon
Yes
Florida Keys NMS
August 19 - September 1st
Florida Keys
Yes (for habitat mapping
mission) / No (for
enforcement mission)
PUMA
FKNMS Habitat Mapping
and Enforcement Mission
Channel Island NMS
September 13-23
California
Yes
PUMA
CINMS Blue Whale and
Enforcement Mission.
HEALY Ice Breaker OPS
7 - 8 Sep: Embark on HEALY in Barrow
(two days to allow for poor wx)
9 - 13 Sep: D-17/RDC/NOAA UAS/UAV oil
spill exercise
22 Sep: HEALY inports in Seward, AK.
PUMA Team disembarks and ships PUMA
gear back to AOC
Arctic
Yes
PUMA
Ice Research, Cooperative
Ops
Marine Debris
September 15-30 (1 week)
Kodiak Island, AK
Yes
PUMA
Marine Debris Detection
River Forecasting Center
September
Lake Borgne, LA
Yes
PUMA
River Forecasting Center
PUMA /
Quadrocopter/Resolution
Small UAS Operations
FY14
Month
Platform
Oct-13 PUMA AE DDL
Nov-13 PUMA AE DDL
Dec-13 APH-22 Hexacopter
Jan-14 MD4-1000 Quadrocopter
Jan-14 APH-22 Hexacopter
Jan-14 PUMA AE DDL
Feb-14 APH-22 Hexacopter
Feb-14 PUMA AE DDL
Feb-14 PUMA AE DDL
Feb-14 PUMA AE DDL
Mar-14 APH-22 Hexacopter
Mar-14 PUMA AE DDL
Apr-14 PUMA AE DDL
Apr-14 PUMA AE DDL
May-14 PUMA AE DDL
May-14 PUMA AE DDL
May-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jun-14 APH-22 Hexacopter
Jun-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jun-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jun-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jun-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jul-14 APH-22 Hexacopter
Mission
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
River Forecasting Center
Marine Mammal Surveys
Grey Whale / Marine Mammal Surveys\
Marine Mammal Surveys
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Marine Mammal Surveys
Living Marine Resource, Seabird and Marine
Debris Detection
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
River Forecasting Center
Marine Mammal Surveys
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
River Forecasting Center
Marine Mammal Surveys
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Marine Mammal Surveys
Jul-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jul-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jul-14 PUMA AE DDL
Jul-14 PUMA AE DDL
Aug-14 Scan Eagle
Aug-14 PUMA AE DDL
Aug-14 PUMA AE DDL
Aug-14 PUMA AE DDL
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Marine Mammal Surveys
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Aug-14 PUMA AE DDL
Aug-14 PUMA AE DDL
Sep-14 Scan Eagle
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
River Forecasting Center
Marine Mammal Surveys
Sep-14 PUMA AE DDL
Sep-14 PUMA AE DDL
Sep-14 PUMA AE DDL
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Living Marine Resource / Enforcement
Location
Florida Keys NMS
Bogue Chitto NWR / Pearl River WMA
Antarctica
Central California
Antarctica
Channel Islands NMS
Antarctica
AOC Support
2 operators
1 PIC
None
1 PIC
None
Varies (none, 1 or 2 pilots)
None
Olympic Coast NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Bogue Chitto NWR / Pearl River WMA
Antarctica
Channel Islands NMS
Florida Keys NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Florida Keys NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Bogue Chitto NWR / Pearl River WMA
Aleutian Island Chain
Stellwagen Bank NMS
Florida Keys NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Gray's Reef NMS
Aleutian Island Chain
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National
Monument
Florida Keys NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Gray's Reef NMS
Arctic (Barrow, AK)
Florida Keys NMS
Channel Islands NMS
Gray's Reef NMS
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National
Monument
Bogue Chitto NWR / Pearl River WMA
Arctic (Barrow, AK)
West Coast Region (Monterey, Cordell
Bank, Farallones)
Channel Islands NMS
Gray's Reef NMS
2 operators
Varies (none,
1 PIC
None
Varies (none,
2 operators
Varies (none,
2 operators
Varies (none,
1 PIC
None
2 operators
2 operators
Varies (none,
2 operators
None
1 or 2 pilots)
1 or 2 pilots)
1 or 2 pilots)
1 or 2 pilots)
1 or 2 pilots)
Estimated Mission
Duration
10 days
2 weeks
all month
10 days
10 days
all month
10 days
10 days
2 weeks
March 1 - 15
10 days
10 days
10 days
10 days
10 days
2 weeks
all month
10 days
10 days
10 days
10 days
July 1-8
2 operators
2 operators
Varies (none, 1 or 2 pilots)
2 operators
None
2 operators
Varies (none, 1 or 2 pilots)
2 operators
10 days
10 days
10 days
10 days
month long
10 days
10 days
10 days
2 operators
1 PIC
None
10 days
2 weeks
month long
2 operators
Varies (none, 1 or 2 pilots)
2 operators
10 days
10 days
10 days
Contact Information
UAS Web Site: http://uas.noaa.gov/
Questions should be directed to:
noaa.uas@noaa.gov
Robbie Hood - NOAA UAS Program Director
robbie.hood@noaa.gov
John “JC” Coffey- NOAA UAS Program Office
john.j.coffey@noaa.gov
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DoD Recognized Challenges
for UxS
• Interoperability: Across the domains of air, ground, and maritime.
• Autonomy: Mindful of manpower, affordability, operational utilities,
technological developments, policy, public opinion.
• Airspace Integration: Within the National Airspace System (NAS) &
International Airspace. Operating areas for all systems
• Communications: Address frequency and bandwidth availability, link
security, link ranges, and network infrastructure moving toward onboard
pre-processing.
• Training: Joint training requirements to improved training effectiveness
and efficiency.
• Propulsion and Power: More efficient and logistically supportable
sources for propulsion and power.
• Manned-Unmanned (MUM) Teaming: Improve the teaming of
unmanned
systems with the manned force.
April 2012
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FAA in the Arctic
Congress established 3 regions Arctic
–“permanent areas in the Arctic where small unmanned aircraft may
operate 24 hours per day for research and commercial purposes.”
2012 FAA Modernization Act
–the Bering Strait
–portions of the Bering Sea
–and the Arctic Ocean
• FAA “Arctic” defined as the U.S. zone of the Chukchi Sea, the Beaufort
Sea and the Bering Sea north of the Aleutian island chain.
• Test grounds for commercial UAS use to boost research and developmen
• Certifications granted to the Insitu ScanEagle and AeroVironment Puma
AE for Arctic Operations (limited)
Additional Animal Monitoring