(10) Airport bird activity monitoring and mitigation: The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) approach Dennis Vincenzi, David Ison, Brent Terwilliger & Stefan Kleinke Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide The utility of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in a wide range of applications such as military operations, law enforcement, security, observation/surveying, and agriculture, is well known. In addition, UAS have shown significant promise for wildlife research and monitoring. Exigent research has implicated UAS as powerful tools for collecting low-altitude imagery providing timely, cost-effective means of identifying and quantifying species populations as well as assessing local landscape environments. UAS are able to easily access locations that are typically hard to reach, are able to quickly move from one area to another, are easy to launch and recover, and have a wide range of sensor systems providing for maximum detection capabilities. Adding to their utility, UAS incorporate precise navigation and geotagging capabilities (Jones, Pearlstine, & Percival, 2006; Watts et al, 2010). Additional applications for UAS, in particular those in airport environments, have also recently been identified. In particular, Terwilliger, Vincenzi, Ison, Witcher, Thirtyacre, and Khalid (2015) have found that UAS are particularly suitable for assisting airport rescue first responders in the assessment and monitoring of an aircraft accident site. While the capabilities of UASs and their associated sensors are conducive to airport bird activity monitoring and dispersion, little research has been conducted on the types of platforms and configurations most appropriate to such applications (Toscano, 2014). This research will use similar selection and evaluation criteria as in Terwilliger, Vincenzi, Ison, Witcher, Thirtyacre, and Khalid (2015) to provide guidance on the evaluation standards airport operations personnel should adopt when considering UAS as part of an airport wildlife control plan. Additionally, best practices on types of operations will be provided from existing research and sensor capabilities. Lastly, regulatory issues and airport operations integration issues will be outlined.
Vincenzi, D., D. Ison, B. Terwilliger & S. Kleinke. 2015. Airport bird activity monitoring and mitigation: The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) approach. Proceedings of the North American Birdstrike Conference 15. 19 pages.
Airport Bird Ac+vity Monitoring and Mi+ga+on: The Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Approach Dr. Dennis Vincenzi Dr. David Ison Dr. Brent Terwilliger Mr. Stefan Kleinke Embry-‐Riddle AeronauDcal University -‐ Worldwide
Outline • • • • • •
IntroducDon TradiDonal Strategies UAS CapabiliDes Payloads and PlaJorms SimulaDon around airports Conclusion
IntroducDon
U.S Airways Flight 1549 January 15, 2009
hMps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imDFSnklB0k
Cost and Numbers • Over 900 bird strikes annually • Typically ~25% result in significant damage • EsDmated costs exceed $400 -‐ $600 million annually • Numbers of bird strikes per 100,000 aircrab movements have increased from 0.42 in 1990 to 1.26 in 2011 • Occur most oben during landing, takeoff, or low alDtude flight • Majority of bird strikes occur near airports • 60% of bird strikes occur at under 100 b.
TradiDonal Systems / Methods • Noise generaDon/AcousDc weapons – Sonic deterrents
• Radar
– Early detecDon around airports, along air corridors, etc.
• Predatory birds • Habitat eliminaDon/miDgaDon
– Removing standing water, cugng grassy areas, removing brush, etc.
UAS Uses • MulDple applicaDons for UAS in a variety of industries – – – –
Pipeline inspecDon Precision agriculture Real Estate Law enforcement/border partol
• For airport management/bird acDvity monitoring – – – – – – –
Low-‐alDtude imagery Species idenDficaDon and quanDficaDon Real-‐Dme geotracking Precision navigaDon Habitat idenDficaDon and monitoring Easy deployment Rapid response and mobility
Imagery/Mapping • Imagery • Species locaDon and quanDficaDon • Habitat mapping, precision, real Dme geotracking and geotagging
Easy Deployment • Easy deployment • Rapid Response • Mobility
Payloads – AcousDc Deterrents • Electro-‐AcousDc
– Normal audible frequency range – Pre-‐recorded sound – Low weight/low power
• PneumaDc
– Low weight, almost no power required
• Pyrotechnic
– Regulatory challenges
• Possible combinaDons
– Visual or other deterrents – Strobe
Payloads – ObservaDon Sensors • Electro-‐OpDc
– Pro -‐ Widely available, small, light, inexpensive – Con – ResoluDon vs bandwidth; FOV vs resoluDon range
• Infrared
– Pro – Sensor addiDon, miniaturized – Con – resoluDon and sensiDvity tradeoffs, dusk/dawn challenges
• Other – – – –
Doppler radar Possible in the future Ground based with link Miniaturized on-‐board acousDc sensor
PlaJorms – MicroUAS OpDons under 4.4 lbs
AR120B
AirRobot VTOL (electric) Cruise: 13kts Max: 21.7kts Endurance: 20min Range: 5 SM Payload: 1.32lbs
IRIS
3D RoboDcs VTOL (electric) Cruise: 29.2kts Max: 38.9kts Endurance: 26min Range: 8.4 SM Payload: .94lbs
Carcara I
Santos Labs VTOL (electric) Cruise: 25kts Max: 40kts Endurance: 60min Range: 28.8 SM Payload: .9lbs
PlaJorms – sUAS OpDons under 55 lbs Yarará
Nostromo Unmanned Systems Fixed-‐wing (int combusDon) Cruise: 62.1kts Max: 79.4kts Endurance: 4hrs Range: 285.6 SM Payload: 41.5lbs
Flamingo Mk 4 TB Silvertone Electronics Fixed-‐wing (int combusDon) Cruise: 43.1kts Max: 73kts Endurance: 6hrs Range: 297.7 SM Payload: 28.66lbs
Heliplane UAV E950
Challis VTOL (electric) Cruise: 55kts Max: 62kts Endurance: 45min Range: 47.4 SM Payload: 24.8lbs (for MTOW 55lbs)
SelecDng the Right CombinaDon • CAERUS
– Capability Analysis and EffecDveness Response for Unmanned Systems – Database of over 370 UAS from Groups 1, 2, and 3 – Used to compare and select best unit for specific applicaDons
Best PracDces
Examples of Possible Units • Vulcan Scarecrow -‐ $5500 – – – – – –
Foldable/portable Bird control system 30 minute flight Dme Variety of payloads available Waypoint programmable RelaDvely inexpensive
• Birdxpeller Drone -‐ ???
– Proprietary – Not a lot of info about the plaJorm available – Incorporates visual/sonic deterrent for bird control
Other Methods • Bird repellent spray – some recent developments are under review at this Dme • Light/sound combinaDons – strobes/sonic/ ultrasonic deterrents • “Herding” birds – using a network of UAS to push birds away from runways and flight corridors • Autonomous systems (patrol, monitor)
Challenges • FAA regulaDons are currently very restricDve
– Recent approvals of SecDon 333 applicaDons may provide ability to perform research in this area – No UAS allowed near airports currently
• However…
– UAS technology is developing very rapidly – Inclusion of UAS in many new industries is on the horizon
QuesDons? Dr. Brent A. Terwilliger
Dr. Dennis Vincenzi
Program Chair, M.S in Unmanned Systems ERAU-Worldwide
[email protected]
Department Chair, Undergraduate Studies ERAU-Worldwide
[email protected]
Dr. David Ison Research Chair College of Aeronautics ERAU-Worldwide
[email protected]
Mr. Stefan Kleinke Assistant Professor College of Aeronautics ERAU Worldwide
[email protected]
