Remotely Piloted Aerial System (RPAS)
What are they Good for?
May 21 , 2019
Peter Keum - WTD GIS Specialist, GISP
peter.keum@kingcounty.gov
Just another tool in the toolbox
@pkeum
CUGOS
Short Back Story
CUGOS April 2014
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Introduction
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FAA Regulations
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Workflow
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Examples
What's in the name?
FAA Definition: Unmanned Aircraft (UA) system that is operated by a pilot via ground control or on-board computer.
1. Introduction
What's in the name?
UAV = Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
UAS = Unmanned Aerial System
DRONE = Dynamic Remotely Operated Navigation Equipment
RPAS = Remotely Piloted Aircraft System
RPAS Categories
Small
- Size: 1 - 2 meters ( 3 ft - 6.5 ft), < 55 lbs.
- Control: Visual line of sight, Radio control
- DJI Phamtom, Mavic, ScanEagle
Medium
- Size: Equivalent to a car, ~ 1000 lbs.
- Control: Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) & Beyond LOS, RC & Satellite
- General Atomics -MQ1 Predator
Large
- Size: > 30,000 lbs.
- Control: Visual Line Of Sight (VLOS) & Beyond LOS, RC & Satellite
- Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk ~$222 Million
Different Shapes and Sizes
- Price /Performance
- Easy to use
- Quality data collection
- Adopting Rule by FAA
Why Now?
Cell Phone Technology + Lower $$
- Electronic Control System (ECS)
- Accelerometer & Gyroscope Chip
- GPS Chip
- Lithium Polymer (LiPo) Battery
- Motors
Integrated gyroscopic/GPS Chip in 2000's = $10,000
In 2017 = $3
1981 $120,000
2013
$5 - $15
EXAMPLE
It's just a toy...past examples of what used to be
It's just a toy...
It's just a toy...
2017
FAA Regulations - Where are we now?
2. Regulations
Commercial/Governmental
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Section 333 Exemption from FAA
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SAC - Special Airworthiness Certificates from FAA
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FAA 14 CFR Part 107 - July 2016
Commercial/Governmental
FAA 14 CFR Part 107 Rule, August 2016
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Need FAA Remote Pilot Certification (Pilot license NOT needed)
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Year 2017 - 60,000 active FAA remote pilot certificates
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Year 2018 - 116,000 new remote pilot certificates
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Year 2023 - FAA expect to grow to 350,000
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Fly under 400 feet above ground level
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Not to fly < 5 nautical miles around airport
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Aircraft < 55 lbs.
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Fly during daytime
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Fly visual line of sight ( VLOS)
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No flight over non-participating people
FAA 14 CFR Part 107 Rule
To be Certified
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At least 16 years old
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Pass aeronautical knowledge exam (Need at least 42 correct answer out of 60 questions, 70%) $150
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Need to recertify every 24 months
1. Platform + Sensor (Data Collection)
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
3. Information Products
3. Workflow
1. Platform + Sensor (Data Collection)
RPAS as Platform
Multi-rotors
Fixed wings
- Short flight time (< 30min)
- Cover small area
- Highly maneuverable
- Less expensive
- Access to confined spaces
- Long flight time (> 30min)
- Covers large area
- Larger selection of sensors
Sensors
Multi-spectral
Thermal Infrared
Lidar Camera
High resolution digital camera
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
(Updated Jan 2019)
Airplane Orthophoto
Software processed Orthophoto from drone
1. Platform + Sensor (Data Collection)
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
3. Information Products
Benefits
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High Temporal Resolution
- Fly more often
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High Spatial Resolution
- Fly same area
Benefits
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Higher Spatial Resolution
- Monitor continuous changes
- High Spatial resolution than Satellite, Plane (smaller area)
Benefits
Offer decision makers with appropriate analytic information products
- Better Data -> More Knowledge -> Better Decision Making
Workflow Example 1
Whidbey Island, Langley Downtown example (Spring, 2014)
Step 1. Flight with Data Collection
- Collected 200 Images
- Using Agisoft PhotoScan to stich images
- Alt. Tool - Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE)
Step 2. Data Processing
- QGIS to georeference aerial imagery export to tiff file
- Using GDAL
- Or use mbutili to export into tiles
gdal2tiles.py --profile=mercator -z 1-22 yourmap.tif outputfolder
Step 3. Information Product: Web map
- Create web-map using GitHub's gh-page
git checkout gh-pages
git add outputfolder
git commit -m "Yes... TILE DATA"
git pushStep 3. Information Product: OpenStreetMap
- Using imagery to digitize street, add features to OSM
http://langleywa.github.io/gisdata/tiles/langley-2nd-street-2014-tms/{z}/{x}/{y}.png- Add below url into OpenStreetMap iD Editor
Workflow Example 2
KC Brightwater Treatment Plant
(odor control) &
KC Cedar River Revetment
(river bank protection)
3D Modeling
Example A: Brightwater TP Odor Control Units
PhotoScan Sparse Point Cloud
Dense Point Cloud
Textured Mesh
Result
Example B: Cedar River Revetment
Road Erosion Prevention Structure
Cedar River Revetment
Some Commercial Uses
4. Industry Examples
WTD Projects
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West Point Treatment Plant Event
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Floating Willow Raft (Brightwater TP)
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West Point Treatment Aerial Photography
WTD Projects
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West Point Treatment Plant Incident Feb, 2017
Seattle Times Headline
March 12, 2017
WTD Projects
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West Point Treatment Plant Incident Feb, 2017
Drone Flights (March, 2017) - Soil Run-off Real cause of plume, not overflow
WTD Projects
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West Point Treatment Plant Incident Feb, 2017
Drone Flights = Clarification
Photo from Seattle Times
KC WTD Drone Flight
March, 2017
WTD Projects
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Floating Willow Raft - Mitigation & Monitoring Section: May - August 2017
Purpose: Willow growth shade analysis (1.5 acres)
Flight from May 2017
WTD Projects
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Floating Willow Raft Shade Study
- 4 Flights 2017 : May, June, July & August
- Consultant flys and generate shade analysis & report
- KC staff as an observer and in-house expert to develop work order & product review
WTD Projects
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West Point Treatment Plant Orthophoto
- October 2, 2017
- Over 600 images collected
- High Resolution 0.75 inch/piexel
Resources:
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TV Washington: 1 hr video Drone Documentary
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sUAS News
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FAA Part 107
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DJI - Ready to Fly Droe
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3DR
END
for now
Thank You
peter.keum@kingcounty.gov
WA URISA GIS & DRONE Workshop Part I - May 21, 2019
By Peter Keum
WA URISA GIS & DRONE Workshop Part I - May 21, 2019
Overview of utilizing Drone and GIS as Part 1 of the workshop. Slide describes basic introduction of small drone hardwares and processing software and its workflow with various use cases.
