Small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS)
Drones, What are they Good for?
March 20 , 2018
Peter Keum - WTD GIS Specialist, GISP
peter.keum@kingcounty.gov
Just another tool in the toolbox
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Introduction of sUAV
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Regulations/Guideline - FAA & King County (WTD)
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Application Examples & KC WTD Projects
small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV) System
UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
FAA Definition: Unmanned Aircraft (UA) system that is operated by a pilot via ground control or on-board computer.
1. Introduction of UAV
UAV Categories
Small
- Size: 1 - 2 meters ( 3 ft - 6.5 ft), < 55 lbs.
- Control: Visual line of sight, Radio control
- DJI Phamtom, 3DR - Solo, Insitu - 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
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle "Drone"
sUAV as Platform
Multi-rotors
Fixed wings
- Short flight time (< 20min)
- 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
- 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
EXAMPLE
Integrated gyroscopic/GPS Chip in 2000's = $10,000
In 2017 = $3
1981 $120,000
2013
$5 - $15
It's just a toy...
2017
It's just a toy...past examples of what used to be
It's just a toy...
Workflow
1. Aircraft + Sensor (Data Collection)
2. Data Processing & Analyzing (GIS)
3. Information Products
||
+
Benefits
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Temporal Resolution
- Fly more often
Offer decision makers with appropriate analytic information products
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Spatial Resolution
- Monitor continuous changes
- High Spatial resolution than Satellite, Plane
- More Data > More Knowledge > Better Decision Making
Some Commercial Uses
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 Small UAV Rule - Part 107, July 2016
Commercial/Governmental
FAA Part 107 Rule, July 2016
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Need FAA Remote Pilot Certification (Pilot license NOT needed)
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As of September 2017 -60,000 active remote pilot certificates
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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 Part 107 Rule
Hobby/Recreation
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Self register (over 13 yrs old)
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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)
King County WTD
"Subject: WTD Policies on Use of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)
Managers/Supervisors: August, 2016
I’d like you to share the following policy guidance regarding the use of drones for work purposes with your staff as appropriate. The guidance specifically addresses the use of drones classified as small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), which weigh less than 55 lbs."
- No owning or operating drones by WTD
- Manager/Supervisor review and require Division Director approval
- 3rd Party to meet KC Risk Management requirements
Workflow Example 1
Whidbey Island, Langley Downtown example (Spring, 2014)
3. Application Examples
Flight with Data Collection
- Collected 200 Images
- Using Agisoft PhotoScan to stich images
- Alt. Tool - Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE)
Information Product 1- webmap
- Create web-map using GitHub's gh-page
git checkout gh-pages
git add outputfolder
git commit -m "Yes... TILE DATA"
git pushInformation Product 2 - 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
Application Examples & WTD Projects
Proof-of-Concept
1. KC Brightwater Treatment Plant odor control building), 2014
2. Cedar River Revetment (river bank protection), 2015
3. West Point Treatment Plant - Blue Pumps
Flying Brightwater TP Odor Control Units
Result
Cedar River Revetment (May, 2015)
Pumps (2014)
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
Flight Results
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DroneDeploy 2D & 3D rendering
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Spotscale - 3D rendering
So Where are we now...
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Need to develop County wide policy
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Administrative Strategy + Technology (enterprise level) strategy needed
- Amass data --> Download --> Analyze
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Various software packages to process captured data (Proprietary & Open Source) solutions
Long Pole Aerial Photography
(DIY: Long Pole + Camera) + Software + GIS = Environmental Analysis
Long Pole Aerial Photography
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
Small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) Drones, What are they Good for? March 20 , 2018 Peter Keum - WTD GIS Specialist, GISP peter.keum@kingcounty.gov Just another tool in the toolbox
Introduction sUAV Presentation for City of Kent Public Works
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Overview of UAV hardware/application examples /workflow
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