What was that flying above the freestyle ski and snowboard events in Sochi? A bird? A plane? Nope, just a type of drone outfitted with a camera to give you the best angle to see every gravity-defying trick.
As prominent cogs in the global war on terrorism, military and CIA drones – or unmanned aerials vehicles/systems (UAV/UAS) – garner much public attention. Drone strikes targeting terrorist leaders, and even the apparent crash of a CIA stealth drone in Iran in 2011, show how widely this highly advanced UAV technology is used by United States military and intelligence services. Law enforcement and federal agencies are looking at drones to fill gaps in their capabilities, and they have been deployed already under exceptional circumstances.
At the same time, and for much less drastic uses, drone technology is a hot topic among commercial entities across dozens of industries, from video production to ranching. A recent announcement by Amazon that it is testing UAV technology for certain deliveries bolstered the profile of commercial use. In addition, Facebook wants to use large, solar-powered drones that will fly at high altitude to deliver Internet access.
However, obstacles must be overcome as entities from the Federal Aviation Administration to local municipalities decide how to deal with the prospect of skies evermore crowded by the controversial all-seeing aircrafts.
Now part of our basic lexicon, the word “drone” not only currently carries a slightly negative connotation (because of military uses as far back as World War II and even science fiction), it also covers a very wide range of flying objects that are flown remotely using camera feeds. The most famous military drone, the Predator, is 27 feet long, while the popular Draganflyer X4 (pictured) is two feet long and is basically an advanced remote-controlled (RC) helicopter with a camera attachment meant to reduce vibration. Most likely, marketers will push for the UAV/UAS acronyms to take hold so that there is a far weaker association made between commercial and military drones. Right now, the general public can buy commercial UAVs, costing from several hundred to $10,000 or more, but not use them.
As far as the FAA is concerned, if it is more than just a simple RC aircraft, it is a UAV. In order to “conduct critical research into the certification and operational requirements necessary to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace over the next several years,“ the agency is rolling out a nationwide, six-site, congressionally mandated research program. (Arizona missed out.)
“These test sites will give us valuable information about how best to ensure the safe introduction of this advanced technology into our nation’s skies,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a December news release.
Barney Helmick, Flagstaff Airport’s director, says he is very interested to see what comes out of these tests. “I have been in multiple discussions over drones, but think it is way too early to see what, if any, impact they will have on Flagstaff. To some extent, drones are being touted as a great invention that is going to bring lots of jobs and do everything from deliver bread to your front door to protect our borders. […] The U.S. has limited airspace, and in many places, that airspace is very packed. The logistics of an unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace has not been totally vetted.”
Currently preparing for testing of its own, the modified Draganflyer X4 pictured belongs to Dr. Andrew J. Sánchez Meador, assistant professor of forest biostatistics and quantitative ecology at Northern Arizona University’s School of Forestry. Pending approval from the FAA, his research involves the comparison and accuracy of high-resolution digital aerial imagery acquired using small UAS platforms (specifically, the Draganflyer X4) as compared to other, traditional and more expensive technologies, like satellites.
“While UASs may potentially revolutionize natural resource management by providing 1) increased frequency of surveys and information acquisition; 2) increased (finer) spatial resolution of data; and 3) reduced operating costs; it is important that this all be done in the safest possible manner,” said Dr. Sánchez Meador. “The complexities of managing any airspace is daunting, let alone airspace over an active wildfire, which potentially includes aircraft such as helicopters, lead planes and air tankers.”
Though this drone is not intended for use during a wildfire, he and other NAU faculty are looking at how the technology can be integrated into modern wildfire fighting and prevention. (During last year’s Rim Fire at Yosemite National Park, a California Air National Guard Predator drone was used, but it took a request from the incident commander to Governor Jerry Brown, who then asked Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Dr. Sánchez Meador pointed out.)
Meanwhile, local higher education institutions are continuing the area’s tradition of aviation education by tackling drones and their potential uses.
“The UAS program is in a growth mode. Student interest and enrollments are increasing,” said Dr. Brent D. Bowen, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott. “At present our program is a five-course sequence. Over time and as airspace is opened, we plan to grow this into a full Bachelor’s degree program. Additional faculty are in the process of being hired.”
Yavapai College is offering a course called UAS Safety, which examines the “essentials of risk mitigation and accident prevention.” Topics include “sense and avoid” techniques, airspace issues and public safety concerns.
Once the FAA rules after its tests, Arizona could benefit from expanded commercial UAV use. Among those who could benefit the most are those who have to cover the most ground: ranchers. With concerns reaching far beyond the cattle alone, Judy Prosser, owner of the Bar T Bar Ranch near Winslow, is open to the idea of adding UAVs to her arsenal of tools. “If they become practical to use, I could see using them to check the location of cattle, the condition of waters, and definitely to locate and photograph illegal meteorite hunters – assuming they work in the dark!”
Also set to benefit are real estate agents, who seek the best ways to showcase properties. Cameras on telescopic booms were once popular but companies are starting to turn to UAVs to capture still photographs and video for listings. None of the local real estate agents contacted have used this technology yet, which, despite the FAA ban, is in use in certain Los Angeles area locales, according to the Associated Press. And as you might have noticed, videographers already use UAVs to capture otherwise unaffordable filming perspectives.
Aside from the alongside and overhead tracking cameras that are now ubiquitous at sporting events, host television producers in Sochi used a small, high-end, commercially available UAV to film parts of the freestyle ski and snowboard competitions. A film being made about Lowell Observatory’s Clark Telescope and its refurbishment recently benefited from a UAV with a GoPro camera attached, which hovered as the telescope’s tube was removed. Incidentally, this type of indoor use on private property is completely legal.
As more commercial applications of UAV technology become apparent in a growing list of industries and the FAA prepares its tests, state and local governments are contemplating how to address and regulate UAVs.
In February 2013, Arizona House Bill 2574 sought to “prohibit the unlawful use of drones to gather, store or collect evidence of any type, including audio or video recordings, or both, or other information that is not specifically outlined in a search warrant.” The bill failed, but shows that privacy and harassment concerns are atop the minds of legislators and their constituents for both law enforcement and the general public.
With upsides and cost advantages, commercial UAVs will, no doubt, find their way into Arizona workplaces, just as they did above the slopes in Sochi.
“Safety continues to be our first priority as we move forward with integrating unmanned aircraft systems into U.S. airspace,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in December. “We have successfully brought new technology into the nation’s aviation system for more than 50 years, and I have no doubt we will do the same with unmanned aircraft.” QCBN
By Tom Vitron
Quad Cities Business News
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