Pres Short Course Airborne Surveillance s Hall 2015
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Transcript of Pres Short Course Airborne Surveillance s Hall 2015
© Copyright 2015. Oil Spill Response Limited.
Short course: Airborne Surveillance Sarah Hall, Oil Spill Response Ltd
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Introduction
Airborne surveillance - 20 minutes
1. Types of airborne sensors
2. Integrated airborne systems
3. Training of airborne surveillance
4. Challenge of the regional availability of platforms and
sensors
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Setting the Scene
Why is airborne surveillance important for oil spill response
– Need a good picture of where the oil is, where its heading, how
much oil there is, what sensitivities will be impacted....allows a
targeted response
Airborne surveillance has evolved over the last few years
– More platforms
– Greater varieties of sensors
– Expectations have changed
• technology i.e. from visual observation to integrated sensor systems
JIP SMV WP 2, 2015
Surface surveillance capabilities for oil spill response using remote sensing
API Technical Report, 2013
Remote Sensing in support of oil spill response
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Setting the Scene
Airborne sensing capabilities vary....
1. Grab bag in an aircraft of opportunity (handheld digital camera)
• no unmanned platforms
2. Pre-identified aircraft (portable installable visual, IR, UV sensors)
• awareness of unmanned platforms available
3. Dedicated aircraft (variety of sensors)
• contract for unmanned platforms
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1. Discuss types of airborne sensors
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Airborne sensors are used to detect and track oil
– Strategic role: overview of the extent of the release
– Tactical role: support for response operations
Each sensor has different capabilities and produces different
image products
Successful applications of sensors requires a combination of
several sensors
– i.e. Vis/UV/IR, these can be overlaid and compared
When selecting a sensor its important to consider the
conditions of the scenario
Types of airborne sensors
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Many different airborne sensors could be discussed –
focusing on 3 sensors (different outputs)
1. Visual observation (human eye)
2. Thermal infrared (TIR)
3. Side looking airborne radar (SLAR)
Group work - advantages and disadvantages
3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion
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1. Visual observation (human eye)
– Using trained observers to detect the appearance of oil using colour
codes
– Detect the outline and thickness of oil, including emulsified oil
– Operate in the day only
– Weather: variable (cloud base challenge)
– Less prone to false positives
– Also to interpret and analyse other sensors
3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion
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2. Thermal infrared (TIR) – Sensor detects the appearance of oil using temperature variations
between the oil and water
– Detects the thickness of oil, not thin or emulsified oil
– Imagery shows the oil and water in a different shade
– Operate in day and night
– Weather: effected by fog, haze, cloud
– Prone to false positives (sea grass etc)
– Needs interpreting
3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion
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3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion
3. Side looking airborne radar (SLAR) – Sensor detects the appearance of oil through the differences in the
texture of the sea surface i.e. oil dampens the natural sea surface
roughness
– Detects the outline of oil, not the thickness
– Imagery shows the oil as darker patches (lower backscatter)
– Operate in day or night
– Weather: variable (not too calm/rough)
– Prone to false positives
– Needs interpreting
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Divide into 3 groups, each group takes one sensor • Group 1 - Visual observation (human eye)
• Group 2 - Thermal infrared (TIR)
• Group 3 - Side looking airborne radar (SLAR)
Using handout ‘A’ for background and recording
discuss (3 minutes) the advantages and
disadvantages of the sensor during oil spill
surveillance
Feedback to the group – Most important advantage
– Most important disadvantage
3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion
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Advantages • One of the simplest of sensors; they are very effective at the mission
• Verbally communicate observations to tactical resources in the field or
back to command in real time
• Deployed rapidly, before other electronic sensors are available
• Visual observation allows for interpretation at the same time as
observation
Disadvantages • Untrained observers can be prone to false positives i.e. algae blooms,
seaweed, wind shadows
• Inconsistency and inexperience of observers
• Relative thickness estimates are qualitative and subjective
• Observer fatigue
Group 1 - Visual observation (human eye)
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Advantages • Detect oil on water during day or night due to temperature variations
between the two bodies
• Mature technology - wide range of commercially available sensors are
available
• Relative thickness information can be used to direct skimmers etc to
thicker portions of the slick
Disadvantages • Cannot detect thin oil sheens
• Require good visibility, with no fog or haze; cloudy conditions can limit
the effectiveness
• Reporting of false positives (kelp beds, boat wakes, river outflows)
Group 2 - Thermal infrared (TIR)
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Advantages • Large coverage area
• Performs day or night, under clear or cloudy conditions
• Mature technology – used successfully for years
• Readily available
Disadvantages • Range resolution is altitude dependent - higher altitudes, the sensor sees
a larger area but at a lower resolution
• Does not discriminate between thin or thick oil
• Prone to false positives due to other sea-dampening phenomena i.e.
seaweed – each needs observation to rule it out
• Difficult to use in areas cluttered with wind shadows i.e. an area with a
high concentration of small islands
Group 3 - Side looking airborne radar (SLAR)
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3 Airborne Sensor Types
for discussion Summary
– Advantages and disadvantages you described are valid and important
Important to:
– Understand how sensors support a response by targeting resources
more efficiently
Establish a team that can:
• determine the appropriate technology
• deploy the technology
• analyse the data
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2. Discuss operational uses of
integrated airborne systems
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A number of suppliers are now offering integrated airborne
systems (combined sensor packages)
Paired systems can include:
– UV, TIR
– IR camera and radar
– VIS, UV, IR, SLAR, SAR, LIF
– MS, IR
Combinations of sensors depends on the required use of the
sensor packages and capability of the company to integrate
them
Overall integrated airborne systems give the following
capabilities.....
Integrated airborne systems
Overview
Photographs
from
OPTIMARE,
Medusa
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Use multiple sensors together to provide spill information and
help identify false alarms
Extracting features from the imagery of the oil spill
(area/size/thickness)
Mission planning integrates with aircraft systems (flight
plan/waypoints/import of satellite imagery)
Integrated airborne systems
Overview
Photographs from Swedish Space Corporation, MSS6000
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Extend observations into
the night/detect
thicknesses of oil
Merging multi-sensor oil
data into a single
composite thickness map
(automated image
analysis)
Integrated airborne systems
Overview
Left – IR, Middle – UV, Right - Fusion
Photographs from OPTIMARE, Medusa
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Individual sensor processing (digitizes/stores data/geo-
references/transfers data to the mission system)
Mission management system: single network for immediate
in-flight processing
Single ground station processing
Live data downlink to shore based command – send
polygons, spill positioning
Computer aided report generation
Integrated airborne systems
Overview
Photographs from Swedish Space Corporation, MSS6000
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Integrated airborne systems
Advantages?
Ability to confirm visual
observations with multiple
sensors
Merging multi-sensor data into a
single map
Real time data to enable
response decisions
Importing of satellite imagery
Quick data processing in the air
or on the ground
Disadvantages?
Still relies on trained observers
to verify what the sensors are
suggesting
Expensive
Large sensors to fit in aircraft
Difficult to move
Import/export restrictions
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages to
integrated airborne systems during an oil spill?
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Integrated airborne systems
Summary
– Again all the advantages and disadvantages you described are valid
and important
Multiple sensors compliment each other – helps identify false
positives
Reason to integrate sensors is so you have the option to
merge multi-sensor oil data into a single image
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3. Training is a critical part of effective
airborne surveillance for oil spill response
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JIP SMV WP 2 (final report, 2015)
Airborne surveillance training ensures experienced personnel
are calibrated, exercised and up to date on technology
changes
Visual observation (human eye) is still important – technology
cannot be completely relied upon, data needs to be
interpreted and analysed
Training is a critical part of
effective airborne surveillance
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Lessons learned from airborne surveillance:
– Good communication in the aircraft/operating unmanned
sensors
– Quick and clear on-scene communication with shore
based command
– Calibration during handovers
– Quick data processing
– Understanding what sensors can be useful to you, what to
pick and when
– Being able to justify quantifications using the sensors
Training is a critical part of
effective airborne surveillance
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Training is a critical part of
effective airborne surveillance
Challenges of training airborne surveillance
Recognising the limitations of airborne surveillance sensors
Some new sensors are complex to analyse and interpret
Managing expectations i.e. UAV capabilities
Technology is moving fast i.e. UAVs, training needs to keep
pace
Training to also rapidly process and distribute the data
A way to train in less familiar environments, such as the
Arctic
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4. The challenge of the regional
availability of platforms and sensors
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Platforms – manned and unmanned
Sensors – Vis/IR/UV/SLAR/LIF etc
Availability tends to be driven by;
– Regional regulations i.e. UKCS aircraft
– Operator internal requirements
Challenge of the regional availability
of platforms and sensors
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Challenge of the regional availability
of platforms and sensors
Good practice (JIP) highlights there is a need to build
surveillance capabilities regionally as it ensures a quicker
response
– suppliers already known
– contracts, permits, licensing already in place
– less travel distance
– familiarisation with the area
Regulations and guidance for the use of platforms are
Country specific
– UAV regulations/operating guidelines changing, especially in the next
few years
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Challenge of the regional availability
of platforms and sensors
Examples of regional availability – able to respond effectively and efficiently
USA – No government funded airborne surveillance
– Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC)
• largest response organisation in the US
• funded by members
• 3 x portable airborne sensing packages (TIR/multispectral sensors)
• fit to pre-identified aircraft of opportunity
• staged on each coast (NJ, TX, CA)
Norway – NOFO
• 1 x dedicated shared aircraft (Vis/SLAR/FLIR) – Shared and funded by NCA, NOFO, Coastguard
• 3 x aerostats (Vis/IR)
• 1 x UAV (Vis)
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Challenge of the regional availability
of platforms and sensors
The challenge for industry and response organisations is to;
– have regional access to airborne surveillance with multiple platforms
and a variety of suitable sensors
– keep up with (fast moving) technology and legislation changes
Industry knows smart airborne surveillance is integral to
responding efficiently and effectively to spills
– needs to meet the challenges by working together
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Thank you