Testing drone platforms and applications in a marine

environmentDr Stephanie Keogh, U-Flyte Project Manager, Maynooth University

stephanie.a.keogh@mu.ie

uflyte.com Twitter: @uflyte

PERISCOPE Workshop Sept 2nd 2019

Aim & Objectives“…to research and develop a digital drone operation & services platform - address key challenges, safety and regulatory aspects - currently hampering the global roll-out of commercial drone products and services…

• Project launched in March 2018• Science Foundation Ireland : Strategic Research Partnership• Industry Partners, Collaborators (Government Agencies & Companies)• Four year R&D work-programme, 10 X Researchers • Main drone testbed at Waterford Airport and end-use case scenario testing throughout

the country

2

Market Sectors

Upstream Midstream Downstream

Drone Platforms• Airframe• Flight Controller• Propulsion• Command & Control• DAA• Ground Station

Drone Airspace (UTM)• 3D Modelling• Risk Analysis• Conflict Handling• Traffic Optimisation• Registration• Cybersecurity• Privacy

Drone Services/Applications• Mapping• Searching• Tracking• Inspection• Environmental• Delivery

Big Challenges:• Operation : Safety, Security, Regulatory, Privacy• Performance: Platform, Sensor, Connectivity, Computation

Aerial & Drone Test Platforms

Gimbal Video/Cameras

2-axes, 3-axes gyro-stabilisation4k, 1080p, 32MP, 120fps

MicaSense Altum Multispectral Imaging – useful for Precision Agriculture Applications

FLIR Vue Thermal 7µm– 13 µm LiDAR Drone LiDAR systems: Velodyne, Riegl etc

GeoSLAM ZEB-Horizon

Velodyne VLP-16

Data Gathering

Airborne/Drone LiDAR Systems (Riegl Vux)

LiDAR Point Cloud

Riegl Vux-1 LR• 15 mm survey-grade accuracy• scan speed up to 200 scans / second• measurement rate up to 750,000 meas./sec• operating flight altitude up to more than

1,740 ft• field of view up to 330° for practically

unrestricted data acquisition• regular point pattern, perfectly parallel

scan lines

Additional Drone LiDAR Sensors : Velodyne, YellowScan6

Waterford Airport Testbed

Source : IAA AIP

MaynoothDublin

Waterford

• EIWF interest in supporting Drone R&D• Good location, un-cluttered airspace• CTR (10nm,7000’), Tower, ATC• Celtic Sea/Atlantic

2km

Waterford Airport

Tramore

Waterford Drone Test Corridor

Altitude

Mobile Digital Tower locations

Marine Watch • Objectives

1) Integrated airspace testing (Manned aircraft and UAV)

2) Locating missing persons using mobile phones RF signal detector

3) Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) test

4) Swimmer in difficulty test

Partners:

Marine Watch 1) Integrated airspace testing

Tasks focused on

• Air-traffic separation procedures

• De-conflicting

• Navigation

• Visibility (e.g. use of strobe lighting)

• Communication

• Safety assessment

Integrated airspace testing300m

Aim: to examine the various operational and

technical aspects relating to future closer manned

aircraft/SUA flight operations.

Configuration: C-172 on West side of RWY centre

line, drone East of RWY center line (H:300m,

V:800’ separation), zipline pattern

Preparation: Risk assessment, safety and method

statement discussed and agreed with Waterford

ATC

Control: ATC coordination visible separation,

Radio Comms (C-172, Drone Operator & ATC),

ADS-B onboard C-172 (Sky Echo), Ping1090 on

Drone, logging on local laptop

DroneC-172

WaterfordTower

Lateral Separation = 300m

Vertical Separation = 800’

Integrated airspace testing

Marine Watch

1) Integrated airspace testing

Video

Marine Watch Observations/Outcomes:

• C-172 Pilot had difficulty seeing drone

• Strobe lights on drone may need to be modified

• ADS-B on-board C-172 (SkyEcho) detected potential traffic conflict

(drone)

• Ground based ADS-B logging kit detects and logs both C-172 and Drone

• ATC had difficulty observing drone above 200’ AGL (angle from tower &

close proximity of drone zip line)

Missing persons 2) Locating missing persons using mobile phones RF signal detector

This test was the first of its kind in Ireland and deployed a GSM detection and location device (aka GSM Sniffer) on a drone that flew along the coast of Waterford in search of ‘missing’ people.

The GSM sniffer, mounted on a drone, is capable of detecting the GSM signal emitted from mobile phones within a radius of up to 2km, regardless of the mobile phone being within range of network service providers.

A scalable solution

Hand-held and UAVManned Aerial Platform

Missing persons

Video

Observations/Outcomes:

• Antenna is directional so need to ensure this has full view of target area

• May consider fitting a gyro stabilised 2-axis gimbal to aid more efficient

pointing/searching

• Fitting a microphone to the drone could be helpful to aid communication with

target person on ground

• RF sniffer cannot detect powered off devices

Missing persons

BVLOS3) Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) test

Current regulation stipulates that drone operators cannot operate drones beyond direct unaided visual line of sight and not further than 300 metres from the point of operation. International regulations are similar and have hampered the roll out of increasingly sophisticated and commercialised long endurance drone operations due to safety and security issues.

This BVLOS test involved the operation of an industry standard drone along an uninhabited 3km stretch of the Waterford coast. The drone was equipped with both dual positioning systems, including Command and Control (C2) GPS, as well as an independent Automated Dependent System Broadcast (ADS-B) reporting the location of the drone in real-time on 1090MHz.

The drone operator had a first person view of the flight path using the drone video feed and was in regular communication with team members located on the ground along the 3km stretch. This controlled BVLOS test forms one of the fundamental building blocks of future Drone UTM Operations

4) Swimmer in difficulty test1. Demonstrate how drones can support coastal surveillance and rescue missions

• Drones can be deployed quickly, from any nearby site and reach the target area at short notice• People/vessels can be located using :• Optical / Infrared cameras

• GSM Localisation

• Information about targets and the situation can be delivered to the rescuers and commanders

• A buoyancy device can be deployed to extend survivability in the water

2. Demonstrate that drones can fly in the airspace safely without disrupting others e.g. rescue helicopters• Flights between drones and aircraft, with separation provided by ATC using ADS-B and VHF radio

• Surveillance by robust ADS-B ground network

• Safe BVLOS operation over rural and coast area• Ground collision avoidance by 3D modelling the area (LIDAR)

Location of 5x S-92 Coast Guard Helicopters (4 sites)

Dublin

Waterford

Shannon

Sligo

Typical Operations*

• 2500-3000 incidents where assistance provided to swimmers or small

vessels.

• ~950 helicopter call-outs (mostly assistance to vessels, but also to

Islands)

• ~1000 coastal rescue boat call-outs

• Most are <5km off the coast. Some fishermen overboard <24nm

• Mostly leisure activity: day-time, in summer, with wind <21kts in 89%

• Total incident duration 60% are <2 hrs, 30% are 2-8hrs

• 500 are inland (lakes/rivers)

• 40-60 pollution reports

• 3-5 major incidents

• Can be ~6 parallel incidents happening around the country

Coast Guard / RNLI

(50+ sites)

*Source: Irish Coast Guard extract of incident database for Airbus, and

http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/corporate/english/annual-report-2017-english/annual-reportbrandedcoverfinalen.pdf

Coast Guard incidents 2017

4) Swimmer in difficulty test

4) Swimmer in difficulty test

Video

Questions & Discussion

• Considering the broad range of operations and types of drones, EASA has established 3 categories, according to the risk of the specific operation:

EASA ‘specific’ category creates a new regulatory framework for larger drones

(e.g. 25-100kg) to provide routine services in normal airspace.

Approval given on a national basis for the combined operator, operation, and system.

‘Open’ category e.g. DJI and similar

<25kg drones, limited to flight

<100m and not over people.

‘Certified’ category

i.e. traditional

aircraft business.