The operators can interact with that display to define their UAS mission’s operating area. Mercer described a solution for UAS operators where information gathered from aircraft broadcasting their positions via radio signals is translated onto a map-like display. This notion is what we’re calling technology-enhanced situational awareness.” They can still carry out all of their processes in the same way, he said, “but now we have this extra digital visual observer who can essentially tap us on the shoulder. “The UASP-kit is meant to supplement their procedures,” Mercer remarked. They can also include an extra member of the flight crew that is responsible for noticing any other aircraft and alerting the operator. For example, visual observers can be positioned in multiple locations.
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“This rapid prototyping approach, when validated in these operational settings, is the fastest way for us to be sure we’re giving these users the capabilities they need.” (Photo: NASA)Ī drone pilot or flight crew can use manual methods to detect other aircraft operating near the UAS.
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“We were able to see right away if a new feature was working well, or if it needed immediate attention from our team’s software engineers,” said Joey Mercer, research psychologist with NASA's Ames Research Center. Pilots conducting UAS missions “understand that they are the ones that shoulder that burden for see-and-avoid,” he said, rather than pilots of larger aircraft having the responsibility of avoiding any small drones. The UASP-kit, Mercer remarked, functions to locally source information to enhance awareness for the UAS operator. “These are the world’s experts on fighting fires.” “There’s no intent to automate something, or replace humans in their roles,” he said. He explained that the purpose of these field tests is to explore the advantages that capabilities developed by NASA can provide to firefighters. Mercer has a background in human factors and a strong interest in the decision-making process of drone operators. Research psychologist Joey Mercer, who is the principal investigator on NASA’s STEReO project, spoke with Avionics International about the field tests conducted this spring. CAL FIRE has one of the largest firefighting air fleets in the worldWhile trainees learned to direct numerous aircraft operating over a simulated fire, the STEReO team tested out some of the new features of the UASP-kit. NASA researchers participated in an aerial firefighting training course, led by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
The firefighters used two camera-equipped DJI drones to most effectively direct their firehoses.Īnother of NASA’s UASP-kit field tests took place in Redding, California, in May this year. In 2019, drones were an integral part of minimizing the damage caused by the fire that broke out at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Using drones to fight fires is not a new concept. These field tests lasted for two weeks, and the researchers from NASA gathered useful data from the fire-response professionals following the use of the UASP-kits in a real-world setting. The prescribed burns result in less available vegetation for unintentional fires to burn. The Forest Service uses drones to start these intentional fires for strategic land management. Forest Service in using the UASP-kits, then observed firefighters as they conducted prescribed burns in national forests in the southern U.S. In March, NASA’s STEReO team trained members of the U.S. This UAS pilot’s kit, or UASP-kit, makes it easier for the pilot to perform safe fire response operations.
The prototype technology is designed to increase awareness of other aircraft for drone pilots by notifying them of the position of any crewed aircraft.
NASA’s STEReO (Scalable Traffic Management for Emergency Response Operations) project, led by the Ames Research Center, has developed a prototype of a drone pilot’s kit intended to help scale up the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for disaster response applications. The technology is intended to support scaling up of drone use for responding to disasters like wildfires. A project led by NASA's Ames Research Center commenced field-testing of a kit prototype for drone pilots.
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