UAS-Rx interface for mission planning, fire tracking, fire ignition, and real-time updating

Evan Beachly, Carrick Detweiler, Sebastian Elbaum, Dirac Twidwell, Brittany Duncan

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents the development of an interface for small Unmanned Aerial Systems to allow the deployment of ignition spheres at a prescribed fire, real-time fire modeling, and user updates to the automated fire model. Current systems are limited to fire monitoring or modeling, generally rely on a desktop computer, and do not allow updates to the model nor parameter adjustments in the field. The novelty in the current approach is in enabling user control of all aspects of flight, including take-off, waypoint navigation, payload delivery, and landing from the interface while also allowing fire modeling and incorporating this information into the flight planning to increase safety and effectiveness of the vehicle. This system will allow fire experts to reach previously inaccessible terrain to ignite controlled burns, model fire progression through novel terrain and vegetation to improve current models, and allow team members to maintain higher levels of situation awareness through the ability to project fire spread at future times. Initial user testing at a 40 acre prescribed burn shows that the model is considerably more accurate with user corrections, and that even half the user corrections dramatically reduced the distance between the projected and actual fire lines. Future tests are planned with more users in challenging terrain to provide new information to the fire management communities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSSRR 2017 - 15th IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics, Conference
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages67-74
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9781538639221
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 26 2017
Event15th IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics, SSRR 2017 - Shanghai, China
Duration: Oct 11 2017Oct 13 2017

Publication series

NameSSRR 2017 - 15th IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics, Conference

Other

Other15th IEEE International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics, SSRR 2017
Country/TerritoryChina
CityShanghai
Period10/11/1710/13/17

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
  • Control and Optimization
  • Safety Research

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'UAS-Rx interface for mission planning, fire tracking, fire ignition, and real-time updating'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this