Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)

Program

2016

Presented by the Riverside County Sheriff’s

Emergency Response Team (SERT)

Terms

• Terms to use in future:

– “Unmanned Aerial Systems”

– “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”

• The term “Drone” continues to have negative connotations

– Military

– Weapons and air strikes

– Surveillance

• UAS program does not include any of these

August 3, 2016 2

Noteworthy

• UAV is just a flying camera, operated by a person

• Nothing new being used

• Helicopters used for decades

• Cameras used both on ground and in air

• Data has been retained

• Photos, video, dash cameras, ALPR’s

• Agencies follow all laws

• Privacy and citizens rights are always a top priority

UAS Program Mission

• The Department has partnered with Sentera LLC of Minnesota to conduct a one year test program.

• The program will evaluate the validity of the limited usage of small Unmanned Aerial System’s (UAS) to augment Search and Rescue operations only, in an effort to reduce loss of life and related costs.

August 3, 2016 6

Program Elements

• Transparency

• Respect of privacy, search and civil liberties

• Community engagement

• NO WEAPONS

• Publicize mission data

August 3, 2016 7

Cost Savings

• Program can accomplish 30% of work @ 2% of costs

• Reduced “equipment “ costs

$800-1,000 per hour (helicopter) vs. $ 30 per hour (UAS)

• Reduced “personnel” costs

Use of “specifically trained” volunteers

Use of some non-sworn

• Program is not a replacement of current assets, it supplements Search & Rescue

August 3, 2016 8

FAA Requirements – Public Agencies

“Blanket” Certificate of Authorization:

• UAV must be less than 55 pounds (Phoenix II - 5 lbs)

• Class G airspace

• Kept in Visual Line of Sight (approx. ½ mile)

• Must have Visual Observer (VO) to monitor air traffic, vehicle traffic and people (stay 500’ away)

• Only flown during daylight hours

• Maximum height limit 400 feet Above Ground Level (AGL)

• No closer than 5-3-2-2 NM’s to airports

• UAS must have Lost Link, Return to Home, and Critical Failure

August 3, 2016 9

Riverside Sheriff’s COA

• FAA allows department to “self-certify” staff

• Must provide manufacturer training (Chief Operator)

• Operators (25 missions) & Visual Observers (15 missions)

• Last 5 missions are “scenario based towards SAR”

• Operators are certified pilots, or have completed and passed Aircraft Ground School (soon Remote Pilot certificates)

• Observers (VO’s) must complete training in airspace safety

• After “training,” staff can work “live SAR” operations in Class G

• Can request “Emergency COA” for other airspace (1-2 hours)

August 3, 2016 10

Phoenix II

• Similar to conventional airplane (200’- 400’ circling pattern)

• Rapid deployment

• Significant range (200’ to 12,000 MSL)

• Limited to 400 AGL

• 1 hour flight time

• Less susceptible to weather than quadcopters

• Less privacy issues than quadcopters

• Sensors fully integrated into UAS

• Allows for better accuracy and efficiency

• (most UAS use point/shoot camera - GPS in each photo

August 3, 2016 13

Red/Green/Blue & Infrared Light Sensor →_

←HD Video or FLIR Gimbal

Flight sample / Photomosaic Example

August 3, 2016 14

Orthomosaic Example

RSD as of August 1, 2016

• Mission definition

• Take off

• Minimum one in flight maneuver (grid, circle 8, etc.)

• Landing

• Missions progressively more complicated (multiple maneuvers)

• 10 operators

• 107 missions

• Maximum temperature 120 degrees

Operational Plan

• Currently Search & Rescue resources are limited at times

• New Search & Rescue approach

• Use of authorized off site “Virtual Observers”

• Access data through secured web portal

• Users access Microsoft Azure Government (CJIS/FBI compliant)

• Similar to “crowd sourcing video”

• Viewers cannot edit data and are tracked during access

• If significant item is viewed, they contact UAS staff for review

• UAS staff views data, then decides on further action

• Send UAV to location, views item and takes action

• Allows for better efficiency, availability and results

Command Post

UAS Data

UAS Staff

Photo/Video or Photomosaic

Upload data to Microsoft Azure Government FBI/CJIS

compliant

Off site volunteers review, one minute clips, identify

areas for follow up

Volunteers notify UAS staff for review & direction to OIC

& VO

August 3, 2016 18

Hovering Style UAV

• More privacy and search issues

(above home, in backyard, or through window)

• Limited range

• Promote 40 minutes (closer to 20 min flight time)

• More susceptible to weather issues

• Still expensive with FAA requirements

• FLIR runs $12k-14k alone

August 3, 2016 23

Comparison of UAS

• Quadcopter system $5k – $60k without FLIR

• Sentera Phoenix $38k without FLIR

• Quadcopter can analyze 80 acres per hour

• Phoenix II can analyze 400 acres per hour

• Quadcopter video download from card after landing

• Phoenix II video streamed live during flight for viewing

• Economy of scale

• Phoenix can analyze 5 times the area in same amount of time

• Saves time and money, especially in labor costs

• Department program focuses upon Search and Rescue only

• FYI (other uses)

• Traffic accident and crime scene documentation from above.

• Photos, HD video, FLIR and LIDAR can be used

• Measurements to 1 cm from 200-400’

• Time to process scenes reduced by up to 75%

• All equal reductions in some costs

Civic Approach Towards UAS

• FAA views airspace from surface up is under their jurisdiction

• What can be done?

Public education

States, counties and cities can’t regulate the air, but you may be able to regulate the ground the operator stands on

City and county ordinances

1. Educate by warnings, pamphlets and permits to operate

2. Enforce if required (gives LE teeth to do something)

FAA asks LE to document UAS incident in a report and forward to them

Lack of FAA staff to investigate (flying trash can near LAX)

• Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) Safety Operations

Public Safety Statements

Questions

Frank Taylor email ftaylor@riversidesheriff.org

phone 760-250-8358

or

Chief Deputy Kevin Vest email kvest@riversidesheriff.org

phone 951-955-2400