General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are conducting demonstrations off the California coast to evaluate the use of unmanned air vehicles to conduct Earth science missions.
The project is using the Altair UAV, a high-altitude derivative of the Honeywell TPE331-powered GA-ASI Predator B with an extended 26.2m (86ft) wingspan and a 300kg (660lb) sensor payload. For the project, the UAV is equipped with a suite consisting of an ocean colour sensor, ozone sensor, gas chromatograph, passive microwave vertical sounder, digital camera and electro-optical (EO/IR) /infrared sensor.
The six-flight demonstration programme, which represents the first NOAA-funded UAV research effort, is expected to be completed on 12 May. The missions are being divided into science and operational demonstrations, with operational missions using the EO/IR sensor and digital camera at lower altitudes of 27,000ft and below, and science missions using instruments such as the ozone sensor at 40,000-45,000ft.
The six flights will total around 53h, including a mission up to 20h. Initial flights to test the sensor suite included a low-level operational mission and a high-altitude "cold soak" sortie, says GA-ASI programme manager Nick Trongale.
The missions include oceanic and atmospheric research; marine sanctuary mapping and enforcement; nautical charting; and fisheries assessment and enforcement. The demonstrations include downlinking real-time imagery to a ground command and control centre at GA-ASI's Gray Butte flight operations facility in the Mojave Desert.
US Federal Aviation Administration observers are watching the demonstration as part of the US government-industry Access 5 project aimed at establishing routine access to national airspace for remotely operated vehicles. "We plan to use Altair for Access 5, and the FAA is here as part of an exercise to look at an experimental certification category for UAVs as part of an enlarged Access 5 goal," Trongale says. The demonstration supports the emerging Global Earth Observing System of Systems, which will monitor the Earth and its climate.
GUY NORRIS/LOS ANGELES
Source: Flight International
