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Applications of UAVs for Remote Sensing of Critical InfrastructureThe surveillance of critical facilities and national infrastructure such as waterways, roadways, pipelines and utilities requires advanced technological tools to provide timely, up to date information on structure status and integrity. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are uniquely suited for these tasks, having large payload and long duration capabilities. UAVs also have the capability to fly dangerous and dull missions, orbiting for 24 hours over a particular area or facility providing around the clock surveillance with no personnel onboard. New UAV platforms and systems are becoming available for commercial use. High altitude platforms are being tested for use in communications, remote sensing, agriculture, forestry and disaster management. New payloads are being built and demonstrated onboard the UAVs in support of these applications. Smaller, lighter, lower power consumption imaging systems are currently being tested over coffee fields to determine yield and over fires to detect fire fronts and hotspots. Communication systems that relay video, meteorological and chemical data via satellite to users on the ground in real-time have also been demonstrated. Interest in this technology for infrastructure characterization and mapping has increased dramatically in the past year. Many of the UAV technological developments required for resource and disaster monitoring are being used for the infrastructure and facility mapping activity. This paper documents the unique contributions from NASA;s Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program to these applications. ERAST is a UAV technology development effort by a consortium of private aeronautical companies and NASA. Details of demonstrations of UAV capabilities currently underway are also presented.
Document ID
20060019226
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Wegener, Steve
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Brass, James
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Schoenung, Susan
(Longitude 122 West, Inc. Menlo Park, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Annual Conference
Location: Anchorage, AK
Country: United States
Start Date: May 1, 2003
Funding Number(s)
OTHER: UPN 710-00-00
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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