NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems(UAS) Program “Picket Fence” CONOPS

Briefing to NOAA Air Resources Laboratory / Oak Ridge, TN

11 March 2015

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Schematic

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Schematic

Phase 1:VTOL Network

Phase 2:Fixed Wing Fleet

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Schematic

Phase 1:VTOL Network

Phase 2:Fixed Wing Fleet

CAL/VAL Sites

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

Objective #1:Obtain high temporal/spatial resolution Meteorological Observations of lower atmosphere (emphasis on the planetary boundary layer)

Near real-time operational forecaster Decision Support System (DSS) examination

Input for high-resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) forecast models

Objective #2:Obtain high temporal/spatial resolution Air Quality Observations of lower atmosphere for improved analysis and transport/dispersion forecasting

Objective #3:Rapid Response surveillance / Storm Damage Assessment

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

Objective #1: Meteorological Observations

Current Upper Air Observation Network

-Full Tropospheric Soundings-BUT… Sparse network-AND… Usually only 2x per day!

   

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

Objective #1: Meteorological Observations

Current Upper Air Observation Network

-Full Tropospheric Soundings-BUT… Sparse network-AND… Usually only 2x per day!

Very Sparse Coverage !

   

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NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

Objective #1: Meteorological Observations

Current Upper Air Observation Network

-Full Tropospheric Soundings-BUT… Sparse network-AND… Usually only 2x per day!

Picket Fence Regional Network: Central Tennessee Valley Example

-Lower 1/2 Tropospheric Soundings-BUT… Dense network-AND…Frequency > 1x per hour!

   

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Objective #2: Air Quality Observations

Focus on observing concentrations of pollution in the lower atmosphere.

Combine in-situ observations with information retrieved from the NASA Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) geostationary satellite, which is set to launch around 2017…Synergistically capitalize on the accuracy of local in-situ UAS-based air quality measurements with the broader regional coverage of TEMPO retrievals.

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

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Objective #3: Rapid Response / Storm Damage Assessment

Aerial photo showing the remains of homes hit by a massive tornado in Moore, OK on May 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Steve Gooch) / AP

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives

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Regions:Alabama Mississippi TennesseeOklahoma Colorado

Missions:Severe/Winter Weather PredictionAir QualityRapid Response / Severe Storm Damage Assessment

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest

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Picket Fence in Support of -NSSL’s Tempest UAS CONOPS for CI Missions

Target locations for CI, e.g., drylines Non-stop site-to-site flights for short baselines Staggered deployment for long baselines Mobile ground stations for fewer vehicles

50-60 mi between Mesonet sites

Slide provided by Dr. Steve Koch (NOAA NSSL)

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Region:Florida

Missions:•Land-falling tropical system sampling and prediction•Enhanced “Sea Breeze” Thunderstorm Prediction•River Forecasting Center Assessments •Air Quality•Hurricane and Severe Storm Damage Assessment

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest

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Region:North Carolina

Missions:•Fire Weather Boundary Layer Climatology / Prediction•Land-falling tropical system sampling and prediction•Air Quality•Hurricane and Severe Storm Damage Assessment

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest

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Region:California

Missions:•Marine Layer Prediction / Energy Forecasting•Air Quality•Fire and Fire Weather•Land Slide and Burn Scar Assessment •Rapid Response / Damage Assessment

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest

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Region:Alaska

Missions:•Weather Measurements and Prediction•River Forecasting and Coastal Erosion•Air Quality•Oil Spill & Marine Debris •Rapid Response / Damage Assessment

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest

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Concept Collaborators:NOAA – OARNOAA – NWS (AK, AL, CA, CO, FL, MS, OK, TN)NOAA – NSSLNOAA - ARLSevere Weather Institute – Radar and Lightning Laboratory (SWIRLL) North Gulf Institute (NGI)University of Alabama at HuntsvilleUniversity of Alaska - FairbanksUniversity of ColoradoMississippi State UniversityOklahoma State UniversityUniversity of OklahomaVanderbilt UniversityNorth Carolina State University

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“Picket Fence” Existing Collaborators

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Questions?

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NOAA UAS Program Office“Picket Fence” CONOPS

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Phase 1: VTOL UAS Platform:

a) Data--Temperature --Humidity--Wind Speed--Wind Direction--Pressure--Air Quality, O3, NO2, actinic flux (sunlight)--EO/IR Video b) Accuracy of Data for Potential Sensors--Temperature: +/- 0.2 C--Humidity: +/- 5% RH--Wind Speed: +/- 0.5 m/s--Wind Direction: +/- 5 degrees azimuth--Pressure: +/- 1.0 hPA--Air Quality: +/- 5.0 ppbv O3, ±0.5 ppbv NO2; 2% actinic flux--Video: “Reasonable” quality video (at least 5 MP) for opportunistic preliminary damage assessments

c) Sensor Response Time (Atmospheric and Air Quality)-- Less than 5 seconds d) Altitude range--Surface to 6,000 m

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence”Proposed Observational Requirements

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Phase 1: VTOL UAS Platform (…Continued):

e) Vertical Data Resolution-- 10 m for air quality measurement operations-- 25 m for meteorological measurement operations f) Horizontal range--10 km g) Max Frequency of Deployments/Flights--One deployment per hour h) Operating Condition Ranges--Wind Speed: 45 m/s--Temperature: –30 to +40 degrees C--Humidity: 0-100% RH--Ongoing precipitation / Types: All weather i) Endurance--Minimum of 1 hour

j) Acceptable Drift Radius (for Vertical Column Measurements)--Conical aspect ratio less than 10 degrees (upward from surface) k)_Ascent Rate--Ranging from 1 to 5 m/s, but ultimately dependent on sensor response / hysteresis

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence”Proposed Observational Requirements

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Phase 2: Fixed Wing UAS Platform:

a) Data--Temperature --Humidity--Wind Speed--Wind Direction--Pressure--Air Quality, O3, NO2, actinic flux (sunlight)--High resolution georectified imagery b) Accuracy of Data for Potential Sensors--Temperature: +/- 0.2 C --Humidity: +/- 5% RH--Wind Speed: +/- 0.5 m/s--Wind Direction: +/- 5 degrees azimuth--Pressure: +/- 1.0 hPA--Air Quality: +/- 5.0 ppbv O3, ±0.5 ppbv NO2; 2% actinic flux--Video: Very high resolution (at least 16 MP) images/video for damage assessments

Georectfication fidelity within 10 cm

c) Sensor Response Time (Atmospheric and Air Quality)-- Less than 5 seconds d) Altitude range--Surface to 6,000 m

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence”Proposed Observational Requirements

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Phase 2: Fixed Wing UAS Platform (…Continued):

e) Vertical Data Resolution-- N/A  f) Horizontal range--1,000 km g) Max Frequency of Deployments/Flights--Minimum of one extended deployment per day h) Operating Condition Ranges--Wind Speed: 55 m/s--Temperature: –30 to +40 degrees C--Humidity: 0-100% RH--Ongoing precipitation / Types: All weather i) Endurance--Minimum of 8 hours

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence”Proposed Observational Requirements

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NOAA National Weather ServiceWeather Forecast Offices

Number of Nation-wide WFOs: 122

National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS)

NERRS Footprint: 28 Reserves (22 States + Puerto Rico)

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Number/Area of Protected Domains: 14 regions / 170,000 square miles

United States Coast Guard

Number of Districts/Regions: 9 districts /17 regions