Unpiloted Aerial Systems Paper Presented at AIAA Meeting
On May 10, Dr. Steve Dunagan presented a paper entitled “UAS Enabled Communications for Tactical Firefighting” at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Infotech@Aerospace 2007 Conference in Rohnert Park CA. Co-authors included Jim Eilers and Brad Lobitz of the Earth Science Division and Tom Zajkowski of the Forest Service Remote Sensing applications Center staff.
The paper described voice relay communications technology that will be transferred to the Forest Service as a deliverable of the Wildfire Research and Applications Project (PI Vince Ambrosia). This technology also contributes to NASA’s requirements for sensor web capability.
Other interesting themes advanced at the conference included unpiloted aerial systems (UAS) flight control technology tuned for specific sensor requirements, and advances in the certification processes and operating standards that will enable UAS operations in the National airspace.
