Logistics:
October 17-21, 2017; 09:00 - 17:00 daily
Reno, NV
Cost: Free, first come, first serve, with limit of 25 registrants each day.
Food and housing: students make arrangements.
Modality:
Bring your ideas, your machines, your data, your problems. We will have a lab full of experts, hardware, software, and a place to test-fly your equipment. The CTEMPs staff and participants from across the country will help work through your issues and make sure that you find success in getting critical observational data from unmanned flying platforms. Lectures on RTK GPS, flight control systems/mission planning, hardware specifications will be provided on an “as requested” basis. People can come or go as they need in the period of the Open Session, according to their schedules and needs.
Highlights:
Basic sUAS operations, technology progression, mission planning, and hiccups
Selection and tuning of flight platforms, sensors, cross-validation, sensor-flight controller interfaces, and gimbal
Post-processing, QA-QC of data collection, and rapid workflows for iterative experimental design
Logistics and lessons learned on sUAS-delivered sensors for environmental research: from localization, quantification, to scaling processes.
Site preparation (monument survey, optical reference targets, reference sensors)
Hands on activities
UAS remote sensing mission: Planning, imaging, and image processing from a half-day field data collection session
sUAS and gimbal hardware (3-D printed components, tear down, rebuild, test)
Sensor pre-calibration and verification.
Flight planning with imager considerations (Mission Planner; Universal Ground Control Station)
sUAS flying for mapping (weather permitting)
Image stitching (visible, multispectral, thermal) and validation
Development of DEM’s based on structure from motion and LIDAR obtained from sUAS
Field data collection
Beginning on day two of the training, we will begin to plan for a UAS remote sensing image mission in a nearby area. On day three, we will visit the field site and collect imagery with a UAS. On day four, we will process and analyze the imagery. This applied field exercise should be very helpful for participants in understanding the requirements and workflow of a UAS remote sensing operation.
Perspectives
Custom builds vs. integrated commercial solutions
Custom builds: flexible sensor attachments vs. expertise
DJI: sensor limited (high quality imagery and thermal)
Flight controllers
Considerations
Sensor redundancy and quality: GPS and IMU
Open (Pixhawk) vs. closed (DJI N3/A3/A2)
Emerging sensors and processing
In situ
Small profile sonic anemometer: http://www.lcjcapteurs.com/?lang=en
Methane detection: http://www.seekops.com/desktop.html
Potential water sampling (work with buoyancy or stay in the air?)
Pixhawk ArduBoat example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4qaEjSPRcU
Pixhawk ArduSub for tethered underwater ROV: https://www.bluerobotics.com/
Mapping
FPA Lidar
Backpack Lidar (shameless plug, former UCM colleagues) for under canopy applications: http://greenvalleyintl.com/hardware/libackpack/
Further miniaturization and increased resolution performance of cameras (when to buy?)
RTK and the possibility of georeferencing without ground control points
High accuracy IMU
Summary of RTK vendors: http://deepsouthrobotics.com/2017/04/20/spilling-the-beans-on-rtk/
Experimental workflows by Tuffwing (Reach Precision GPS subsection): http://www.tuffwing.com/support/support.html
Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM)
Currently more mobile robotics-focused (think autonomous cars)
Requires increased onboard computing power than current flight controller
The potential of real-time mapping for environmental research, emergency response, and iterative experimental design
Daily BBQ lunch (open grill) as part of the community building aspect of the event.
Instructors: Scott Tyler, Henry Pai, Michael Wing, Jonathan Burnett, Marja Haagsma, Cara Walter, John Selker, and YOU!
Sponsors:
The National Science Foundation Division of Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities Program, CTEMPs, Oregon State University; University of Nevada Reno
Registration: To reserve a space, fill out online form above, or contact Annie Ingersoll (541-737-2041 or annie.ingersoll@oregonstate.edu): Registration is not binding until payment is received.
Cost: This is a community-building, experimental participant-engaged event. CTEMPs will cover all the on-site costs (coffee, BBQ-lunches, venue). Participants will make their own travel, housing, breakfast, and dinner arrangements. Special consideration will be given to participants who bring fun food etc. to share.
Location: Reno, Nevada
Accommodations: Self-organized
Travel: Self-organized
Parking:Self-organized
Internet access: Yes