Demonstrating UAV-Acquired Real-Time Thermal Data over Fires

Ambrosia, Vincent G.; Wegener, Steven; Sullivan, Donald V.; Buechel, Sally W.; Dunagan, Stephen E.; Brass, James A.; Stoneburner, Jay; Schoenung, Susan M.

doi:10.14358/pers.69.4.391

Cited by 121 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Most drone research on forests has focused on mapping and monitoring fires [72][73][74][75], but some studies have aimed to monitor forest stands with small drones [60,[76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84]. A pioneer study by Horcher and Visser [85] emphasized the potential use of small drones for forestry applications , and Koh and Wich recently published a paper that outlined some tasks geared toward tropical forest conservation that can be accomplished by "conservation drones" [86].…”

Section: The Use Of Small Drones For Environmental Mapping and Monitomentioning

confidence: 99%

Small Drones for Community-Based Forest Monitoring: An Assessment of Their Feasibility and Potential in Tropical Areas

Paneque-Gálvez

McCall

Napoletano

et al. 2014

Forests

299

131

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Data gathered through community-based forest monitoring (CBFM) programs may be as accurate as those gathered by professional scientists, but acquired at a much lower cost and capable of providing more detailed data about the occurrence, extent and drivers of forest loss, degradation and regrowth at the community scale. In addition, CBFM enables greater survey repeatability. Therefore, CBFM should be a fundamental component of national forest monitoring systems and programs to measure, report and verify (MRV) REDD+ activities. To contribute to the development of more effective approaches to CBFM, in this paper we assess: (1) the feasibility of using small, low-cost drones (i.e., remotely piloted aerial vehicles) in CBFM programs; (2) their potential advantages and disadvantages for communities, partner organizations and forest data end-users; and (3) to what extent their utilization, coupled with ground surveys and local ecological knowledge, OPEN ACCESSForests 2014, 5 1482 would improve tropical forest monitoring. To do so, we reviewed the existing literature regarding environmental applications of drones, including forest monitoring, and drew on our own firsthand experience flying small drones to map and monitor tropical forests and training people to operate them. We believe that the utilization of small drones can enhance CBFM and that this approach is feasible in many locations throughout the tropics if some degree of external assistance and funding is provided to communities. We suggest that the use of small drones can help tropical communities to better manage and conserve their forests whilst benefiting partner organizations, governments and forest data end-users, particularly those engaged in forestry, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation projects such as REDD+.

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Section: The Use Of Small Drones For Environmental Mapping and Monitomentioning

confidence: 99%

Small Drones for Community-Based Forest Monitoring: An Assessment of Their Feasibility and Potential in Tropical Areas

Paneque-Gálvez

McCall

Napoletano

et al. 2014

Forests

299

131

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“…Actually, the application of unmanned autonomous flying objects, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), for forest fire detection has been evaluated for more than 15 years [6,[56][57][58][59][60]. The location and identification of artificial fires at known locations could be demonstrated.…”

Section: Discussion: Bioinspired Improvements Of Fire-detecting Uavsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Improved Airborne Fire Detection Systems Using Beetle Inspired Infrared Detection and Fire Searching Strategies

et al. 2015

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Every year forest fires cause severe financial losses in many countries of the world. Additionally, lives of humans as well as of countless animals are often lost. Due to global warming, the problem of wildfires is getting out of control; hence, the burning of thousands of hectares is obviously increasing. Most important, therefore, is the early detection of an emerging fire before its intensity becomes too high. More than ever, a need for early warning systems capable of detecting small fires from distances as large as possible exists. A look to nature shows that pyrophilous "fire beetles" of the genus Melanophila can be regarded as natural airborne fire detection systems because their larvae can only develop in the wood of fire-killed trees. There is evidence that Melanophila beetles can detect large fires from distances of more than 100 km by visual and infrared cues. In a biomimetic approach, a concept has been developed to use the surveying strategy of the "fire beetles" for the reliable detection of a smoke plume of a fire from large distances by means of a basal infrared emission zone. Future infrared sensors necessary for this ability are also inspired by the natural infrared receptors of Melanophila beetles.

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“…During the Western States UAS Fire Imaging Missions, the aircraft flew over 20 missions in the western United States over 60 fires, testing and developing imaging capabilities for wildfire mensuration. The missions were supported by a partnership of NASA, the US Forest Service and CALFIRE with a focus to develop the sensor and data communications capabilities to provide near-real-time wildfire information from a long-endurance UAS flying throughout extensive regions of the western US [10][11][12]. The missions, over a period of three fire seasons, showcased the utility of UAS to support both scientific data collection and disaster monitoring capabilities.…”

Section: Male Uasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Remote Sensing and Scientific Research: Classification and Considerations of Use

2012

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Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have evolved rapidly over the past decade driven primarily by military uses, and have begun finding application among civilian users for earth sensing reconnaissance and scientific data collection purposes. Among UAS, promising characteristics are long flight duration, improved mission safety, flight repeatability due to improving autopilots, and reduced operational costs when compared to manned aircraft. The potential advantages of an unmanned platform, however, depend on many factors, such as aircraft, sensor types, mission objectives, and the current UAS regulatory requirements for operations of the particular platform. The regulations concerning UAS operation are still in the early development stages and currently present significant barriers to entry for scientific users. In this article we describe a variety of platforms, as well as sensor capabilities, and identify advantages of each as relevant to the demands of users in the scientific research sector. We also briefly discuss the current state of regulations affecting UAS operations, with the purpose of informing the scientific community about this developing technology whose potential for revolutionizing natural science observations is similar to those transformations that GIS and GPS brought to the community two decades ago.

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Demonstrating UAV-Acquired Real-Time Thermal Data over Fires

Cited by 121 publications

References 2 publications

Small Drones for Community-Based Forest Monitoring: An Assessment of Their Feasibility and Potential in Tropical Areas

Small Drones for Community-Based Forest Monitoring: An Assessment of Their Feasibility and Potential in Tropical Areas

Towards Improved Airborne Fire Detection Systems Using Beetle Inspired Infrared Detection and Fire Searching Strategies

Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Remote Sensing and Scientific Research: Classification and Considerations of Use

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