WILDFIRE UAS Concept of Operations US Forest Service

WILDFIRE UAS Concept of Operations US Forest Service Fire & Aviation Management DRAFT

Introduction • The Forest Service intends to utilize small UAS for tactical intelligence collection on wildland fires. • UAS would be used by fireline supervisors to provide real-time photo/video and infrared imagery in tactical situations. • UAS would be used by incident commanders to provide long endurance real-time intel and communication for a wildland fire.

Mission Objectives • Collect real-time photo/ video color/IR data and transmit to tactical decision makers. • Fireline conditions are most often mountainous, heavy vegetation and smoky low visibility situations, which make it difficult to maintain situational awareness of a fire’s location, fire hazards, terrain features and other inherent fire hazards. • Provide another level of fireline safety and ability to find avoid hazards.

COA Process • Submit “original” COA with baseline information • When a wild fire occurs, request an emergency COA with location, date/time, and other changes

What’s Different Original COA • Proponent • POC • Operational Description • System Description • Performance • Airworthiness • Procedures • Avionics/ Eq. • Lights • Spectrum • ATC comm • Visual Surveillance • Flight Ops Area/ Plan • Flight Crew • Observers • Special Circumstances Emergency COA Changes • Proponent- No Change • POC- No Change • Operational Description- Night ops & IMC (smoke), operational area and date/time • System Description- No Change • Performance- No Change • Airworthiness- No Change • Procedures- No Change • Avionics/ Eq. - No Change • Lights- No Change • Spectrum- No Change • ATC comm- Indirect via phone or radio • Visual Surveillance- Intermittent based on conditions and terrain • Flight Ops Area/ Plan- Various locations in fire TFR • Flight Crew- No Change • Observers- No Change • Special Circumstances- all flight < 1000’, Class G,

System Description • Cyberbug • Description • Sky. Seer • Description

System Description • • • Raven Vector P Electric Helicopter Golden-eye 80 Cyberblimp DRAFT

Mission #1 • A fire supervisor would determine the need to see over the trees, through smoke or down a canyon. • Hand launch the UAS, control the UAS from that location as well as receive data from the cameras and make tactical decisions based on the data.

Mission #2 • Incident Commander orders UAS for long endurance intel flight over remote fire area. • UAS provides communication link between IC and ground resources • UAS provides real-time day infrared video of fire behavior to IC • Color video provides fire fuels information for next operational planning cycle • UAS can fly during all other fire aviation flights including helicopter and large airtanker operations.

Mission Safety • Pilots would meet 08 -01, 9. 1. 1. 1 Operations not requiring a pilot certificate • Radio communication with the pilot • Special airworthiness certificate or airworthiness statement • Airspace- within fire TFR – Additional to TFR could be “UAS operations at 1000 ft. or below”

The Mission • Small UAS • Class G airspace • Fly within 14 CFR 91. 137 (a) (2) TFRs ordered specifically for the wildland fire. • Flight Level < 1000 ft. • High visibility aircraft (paint and/or lights if capable) • Airworthiness Certificate • Etc.

Agency UAS Policy • Recently updated Agency Aviation Manual to include UAS operations. • UAS are considered the same as manned aircraft regarding- aircraft, inspections, maintenance, training, acquisition and reporting • All acquisitions will has a manufacturer’s special airworthiness certificate or airworthiness certificate • USFS UAS operations will comply with FAA policy (08 -01) and/ or regulations

Operations Description • Fly within fire TFRs in all 50 states • Class G airspace • Primarily VFR, but some IMC (smoke & night) • <1000 ft. flight level DRAFT

Benefits • Collect flight data on visual characteristics, visibility, etc. • Publish or submit to FAA • Increased situational awareness and safety factor fireline resources

2009 • COA issued for wildland fire within US. • Project team operates UAS on fire within COA provisions • Submit feedback and data to FAA post fire season 2009

2010 • Train & qualify limited number of fireline crews to use UAS • Implement Mission #2 on fire. DRAFT