Northwest Aerospace News February | March 2019 Issue No. 7 | Page 19

I
nsitu flight operations begin with
safety procedures evolved from accruing
more than 1.2 million flight hours. With
remote aerial data capture, Insitu provides
data analysis by applying custom ma-
chine learning and artificial intelligence
functions. Information then is presented
so that it is meaningful and actionable
to stakeholders. Software suites include
Catalina™ geospatial media servers and
custom inspection analytics tools.
In addition to daylight RGB sensors with
high zoom, InfraRed (IR) sensors and
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)
are used in many applications. The IR
sensors are valuable for daylight and
nighttime pipeline inspections, detecting
heat from smoldering vegetation, fire
suppression and many other applications.
Additionally, High Accuracy Photogram-
metry (HAP) sensors combine 50 or 100
megapixel sensors with special Ground
Positioning System (GPS) hardware and
software to achieve highly precise digital
surface models and mosaics of areas from
10 to more than 200 square kilometers.
These types of tools are used to track
changes over time.
Additionally, a special capability called
Visual Radar (ViDAR) enables automat-
ed, long-range, broad area scanning of
an ocean or waterway with the ability to
detect an individual in the water far better
than the human eye or other manual
sensor systems. This same system can be
used to detect small “fast boats,” which
is important in illicit drug interdiction
activities.
Due to the broad range of critical infra-
structure requirements, Insitu implements
a wide range of UAS to support services
and aircraft systems sales. Some appli-
cations and budgets are best suited to
services with small drones with special
sensors and software processing.
ScanEagle3 3D rendering
Others may be better served by me-
dium or long-endurance, Unmanned
Aerial Systems which may be self-op-
erated or operated by Insitu. Insitu’s
suite of aircraft platforms include
small UAS with flight durations of 30
minutes, larger systems with five-hour
endurance and 60-100 kilometer rang-
es, the ScanEagle ® with up to 20-hour
flight capability and a 200 kilometer
range, and the Integrator ® with greater
than 24-hour endurance and flight
capability of more than 200 kilometers
in range.
To maximize airborne sensing in sup-
port of critical infrastructure safety and
operations, flight by a certified aircraft
in controlled airspace and multiple
payload support is required. Insitu
announced the ScanEagle3 in May
2018 for deliveries beginning in 2019.
It will have on-board detect and avoid
capability to detect nearby aircraft, and
certification from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) for flight in
the National Airspace System (NAS).
This milestone capability will lead to
approvals for other airspace authorities
globally.
With a flight endurance of up to 20
hours, the ScanEagle3 will have
multiple payload support, so one flight
will have the ability to complete two
or more jobs simultaneously, akin to
doubling a fleet of aircraft with no
additional operational expense.
One multiple-payload scenario could
include conducting hi-res still pho-
tography to be used for a mosaic of
a pipeline right-of-way, while us-
ing RGB and IR sensors to conduct
inspections at the same time. Another
scenario would be using a ViDAR
sensor system for long-range detection
of watercraft or people in water, while
using the zoom lens of the daylight
camera to aid during a rescue effort.
Going forward, more specialized sen-
sors with on-board processing are in
development that will cue the operator
or other sensors automatically to aid in
a “one flight/many uses” operation, a
compelling capability to those consid-
ering using UAS for critical infrastruc-
ture applications.
Learn more at:
www.watchusfly.com
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2019 ISSUE NO. 7
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