White Paper Objective This White Paper will describe the 2015 Wimberley Flood, and the experiences observed first-hand by members of the Wimberley Fire Department’s aviation unit and members of the Austin Fire Department’s Robotic Emergency Deployment (RED) Team. Lessons learned from this emergency response will reflect specific experiences from the deployment of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs). It is the hope that future UAS emergency responses will benefit from and be enhanced by these experiences.
This paper covers the various tasks and missions asked of the UASs and emphasizes potential uses to improve utilization of these systems in future events of this magnitude. Included are support requirements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local agencies in order to institute a temporary flight restriction (TFR) for safe, thoughtful integration with manned assets, as well as interactions and responses from private citizens and property owners, and other factual data. The obstacles chronicled herein are based on first-hand participation by the authors in their roles as Pilot in Command (PIC), Pilot at Controls (PAC), and Visual Observer(s) (VO), collectively known as the “Flight Crew.”
It should be stated that the Flight Crew adhered to the “First Protocol of Unmanned Aircraft Use” during this entire scenario, which dictates that unmanned aircraft (UA) will ALWAYS defer to the manned asset and give way, to the point of disposing of the UA in the most expeditious manner necessary to adhere to the protocol.
Introduction to the Incident Airspace Activity – First on the Scene Regulatory Considerations - FAA - Applying for the eCOA Control of Air Space - How to Manage a TFR Area and Why Communication of All Air Assets on Scene – De-conflicting Airspace Communications Between Air Assets, Incident Command and Volunteer Search Teams Transitioning Modes – Search, Recovery and Mapping Communication Difficulties for Unmanned Aerial Teams Fixed Wing vs. Rotary Wing Coordination with Search Teams Benefits of Working with Individuals Wearing a Badge Pre-planning and Training for the Next Large Scale Event for Unmanned Resources Getting on the Incident Commander's Radar Communicating an Accurate After Action - Keeping the Message True and Consistent GIS Support Logistics for Unmanned Systems and Their Teams Conclusion Appendix - Acronyms