Forest Service Update National Remote Sensing Program USDA Forest Service National Remote Sensing Program Everett Hinkley – National Remote Sensing Program Leader Spring 2013 TFRSAC

Note of Appreciation Thanks to all of you for coming, and for those calling in remotely.Thanks to all of you for coming, and for those calling in remotely. A special thanks to Vince Ambrosia and his support team for handling the preparatory logistics.A special thanks to Vince Ambrosia and his support team for handling the preparatory logistics. This is our 19 th TFRSAC Meeting!This is our 19 th TFRSAC Meeting!

Current WO Activities Technology Development and ImplementationTechnology Development and Implementation –UAS, GeoPDF, Mobile Geospatial, the “Cloud”, & Sensor development Unauthorized Activity on FS LandsUnauthorized Activity on FS Lands –Detection and mapping of illegal activities Earth Observing SystemsEarth Observing Systems –Landsat 8, VIIRS, Terra, Aqua WO Direction & PolicyWO Direction & Policy –Evolution of the Geospatial Management Office –The Inventory, Monitoring & Assessment Initiative

Current WO Concerns Personnel ChangesPersonnel Changes –Retirements and lost positions Support to FireSupport to Fire –Need an Infrared summit to discuss requirements, gaps & opportunities Funding for imagery programsFunding for imagery programs –NAIP, North American Data Buy, USDA Satellite Imagery Archive, Enhanced View Program (NGA), Bing Imagery. –Funding is declining and critical sources are drying up. Earth Observing SystemsEarth Observing Systems –Landsat 8, VIIRS, Terra, Aqua, Hyspiri, SMAP, and Landsat 9

VIIRS Wide field of view  3,000 km swath width Daily observations of nearly any point on the Earth’s surface Surface reflectance imagery Surface reflectance imagery  Once daily Thermal/Emissive imagery Thermal/Emissive imagery  2 times daily NPP VIIRS and Aqua MODIS observations are nearly coincident Spatial resolution Spatial resolution  375m/750m April 13, 2012, (NOAA/University of Maryland) Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership

Active Fire Mapping (AFM) Program ( Satellite detection and monitoring of wildfire activity in CONUS, Alaska, Hawaii & Canada Leverages NASA and NOAA assets −MODIS −AVHRR Facilitates decision support for strategic planning & response for U.S. and Canadian fire agencies −Prioritize allocation of fire suppression assets −Integrated into fire-related applications and decision support systems Developing new capabilities − Early detection − Spatially refined data −GOES −VIIRS

Tactical Fire Mapping Support

“NIROPS” - National Infrared Operations Provide high resolution fire detection/mapping to support incident command operations RSAC Support Functions: Maintenance −NIROPS website −IR ordering system −Operations Users Guide −IR Vendor listing PHOENIX sensor tech support Technology evaluation IRIN incident support IRIN training Tactical Scale Fire Mapping Support (

IRINs: Tom Mellin National IR Program Manager (R3, Albuquerque) Pilots: Dan Johnson (R4, Ogden) IR Techs: Woody Smith Charles ‘Kaz’ Kazimir (NIFC, Boise) Forest Service Assistant Director Fire Operations: Kim Christensen Research & Development Operations Tech Support

Airborne PHOENIX imagery acquired by two agency aircraft Imagery is pre-processed in flight and downloaded directly to ground for interpretation by IRINs High resolution, daily fire map products provided by 6:00 AM Products delineate fire perimeter and active fire areas Tactical Scale Fire Mapping Support 144Z: Cessna Citation Bravo 149Z Beechcraft 200 Super King Air

2012 Tactical Fire IR Support Demand 149Z – 598 requests 144Z – 565 requests IR requests range from annually More IMTs are requesting support UTF = “Unable To Fill” due to Wx, aircraft issues, etc.

New Airborne Sensors Available To USFS Autonomous Modular Sensor (AMS) 16 band sensor (VIS/NIR/SWIR/IR)16 band sensor (VIS/NIR/SWIR/IR) –Multi-mission potential for USFS Transition from NASA to USFS ongoingTransition from NASA to USFS ongoing –Interagency agreement signed Fit checks on 144Z conducted Sept 2012Fit checks on 144Z conducted Sept 2012 NASA Ames/NIROPS technical meetings ongoingNASA Ames/NIROPS technical meetings ongoing –Installation details –Flight test planning Availability of AMS to USFS in early CY2013Availability of AMS to USFS in early CY2013 –Testing & implementation spring/summer 2013 Infrared imagery/fire detection & characterization Post-fire assessment imagery

New Airborne Sensors Available To USFS Wide Area Imager (WAI) 5 band sensor ( VIS/NIR/TIR)5 band sensor ( VIS/NIR/TIR) –Multi-mission potential for USFS Developed by Xiomas under NASA SBIRDeveloped by Xiomas under NASA SBIR –Currently in SBIR Phase 3 FS contract let for WAI demo/eval missionFS contract let for WAI demo/eval mission –Spring/Summer 2013 over western U.S. fires –3 day mission –One 4 hour operational period per day –Costs split 50/50 between NIICD and RSAC Availability of WAI to USFS anticipated in 2014Availability of WAI to USFS anticipated in 2014 WAI MWIR imagery WAI MWIR imagery w/heat sources

Tactical Fire Mapping Challenges Need for surge aircraft (!)Need for surge aircraft (!) –To meet tactical fire support requests Transition/integration of new sensorsTransition/integration of new sensors –Identify aircraft; Modifications –Facilitate daytime as well as nighttime missions –Potential to support non-fire missions

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Forest Service UAS Advisory Group (UASAG) “…The Advisory Group will be responsible for interfacing with interagency partners (including the Federal Aviation Administration) and determining revisions needed to current FS aviation policy on the use of UAS. FS UAS policy can be found under FSM and “…The Advisory Group will be responsible for interfacing with interagency partners (including the Federal Aviation Administration) and determining revisions needed to current FS aviation policy on the use of UAS. FS UAS policy can be found under FSM and Additional representation from other deputy and staff areas with potential interest in leveraging UAS is being pursued. “Additional representation from other deputy and staff areas with potential interest in leveraging UAS is being pursued. “

NASA/USFS WRAP Collaboration to facilitate and demonstrate evolving technologies to increase the information and timeliness of data collected for wildfires Collaboration to facilitate and demonstrate evolving technologies to increase the information and timeliness of data collected for wildfires Funded by NASA ( ) Funded by NASA ( ) Demonstrate/evaluate technologies Demonstrate/evaluate technologies −UAVs, sensors, data transfer and visualization, etc. Missions utilized large and small UAV platforms Missions utilized large and small UAV platforms USFS IRDB Additional support provided by IRDB since FY2007 Additional support provided by IRDB since FY2007 Where’s the Mojo?

Augment, NOT replace, our manned aircraftAugment, NOT replace, our manned aircraft Work with partners to identify niche applications that are underserved by current technologyWork with partners to identify niche applications that are underserved by current technology Keep the approach simple; work on doing one thing well before adding additional capabilitiesKeep the approach simple; work on doing one thing well before adding additional capabilities Provide unified systems that are affordableProvide unified systems that are affordable Forest Service UAS Strategy

Small UAS Demonstration/Evaluation Missions Conducted primarily to assess UAS for fire management objectives −Short/long endurance missions −Incident intell and communications USFS role:USFS role: –Evaluate entire system –Report, develop guidance documentation UAS payloads and capabilities:UAS payloads and capabilities: –EO/IR video and mapping cameras –Wx sensors –Communications relay –Software technologies to generate NRT geospatial products –Aircraft modifications for nighttime ops Tier II – LALE (RS-16) NRT image mosaic product Tier I – Small (Raven)

Interagency UAS Coordination for Hazard Support 2011 Southwest Fire Season Coordination between DHS/CBP and IC Teams facilitated by DOI/Forest Service Daily tactical fire monitoring support provided by Ft. Huachuca-based Predator UAVs Real-time EO/IR video provided to IMTs via BigPipe and Remote Viewing Terminal (RVT) Feedback from fire teams was very positive Several recommendations provided to increase efficiency/utility

UAS Challenges Progress of the UAS Advisory GroupProgress of the UAS Advisory Group –F&AM support –Keep up with partner agencies; Leverage synergies Lifting of UAS demo/eval mission stand downLifting of UAS demo/eval mission stand down –Will help advance UAS Advisory Group tasks FOIA’s, FOIA’s and more FOIA’sFOIA’s, FOIA’s and more FOIA’s Public interest – not all goodPublic interest – not all good

Questions?