NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program “Picket Fence” CONOPS Briefing to NOAA Air Resources Laboratory / Oak Ridge, TN 11 March 2015

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Schematic 2

Phase 1: VTOL Network Phase 2: Fixed Wing Fleet 3

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Schematic Phase 1: VTOL Network Phase 2: Fixed Wing Fleet CAL/VAL Sites 4

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives Objective #1: Obtain high temporal/spatial resolution Meteorological Observations of lower atmosphere (emphasis on the planetary boundary layer)  Near real-time operational forecaster Decision Support System (DSS) examination  Input for high-resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) forecast models Objective #2: Obtain high temporal/spatial resolution Air Quality Observations of lower atmosphere for improved analysis and transport/dispersion forecasting Objective #3: Rapid Response surveillance / Storm Damage Assessment 5

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives Objective #1: Meteorological Observations Current Upper Air Observation Network -Full Tropospheric Soundings -BUT… Sparse network -AND… Usually only 2x per day! 6

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives Objective #1: Meteorological Observations Current Upper Air Observation Network -Full Tropospheric Soundings -BUT… Sparse network -AND… Usually only 2x per day! Very Sparse Coverage ! 7

NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives Objective #1: Meteorological Observations Current Upper Air Observation Network -Full Tropospheric Soundings -BUT… Sparse network -AND… Usually only 2x per day! Picket Fence Regional Network: Central Tennessee Valley Example -Lower 1/2 Tropospheric Soundings -BUT… Dense network -AND…Frequency > 1x per hour! 8

Objective #2: Air Quality Observations  Focus on observing concentrations of pollution in the lower atmosphere.  Combine in-situ observations with information retrieved from the NASA Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) geostationary satellite, which is set to launch around 2017…Synergistically capitalize on the accuracy of local in-situ UAS-based air quality measurements with the broader regional coverage of TEMPO retrievals. NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives 9

Objective #3: Rapid Response / Storm Damage Assessment Aerial photo showing the remains of homes hit by a massive tornado in Moore, OK on May 20, (AP Photo/Steve Gooch) / AP NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Objectives 10

Regions: AlabamaMississippiTennessee OklahomaColorado Missions:  Severe/Winter Weather Prediction  Air Quality  Rapid Response / Severe Storm Damage Assessment NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest 11

Picket Fence in Support of - NSSL’s Tempest UAS CONOPS for CI Missions  Target locations for CI, e.g., drylines  Non-stop site-to-site flights for short baselines  Staggered deployment for long baselines  Mobile ground stations for fewer vehicles mi between Mesonet sites Slide provided by Dr. Steve Koch (NOAA NSSL) 12

Region: Florida Missions: Land-falling tropical system sampling and prediction Enhanced “Sea Breeze” Thunderstorm Prediction River Forecasting Center Assessments Air Quality Hurricane and Severe Storm Damage Assessment NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest 13

Region: North Carolina Missions: Fire Weather Boundary Layer Climatology / Prediction Land-falling tropical system sampling and prediction Air Quality Hurricane and Severe Storm Damage Assessment NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest 14

Region: California Missions: Marine Layer Prediction / Energy Forecasting Air Quality Fire and Fire Weather Land Slide and Burn Scar Assessment Rapid Response / Damage Assessment NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest 15

Region: Alaska Missions: Weather Measurements and Prediction River Forecasting and Coastal Erosion Air Quality Oil Spill & Marine Debris Rapid Response / Damage Assessment NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Regions of Interest 16

Concept Collaborators: NOAA – OAR NOAA – NWS (AK, AL, CA, CO, FL, MS, OK, TN) NOAA – NSSL NOAA - ARL Severe Weather Institute – Radar and Lightning Laboratory (SWIRLL) North Gulf Institute (NGI) University of Alabama at Huntsville University of Alaska - Fairbanks University of Colorado Mississippi State University Oklahoma State University University of Oklahoma Vanderbilt University North Carolina State University 0 “Picket Fence” Existing Collaborators 17

Questions? 0 NOAA UAS Program Office “Picket Fence” CONOPS 18

Phase 1: VTOL UAS Platform: a) Data --Temperature --Humidity --Wind Speed --Wind Direction --Pressure --Air Quality, O3, NO2, actinic flux (sunlight) --EO/IR Video b) Accuracy of Data for Potential Sensors --Temperature: +/- 0.2 C --Humidity: +/- 5% RH --Wind Speed: +/- 0.5 m/s --Wind Direction: +/- 5 degrees azimuth --Pressure: +/- 1.0 hPA --Air Quality: +/- 5.0 ppbv O3, ±0.5 ppbv NO2; 2% actinic flux --Video: “Reasonable” quality video (at least 5 MP) for opportunistic preliminary damage assessments c) Sensor Response Time (Atmospheric and Air Quality) -- Less than 5 seconds d) Altitude range --Surface to 6,000 m NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Proposed Observational Requirements 19

Phase 1: VTOL UAS Platform (…Continued): e) Vertical Data Resolution m for air quality measurement operations m for meteorological measurement operations f) Horizontal range --10 km g) Max Frequency of Deployments/Flights --One deployment per hour h) Operating Condition Ranges --Wind Speed:45 m/s --Temperature:–30 to +40 degrees C --Humidity: 0-100% RH --Ongoing precipitation / Types: All weather i) Endurance --Minimum of 1 hour j) Acceptable Drift Radius (for Vertical Column Measurements) --Conical aspect ratio less than 10 degrees (upward from surface) k)_Ascent Rate --Ranging from 1 to 5 m/s, but ultimately dependent on sensor response / hysteresis NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Proposed Observational Requirements 20

Phase 2: Fixed Wing UAS Platform: a) Data --Temperature --Humidity --Wind Speed --Wind Direction --Pressure --Air Quality, O3, NO2, actinic flux (sunlight) --High resolution georectified imagery b) Accuracy of Data for Potential Sensors --Temperature: +/- 0.2 C --Humidity: +/- 5% RH --Wind Speed: +/- 0.5 m/s --Wind Direction: +/- 5 degrees azimuth --Pressure: +/- 1.0 hPA --Air Quality: +/- 5.0 ppbv O3, ±0.5 ppbv NO2; 2% actinic flux --Video: Very high resolution (at least 16 MP) images/video for damage assessments Georectfication fidelity within 10 cm c) Sensor Response Time (Atmospheric and Air Quality) -- Less than 5 seconds d) Altitude range --Surface to 6,000 m NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Proposed Observational Requirements 21

Phase 2: Fixed Wing UAS Platform (…Continued): e) Vertical Data Resolution -- N/A f) Horizontal range --1,000 km g) Max Frequency of Deployments/Flights --Minimum of one extended deployment per day h) Operating Condition Ranges --Wind Speed:55 m/s --Temperature:–30 to +40 degrees C --Humidity: 0-100% RH --Ongoing precipitation / Types: All weather i) Endurance --Minimum of 8 hours NOAA UAS “Picket Fence” Proposed Observational Requirements 22

NOAA National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices Number of Nation-wide WFOs: 122

National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) NERRS Footprint: 28 Reserves (22 States + Puerto Rico)

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Number/Area of Protected Domains: 14 regions / 170,000 square miles

United States Coast Guard Number of Districts/Regions: 9 districts /17 regions