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Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Review 2017

Indicators of Quality, Relevance, and Performance

Readiness Level Advancement Index

Readiness Levels (RLs): A systematic project metric/measurement system
Based on Technology Readiness Levels developed by NASA (Mankins, 1995)

Observing Strategies

Readiness Level & Science Focus Area

Advancements to High Impact Weather

Advancements to Maritime Monitoring

Advancements to Polar Monitoring

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Christopherson, H., A. Aksoy, J. Dunion, and K. Sellwood, The Impact of NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Dropwindsonde Observations on Tropical Cyclone Track, Intensity, and Structure: Case Studies, Monthly Weather Review (accepted).

Sing, S., P. Dash, S. Silwal; G. Feng, A. Adeli, and R. Moorhead, “Influence of land use and land cover on the spatial variability of dissolved organic matter in multiple aquatic environments,” Environmental Science and Pollution Research (submitted).

Samiappan, S., G. Turnage, L. A. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Mapping of Invasive Phragmites (Common Reed) in Gulf of Mexico Coastal Wetlands Using Multispectral Imagery and Unmanned Aerial Systems,” International Journal of Remote Sensing (accepted), http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2016.1271480 and http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01431161.2016.1271480

Telg, H. et al. (in press), A Practical Set of Miniaturized Instruments for Vertical Profiling of Aerosol Physical Properties, Aerosol Science and Technology.

2016

Gao, R. S., H. Telg, R.J. McLaughlin, S.J. Ciciora, L.A. Watts, M.S. Richardson, J.P. Schwarz, A.E. Perring, T.D. Thornberry, A.W. Rollins, M.Z. Markovic, T.S. Bates, J.E. Johnson and D.W. Fahey (2016), A light-weight, high-sensitivity particle spectrometer for PM2.5 aerosol measurements, Aerosol Science and Technology, 50:1, 88-99, DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2015.1131809.

Fitzpatrick, P., Y. Lau, D. Merritt, R. Moorhead, A. Skarke, K. Kreider, R. Carlon, G. Hine, T. Lampoudi, and A. Leonardi (2016), “Further Analysis of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Wave Glider Field Program,” Marine Technology Society Journal, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 72-75. Available at: www.ingentaconnect.com and dx.doi.org (Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding).

Murphy, D.M., H. Telg, T.F. Eck, J. Rodriguez, S.E. Stalin, and T.S. Bates (2016), A miniature scanning sun photometer for vertical profiles and mobile platforms, Aerosol Science and Technology, 50:1, 11-16, DOI: 10/1080/027/86826.2015.1121200.

Samiappan, S.. G. Turnage, L. A. Hathcock, L. Casagrande, P. C. Stinson, and R. Moorhead (2016), “Using Unmanned Aerial Systems for High-Resolution Remote Sensing to Map Invasive Phragmites Australis in Coastal Wetlands,” International Journal of Remote Sensing, published online Oct 3, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2016.1239288 and http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/NyG3asYGZ6trHZPx79EG/full.

2015

Brooke, S., D. Graham, T. Jacobs, C. Littnan, M. Manuel, R. O’Conner (2015), Testing marine conservation applications of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in a remote marine protected area. Journal of Unmanned Vehicle Systems 3(4), 237-251.

Dash, P., S. Silwal, J. Sackreiter, C. A. Ochs, R. Moorhead, J. L. Pinckney (2015), “Investigating the water quality of lower Pearl River estuary,” Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Meeting, Portland, Oregon, November 8-12, 2015, Oral Presentation.

Fitzpatrick, P., Y. Lau, D. Merritt, R. Moorhead, A. Skarke, K. Kreider, C. Brown, R. Carlon, G. Hine, T. Lampoudi, and A. Leonardi (2015), “A Review of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Wave Glider Field Program,” Marine Technology Society Journal, vol. 49, no. 3, pp. 64-71. (Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding).

Gao, R. S., J. W. Elkins, G. J. Frost, A. C. McComiskey, F. L. Moore, D. M. Murphy, J. A. Ogren, I. Petropavlovskikh, and K.H. Rosenlof (2015), A Novel Approach to Atmospheric Measurements Using Gliding UASs. In: Ravela S., Sandu A. (eds) Dynamic Data-Driven Environmental Systems Science. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 8964.

Jacobs, T., M. Jacobi, M. Rogers, J. Adams, J. Coffey, J.R. Walker, and B. Johnston (2015). Testing and Evaluating Low Altitude Unmanned Aircraft System Technology for Maritime Domain Awareness and Oil Spill Response in the Arctic. Marine Technology Society Journal, 49(2), 145-150.

Johnson, R., K. Smith, and K. Wescott (2015), Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Applications to Land and Natural Resource Management. Environmental Practice 17: 170-177 (J. Coffey credited).

Silwal, S., P. Dash, J. Sackreiter, C. A. Ochs, R. Moorhead, and J. L. Pinckney (2015), “Phytoplankton community structure in lower Pearl River estuary,” Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Meeting, Portland, Oregon, November 8-12, 2015, Poster Presentation.

2014

Coffey, J., R. Hood, T. Jacobs, P. Hall, J. Adler (2014), NOAA marine and arctic monitoring using UASs.

Intrieri, J. M., de Boer, G., Shupe, M. D., Spackman, J. R., Wang, J., Neiman, P. J., Wick, G. A., Hock, T. F., and Hood, R. E. (2014), Global Hawk dropsonde observations of the Arctic atmosphere obtained during the Winter Storms and Pacific Atmospheric Rivers (WISPAR) field campaign, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 3917-3926, doi:10.5194/amt-7-3917-2014.

Moore, F. L., E. A. Ray, K. H. Rosenlof, J. W. Elkins, P. Tans, A. Karion, and C. Sweeney (2014), A Cost-Effective Trace Gas Measurement Program for Long-Term Monitoring of the Stratospheric Circulation, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 95, 1, doi: 10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00153.1

Neiman, P., G. Wick, B. Moore, F. Ralph, J. Spackman, and B. Ward (2014), An Airborne Study of an Atmospheric River over the Subtropical Pacific during WISPAR: Dropsonde Budget-Box Diagnostics and Precipitation Impacts in Hawaii. Mon. Wea. Rev., 142, 3199-3223, doi: 10.1175/MWR-D-13-00383.1.

2013

Bates, T.S., P.K. Quinn, J.E. Johnson, A. Corless, F.J. Brechtel, S.E. Stalin, C. Meinig, and J.F. Burkhart (2013), Measurements of atmospheric aerosol vertical distributions above Svalbard, Norway using unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2115-2120.

2012

Coffey, J. and T. Jacobs (2012), Strategy for the Development of an Unmanned Aerial Systems Capability within the National Marine Sanctuary System, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Gao, R. S., et al. (2012), A Compact, Fast UV photometer for measurement of ozone from research aircraft, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 2201-2210.

Reports & Other Publications

2017

Moorhead, R., G. Turnage, L. Hathcock, L. Spurrier, J. Pitchford, M. Landry, J. Coffey, and J. Nicinska, “Using Small UAS and USV for Coastal Monitoring and Analysis,” Coastal GeoTools 2017, North Charleston, SC, Feb 6-9, 2017 (abstract accepted; presentation).

2016

Bassie, A., G. Turnage, S. Meacham, L. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead (2016), “A Comparison of Linear Scaling Techniques for Analysis of Three-Dimensional Point Clouds,” MSU GRI Technical Report. GRI-TR-2016-5069, 11pp.

Bassie, A., S. Meacham, D. Young, G. Turnage, and R. Moorhead (2016), “3D Reconstruction Optimization Using Imagery Captured By Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,” MSU GRI Technical Report. GRI-TR-2016-5068, 8pp.

Blain, C. H., M. K. Cambazoglu, E. D. Smythe, Suzanne van Cooten, D. P. Brunet, A. Roberts, R. Moorhead, K. M. Dresback, and R. L. Kolar, “Collaborative Development of a Forecast Capability for Water Levels in the Lower Pearl River Basin, LA/MS,” 14th Symposium on the Coastal Environment, 96th AMS Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA: AMS, January 11, 2016.

Coffey, J., R. Hood, T. Jacobs, G. A. Wick, R. Moorhead, and J. Walker, “NOAA Atmospheric, Marine and Polar Monitoring Using UASs (including Rapid Response),” ASE-07/ATIO.ATM-09. Characterization of the Atmospheric Environment using UAS, AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition 2016, Washington, DC, June 14, 2016. (invited, paper and presentation)

Dyer, J., L. Wasson, and R. Moorhead, “Boundary Layer Measurements Over Land Use/Cover Discontinuities Using a Small UAS,” ASE-07/ATIO.ATM-09. Characterization of the Atmospheric Environment using UAS, AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition 2016, Washington, DC, June 14, 2016. (invited, paper and presentation)

Dyer, J., L. Wasson, and R. Moorhead, “Exploring the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Local-Scale Boundary Layer Observations in a Coastal Environment,” 18th Symposium on Meteorological Observation and Instrumentation, 96th AMS Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA: AMS, January 11, 2016.

Hood, R., G. A. Wick, M. L. Black, J. P. Dunion, S. Van Cooten, R. J. Moorhead, and J. Walker, “Feasibility Evaluation of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Weather Observations for Operational Weather Prediction,” 18th Symposium on Meteorological Observation and Instrumentation, 96th AMS Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA: AMS, January 11, 2016.

Landry, M., D. Rogers, C. Linder, R. Moorhead, G. Turnage, L. Hathcock, L. Wasson, D. Young, and S. Meacham, “Improving Created Wetland Function with Data from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,” Our Coasts, Our Future, Our Choice, Restore America’s Estuaries 8th National Summit on Coastal and Estuarine Restoration and 25th Biennial Meeting of The Coastal Society, New Orleans, LA, Dec 10-15, 2016. (funding resulted from UAS PO initiated discussion; technology transfer)

Pitchford, J., L. Spurrier, R. Moorhead, and M. Archer, “Employing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to Understand and Manage Resources at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve,” Bays and Bayou Symposium 2016, Biloxi, MS, Nov 30-Dec 1, 2016 (presentation).

Samiappan, S. G. Turnage, and R. Moorhead, “Identifying and Mapping Chinese Tallow Using Unmanned Aerial Systems and Multispectral Imagery,” Midsouth Aquatic Plant Society Conference. Baton Rouge, LA, September 2016. (presentation by Samiappan)

Sathishkumar S, Turnage, G., Hathcock, L. A., & Moorhead, R. J. (2016). Mapping of Invasive Phragmites in the Pearl River Coastal Wetlands and the Results of Its Eradication Efforts. Mississippi State University: Geosystems Research Institute.

Sathishkumar, S., G. Turnage, L. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Mapping of Phragmites Australis in Gulf of Mexico Wetlands Using Small UAS,” 2016 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference Proceedings. Tampa, FL, Feb 1-4, 2016. (abstract accepted, poster)

Singh, S., P. Dash, S. Silwal, S. M. Sasidharan, R. Moorhead, P. Shang, and Y. Lu, “Hydrologic Conditions Control the Seasonal Changes in Dissolved Organic Matter Delivery to the Lower Pearl River Estuarine Waters,” Bays and Bayou Symposium 2016, Biloxi, MS, Nov 30-Dec 1, 2016 (presentation)

Turnage, G., S. Samiappan, L. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Mapping of Phragmites australis using 5-band imagery collected from an Unmanned Aerial System,” Wildlife Society’s 23rd Annual Conference, Raleigh, NC, Oct 15-19, 2016. (presentation by Moorhead)

Zarzar, C. M., J. Dyer, P. Dash, R. Moorhead, and G. Turnage, “Understanding Coastal Changes Using High Resolution Imagery from Unmanned Aerial Systems (oral). 2016 State of the Coast Conference, New Orleans, LA, June 1-3, 2016

Zarzar, C. M., J. Dyer, P. Dash, R. Moorhead, and G. Turnage, “Defining Surface Land Cover Features Using High Resolution Imagery from Unmanned Aerial Systems,” 2016 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference Proceedings. Tampa, FL, Feb 1-4, 2016. (abstract accepted, poster)

Marine Mammal Commission, Development and Use of UASs by the National Marine Fisheries Service for Surveying Marine Mammals. Marine Mammal Commission, Bethesda, MD, 2016.

Grand Bay NERR, The Way Forward: Unmanned Aerial Systems for the National Estuarine Research Reserves, 2016.

Eyal Saiet, “Utilizing UAS in of support NOAA river ice breakup forecasting in Alaska,” 2016

2015

Fitzpatrick, P. J., Y. Lau, D. Merritt, R. Moorhead, A. Skarke, K. Kreider, C. Brown, R. Carlon, G. Hine, T. Lampoudi, and A. Leonardi, “A Review of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Wave Glider Field Program,”, Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference, Jacksonville, FL, 2015. (Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding)

Jacobs, T., Coffey, J., Walker, J., Operation Arctic Shield 2013-15, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Onboard USCGC (Icebreaker) HEALY: Operational Assessment of LASE/LALE Systems, 2015.

Singh, S., P Dash, and R. Moorhead, “Optical Characterization and Spatial Distribution of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) in Seven Water Bodies of Mississippi, USA,” 2015 AGU Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA, Dec 14-18, 2015.

Spurrier, L., W. Underwood, and R. Moorhead, “Unmanned Aerial Systems at Grand Bay NERR: Habitat mapping, wildfire, and disaster response applications,” NERR System Annual Meeting, Mobile, AL, October 26-28, 2015. (poster)

Stinson, P., L. Casagrande, G. Turnage, S. Sathishkumar, L. A. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Mapping of Common Reed (Phragmites Australis) Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Gray Level Co-Occurrence Matrix Texture Extraction, and ECognition,” Midsouth Aquatic Plant Society Meeting. Mobile, AL, September 16, 2015.

Van Horn, J., J. Dyer, P. Dash, L. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Potential of Unmanned Aerial Systems Imagery Relative to Landsat-8 Imagery,” AAG Annual Meeting, April 22, 2015, Chicago, IL.

Zarzar, C., P. Dash, J. Dyer, L. Hathcock, and R. Moorhead, “Development of Spectral-based Classification Schemes Using Unmanned Aerial System Imagery,” AAG Annual Meeting, April 22, 2015, Chicago, IL.

Zarzar, C., P. Dash, G. Turnage, and R. Moorhead, “Application of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in Aquatic Plant Identification,” Midsouth Aquatic Plant Society Meeting. Mobile, AL, September 16, 2015.

Duke University Marine Laboratory, Unmanned Aerial Systems in Marine Science and Conservation: A Facilities Scoping Workshop, June 29-30, 2015.

2014

Fitzpatrick, P. J., Y. Lau, J. Nicinska, R. Moorhead, A. Leonardi, A. Starke, R. Chadwick, and R. Kincaid, 2014. The Tropical cyclone ExperiMental Program to Enable unmanned surface SysTems (TEMPEST). International Conference on Mesoscale Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones, September 15-18, 2014, Boulder, CO. (Hurricane Sandy Supplemental Funding)

Moorhead, R., L. Hathcock, H. Rawson, A. Kosturock, J. Coffey, R. Hood, S. van Cooten, and K. Choate, “Using small Unmanned Aerial Systems to advance hydrological models in coastal watersheds,” 2014 AGU Fall Meeting, #U41A-06, abstract online.

Zarzar, C., Moorhead, R., and Coffey, J., NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program 2nd UAS Arctic and River Forecast Workshop Summary Report, Anchorage, AK, September 15, 2014. See also Alaska Hydrology UAS Requirements and FAA UAS Arctic Implementation Plan.

Ikhana and PUMA NWHI Post Mission Quick Look Review, July 25, 2014.

Tern, Tern, Tern: Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, June 2014.

2012

Coffey, J. and T. Jacobs (2012), Strategy for the Development of an Unmanned Aerial Systems Capability within the National Marine Sanctuary System, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

Jacobs, T., T. Lillestolen, and J. Coffey, Strategy for the Development of an Unmanned Aerial Systems Capability within the National Marine Sanctuary System, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries 2012.

Moorhead, R., Hood, R., Coffey, J., Optimal Unmanned Aircraft Systems River Observing Strategy Workshop Summary Report, Boulder, CO February 21-23, 2012.

The NOAA-Environment Canada UAS Arctic Scoping Workshop – (September 2012) 21 experts from Canada and the US met in Boulder, September 25-26 to share information on the civil applications of UAS for environmental research and operations, and to identify collaborative projects for the coming years.

U.S. Navy Puma AE Sea Trial Report, October 2011.

Leadership Positions, Professional Service, and Honors

Bruce Baker, Director NOAA Air Resources Laboratory

  • Chairman, American Meteorological Society Committee on Meteorological Observations and Instrumentation.
  • Program Chairman for the 18th Symposium on Meteorological Observations and Instrumentation
  • Program Chairman for the Special Symposium on Meteorological Observations and Instrumentation
  • Program Chairman for the 19th Symposium on Meteorological Observations and Instrumentation
  • Member Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites Executive Board
  • Vice President, WMO Committee on Instruments and Observations Member,
  • WMO International Organizing Committee for the Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment

Jason Dunion, University of Miami/Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies – NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory

Professional Honors

  • Recipient: 2016 Best Paper Award, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory: Dunion et al. 2014, The Tropical Cyclone Diurnal Cycle of Mature Hurricanes.
  • Co-Recipient (2015): American Meteorological Society Special Award to the Univ. of Wisc.-CIMSS Tropical Cyclone Group for “providing the weather community with valuable tropical cyclone-related satellite information and derived products for over two decades.”

Professional Service

  • April 2016: Co-Chair, 32nd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, 17-22 April 2012, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • January 2014 – present: Member, NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program’s Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology (SHOUT) science team
  • February 2014 – present: Member, Office of Naval Research Tropical Cyclone Intensity (TCI) science team
  • June 2008 – December 2016: member, AMS Scientific and Technological Activities Commission (STAC) on Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones

Trish Quinn, NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

Leadership

  • 2012 – 2017 ECLIPSE (Evaluating the Climate and Air Quality Impacts of Short-Lived Pollutants) Advisory Board, Member
  • 2013 – 2018 NETCARE (Network on Climate and Aerosols) External Steering Committee, Member
  • 2015 – Present WMO GAW Scientific Advisory Group on Aerosols, Member

CRADAs – Cooperative Research and Development Agreements

NOAA UAS Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) define joint research and development partnerships between NOAA and collaborators for exploring the application of UAS technologies (including instrumentation) to NOAA’s airborne charter in potentially more effective (less expensive, better results, more environmentally friendly), and safer ways. The following is a list of organizations with whom NOAA UAS has established CRADAs:

SBIRs – Small Business Innovative Research

NOAA’s SBIR Program seeks highly innovative products with excellent commercial potential. All SBIR proposals must directly benefit the NOAA mission, but should also be responsive to greater market demands in order to be successful. All SBIR applications must be made in response to a NOAA solicitation, which will be made available once per year on this site and through the Federal Register.

Cooperative Institutes – Non-NOAA University Partnerships

CIFAR: Cooperative Institute for Arctic Research, Fairbanks, AK

CICS-M: Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites, University of Maryland

CIMAS: Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL

CIRA: Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

CIRES: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

NGI: Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, MS

Inter-Agency Agreements

The following is a list of briefings and presentations UAS personnel have given at various conferences and workshops, as well as to other agencies and organizations, with links to articles summarizing the briefing or to the presentations themselves, where available.

SHOUT

2017 AMS 97th Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, January 27-30, 2017

“NOAA UAS Program’s SHOUT Project: A Case Study for the End-to-End Utilization of High- and Low-Altitude Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” J. Walker, G. Wick, P. G. Black, J. P. Dunion, L. Cucurull, A. C. Kren, H. Wang, J. A. Sippel, M. B. Sporer, R. F. Morales Jr., and J. May

2016 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 12-15, 2016

“Using Satellite Remote Sensing to Assist the National Weather Service in Storm Damage Surveys,” L.A. Schultz, A. Molthan, K. McGrath, J. Bell, T. Cole, and J. Burks.

2016 AMS Severe Local Storms Conference, Portland, OR, November 8, 2016

“Utilization of Multiple Platforms in a High-Resolution Tornado Damage Survey: The 31 March 2016 Hartselle-Priceville, Alabama EF2 Tornado during VORTEX-SE,” Anthony W. Lyza, Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL; and C. L. Calamaio, A. L. Ravenscraft, A. Staarmann, D. M. Conrad, P. Tucker, R. Wade, K. R. Knupp, L. A. Schultz, T. P. Barron, B. C. Carcione, K. D. White, J. R. Walker, T. R. Lee, M. Buban, E. J. Dumas Jr., P. Owen, M. Warner, and K. Harvey (link to abstract).

2016 AMS 32nd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology

“SHOUT – Assessing the utility of unmanned aircraft for improving operational forecasts of hurricanes and tropical cyclones,” G. Wick, R. Hood, J. Dunion, M. Black, P. Kenul, and J. Coffey at AMS 32nd Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, San Juan, PR, April 2016.

“Initial assessment of NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft remote sensing observations,” Hui Christophersen, University of Miami and NOAA/AOML, Miami, FL; and J. Dunion, A. Aksoy, and B. Dahl

“The Impact of NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Observations on HEDAS Surface Wind Analyses,” Kathryn Sellwood, University of Miami CIMAS and NOAA AOML, Miami, FL; and B. W. Klotz, B. Annane, A. Aksoy, J. Dunion, H. Christopherson, and B. Dahl

“Impact of Global Hawk Observing Strategies on Vortex-Scale Tropical Cyclone Forecasts in an OSSE Framework,” Brittany Dahl, Univ. of Miami/RSMAS and NOAA/AOML, Miami, FL; and H. Christophersen, A. Aksoy, and J. Dunion

“Hurricane Outflow Jet Features Documented by Global Hawk Dropsondes and Satellite AMVs During HS3 as Targets for Future SHOUT Operations,” Peter G. Black, SAIC/NRL, Monterey, CA; and J. Dunion, S. A. Braun, and C. S. Velden

“Tropical Cyclone Warm Core Structures as Observed by Recent High-Altitude Aircraft and Satellites,” Derrick Herndon and Christopher Velden University of Wisconsin Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies

2016 AMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, January 22, 2016

“Feasibility Evaluation of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Weather Observations for Operational Weather Prediction,” Robbie E. Hood, NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, Silver Spring, MD; and G. A. Wick, M. L. Black, J. P. Dunion, S. Van Cooten, R. J. Moorhead II, and J. R. Walker

“Study of The Impact of NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Dropwindsonde Observations on Tropical Cyclone Track, Intensity and Structure,” Hui Christophersen, NOAA/AOML and Univ. of Miami/CIMAS, Miami, FL; and A. Aksoy, J. Dunion, B. Dahl, L. Bucci, K. Ryan, and P. Dodge

“HAMSR Observations from Recent Field Campaigns,” Bjorn H. Lambrigtsen, JPL/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA; and S. Brown and M. Schreier

“Forecasting winter storms with Global Hawk UAS observations,” Lidia Cucurull, NOAA/OAR/ESRL, Boulder, CO; and J. M. English, H. Wang, T. Peevey, and A. Kren

“Ensemble Transform Sensitivity Method for Targeted Observations: An OSSE Case Study,” Hongli Wang, CIRA/Colorado State University, Boulder, CO; and T. Peevey, J. M. English, A. Kren, and L. Cucurull

Student Conference: “Intercomparison of Remotely Sensed Atmospheric Profiles with Dropsonde Observations from the Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft,” Rachel B. Norris, NOAA/ESRL/PSD, Boulder, CO; and G. A. Wick

2015 Fall AGU Meeting

Poster: “Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology (SHOUT): NOAA’S application of the Global Hawk aircraft for high-impact weather forecasting,” G. Wick, R. Hood, J. Dunion, M. Black, P. Kenul, and J. Coffey.

“The use of targeting techniques with the Global Hawk to improve storm forecasts over Alaska,” Peevey, T R*, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States, ESRL Global Systems Division, NOAA Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States, Wang, H

ICCAGRA, McDill AFB, Tampa, FL, December 8, 2015

2015 AMS 31st Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, March 30 – April 4, San Diego CA

“Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology: NOAA’s multi-year plan to deploy the NASA Global Hawk aircraft for high impact weather,” Michael L. Black, NOAA/AOML, Miami, FL; and G. A. Wick and R. E. Hood

2015 AMS Annual Meeting, January 4-8, Phoenix AZ

“Impact of NASA Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Observations on Tropical Cyclone Track, Intensity and Structure: A Perspective from the NOAA SHOUT Program,” Altug Aksoy, University of Miami/CIMAS and NOAA/AOML/HRD, Miami, FL; and R. Atlas, M. Black, and K. J. Sellwood

“Tropical Cyclone Research with Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft: Future Plans and Key Results from Previous NASA/NOAA Field Campaigns,” Michael Black, NOAA/AOML/HRD, Miami, FL; and R. E. Hood and G. A. Wick

CLIVAR Open Science Conference

Poster: “The NOAA El Nino Rapid Response (ENRR) Field Campaign by Dole et al., CLIVAR Open Science Conference,” Qingdao, China, September 2016

River Forecasting Centers

Mission Readiness Review, April 26, 2016, “Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology (SHOUT) River Forecasting Center Rapid Response ‘Alert 48,'” J. Coffey, R. Moorhead, E. Plumb, E. Saiet, R. Hood

NOAA-Environment Canada UAS Arctic Scoping Workshop, Boulder, CO, September 25-26, 2012.

Workshop for Optimal Unmanned Aircraft Systems River Observing Strategy, Boulder, CO, February 2012.

WISPAR

International Atmospheric Rivers Conference – Scripps, August 9, 2016

“Integrated Observing Strategies for Atmospheric Rivers: Major Field Studies and Future Directions Ryan Spackman,” Allen White, Gary Wick, Chris Fairall, Robert Webb, Marty Ralph, Ruby Leung, Laura Iraci, Chris Barnet

2015 AGU Fall Meeting

“Atmospheric River Observations with the HAMSR Aircraft Microwave Sounder,” Richardson, M*, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, United States, Brown, S T

2014 AGU Fall Meeting

“Total Water Vapor Transport Observed in Twelve Atmospheric Rivers over the Northeastern Pacific Ocean Using Dropsondes,” Ralph, F M*, Iacobellis, S, Neiman, P J, Cordeira, J M, Spackman, J R, Waliser, D E, Wick, G A, White, A B, Fairall, C W

2013 AMS Annual Meeting, Austin TX

“Impact of AIRS Thermodynamic Profiles on Precipitation Forecasts for Atmospheric River Cases Affecting the Western United States,” Clay B. Blankenship, USRA, Huntsville, AL; and B. T. Zavodsky, G. J. Jedlovec, G. A. Wick, and P. J. Neiman

2012 AMS Annual Meeting, New Orleans LA

“The Winter Storms and Pacific Atmospheric Rivers (WISPAR) Experiment: Demonstrating NOAA Operational and Research Applications with the NASA Global Hawk,” J. Ryan Spackman, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO; and G. A. Wick, M. L. Black, F. M. Ralph, Y. Song, P. J. Neiman, J. Intrieri, T. Hock, B. H. Lambrigtsen, and R. E. Hood

2011 AGU Fall Meeting

“Aircraft Observations of Water Vapor Transport in Atmospheric Rivers: Synthesis from Seven Events Using Dropsonde Data from the NASA Global Hawk,” NOAA G-IV, and NOAA WP-3D, Ralph, F M*, Wick, G A, Neiman, P J, Spackman, J R, Song, Y, Hock, T

“Observing atmospheric rivers from the Global Hawk: HAMSR results from WISPAR11,” Brown, S*, Lambrigtsen, B.

“Global Hawk Dropsonde Observations of the Arctic Atmosphere from March 9-10, 2011,” Intrieri, J M*, Spackman, J R, Hughes, M R, Neiman, P J, Wick, G A, Hock, T, Nghiem, S V, Hood, R E.

“Real-time data transmission, processing, and dissemination of GPS dropwindsonde data from the NASA Global Hawk unmanned aircraft,” Black, M L*, Wick, G A, Spackman, J R, Hock, T, Hood, R

General Programmatic Talks

NextGov Program Brief, February 28, 2017

Federation of Earth Science Information Partners, Bethesda, MD, January 20, 2017

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technical Analysis and Applications Center (UAS TAAC) Conference, Santa Fe, NM, December 12-15, 2016

ICCAGRA Briefing, Arlington, VA, December 1-2, 2016

Drone World Expo, San Jose, CA, November 15-17, 2016

Alaska UAS Interest Group Conference, Anchorage, AK, November 7-10, 2016

NOAA Symposium and Commercial UAV Expo, La Jolla, CA and Las Vegas, NV, November 2, 2016

“NOAA and AeroVironment Puma AE Research and Development in the Santa Barbara Channel Region,” T. Jacobs, AUVSI Channel Islands, October 21, 2016

National Weather Association 41st Annual Meeting, Norfolk, VA, September 10-15, 2016, “NOAA UAS Program Office Overview and Rapid Response Operations for NWS and EMA Damage Assessment,” J. Walker

AUVSI Pathfinder Symposium, August 2016, “UAS for Rapid Response Operations: NOAA UAS Program and Collaborating Partner Efforts and Developments”

Arctic Round Table Discussion, August 2016, “UAS Applications“

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2016 Convention, Washington D.C., July 2, 2016

Southeastern Coastal and Atmospheric Processes Symposium, March 2016, “NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Overview”

North Alabama Mutual Aid Association of Emergency Managers Meeting, March 2016, “Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Rapid Response Disaster Operations”

2015 Unmanned Maritime Systems Conference, Arlington, VA, December 22, 2015, “The NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program: Observations Improving Understanding of the Maritime Environment,” G. A. Wick and R. E. Hood

GOES-R Field Campaign Workshop, College Park, MD, April 8, 2015, “NOAA UAS Program Office Capabilities and GOES-R Support“

2015 National Hurricane Conference, March 30 – April 2, 2015, “The Future of Hurricane Monitoring: NOAA Utilization of Unmanned Aircraft,” G. A. Wick, R. E. Hood, M. L. Black, and J. Dunion

AUVSI Pathfinder Symposium, March 2015, “NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Overview”

Grand Bay NERR UAS Operational Assessment, March 2015, J. Coffey and R. Moorhead

“NOAA UAS Program Activities to NASA SPORT,” January 2015, J. Walker and J. Coffey

2014 AGU Annual Meeting, San Francisco CA, Invited Talk: “NOAA Utilization of the Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft for Atmospheric Research and Forecast Improvement,” Wick, G. A.; Hood, R. E.; Black, M. L.; Spackman, J. R.; Ralph, F. M.; Intrieri, J. M.; Hock, T. F.; Neiman, P. J.

PECORA 19, Nov 17-20, 2014, Denver Colorado, “NOAA Utilization of the Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft for High-Impact Weather Research and Forecast Improvement,” G. A. Wick and R. E. Hood

EVS UAS Workshop, July 16-17, 2014, “NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program Activities,” J. Coffey

The following is a sample of UAS communications, publicity efforts, and media coverage, focusing on important highlights from the past five years. For more content, visit the News and Library tabs at the top of this page.

Dee Ann Davis, “Waves of Innovation,” Inside Unmanned Systems, October-November 2016.

GEOHuntsville Coordinated Event, August 2016, “North Alabama UAS for Rapid Response Operations: Demonstration”

White House Office of Science and Technology Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation, Washington D.C., August 2, 2016. See also White House Takeaways from UAS Workshop.

NOAA Science Days: “Innovative Approaches to Advancing Earth Observations,” Transforming Science with Unmanned Systems (7/26/16)

Rapid Response Using UAS to Support Alaskan River Ice Breakup Monitoring and Flood Forecasting in Alaska (5/28/16)

AUVSI 2016 Xponential Conference, New Orleans, LA, May 2-5, 2016. See also AUVSI Press Release.

Gijs de Boer, Mark D. Ivey, Beat Schmid, Sally McFarlane, and Rickey Petty, “Unmanned Platforms Monitor the Arctic Atmosphere,” EOS (4/1/16).

NGI Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Rapidly Respond to GBNERR Wildfire (3/12/16)

UAS Aid in South Carolina Tornado Investigation (1/29/16)

USCG RDC Evaluates Flexrotor UAS for Robotic Aircraft for Maritime Public Safety (RAMPS) (12/14/15)

NOAA UAS Aerosol Payload Demonstrated in Arctic Environment (11/9/15)

Real-Time Data from Global Hawk Provided for Erika and Fred (10/15/15)

“Unmanned Aircraft Aids in Monk Seal Research,” AUVSI (10/14/15)

Global Hawk Data Successfully Assimilated into HWRF for TS Erika (8/27/15)

First Ever Autonomous Net Capture in the Arctic (7/10/15)

Drone Researchers Find a New Frontier in Alaska, the Arctic (2/28/15)

Danielle Lucey, “Wild Blue Yonder: NOAA Tracks Wildlife, Marine Debris in Joint UAS Ops First” (August 2013)

AUVSI’s Tenth Annual Student Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Competition (June 2012)

That’s Professor Global Hawk (5/1/11)

Program Review 2017

About UAS
Agenda (with links to presentations)
Indicators of Quality, Relevance, and
Performance
Review Panel
Background and Guiding Documents
Information Sheets