Award Abstract #0521181
Development of UAV Remote Sensing for Ecosystems Research

NSF Org:	DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure
Initial Amendment Date:	August 31, 2005
Latest Amendment Date:	August 31, 2005
Award Number:	0521181
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Robyn E. Hannigan DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	August 15, 2005
Expires:	July 31, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$597000
Investigator(s):	Dale Schinstock dales@ksu.edu (Principal Investigator) Jay Ham (Co-Principal Investigator) Douglas Goodin (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Kansas State University 2 FAIRCHILD HALL MANHATTAN, KS 66506 785/532-6804
NSF Program(s):	EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES, MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9184, 9150
Program Element Code(s):	9150, 1189

ABSTRACT

The objective of this award is the development of a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing system capable of providing high resolution data for small ecosystems sites used in long term ecological studies. The intent is to provide remote sensing systems with reduced production cost, reduced operating cost, reduced response time, and increased resolution in comparison with currently available sensing systems for such applications. The work draws on the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of researchers in agronomy, engineering, and geography.

The UAV system will be developed by making modifications to a large hobby airframe and equipping it with an autopilot. It will be a fixed-wing aircraft with electric propulsion and weigh less than 15 lbs with payload. It will be designed so that it may be reproduced easily. The system will have flight times of over 30 minutes with interchangeable batteries for successive flights and could be operated by an experienced RC pilot with an assistant.

The performance of the UAV system will be quantified in its ability to provide data that can be processed to required spatial accuracies using commonly available software tools for remotely sensed data. A significant part of the effort in the development of the system will be in tailoring of the control system of the UAV to perform targeted missions of acquiring remote sensing data without expensive and heavy attitude stabilization platforms for the remote sensing payload.

The significance of this project is that it will not only provide many local environmental researchers with a new remote sensing instrument but also provide the knowledge necessary to produce low-cost UAVs that satisfy the requirements of many civilian applications. The initial use of the remote sensing is to provide high resolution data at frequent intervals for long term ecological research in the Konza Prairie and Rannells Flint Hills Prairie Preserve near Manhattan, KS. The knowledge gained from this work will potentially lead to the use of this "personal computer" version of a remote sensing platform in other areas.

Other potential applications within the College of Agriculture at KSU alone include: mapping invasive weed species in crops; mapping pathogens and insect damage; mapping hail and wind damage in crops; mapping crop damage due to herbicide drift; mapping crop yield for use in precision agriculture applications; mapping animal feeding operations and waste runoff; mapping animal distributions feedlots and pastures; mapping vegetation in golf courses and sports fields; and examination of landfills and other contaminated sites.

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