WASP Situational Awareness

Research Team: Don McKeown, Jason Faulring, Scott Lawrence, Robert Krzaczek,

Robert Kremens, Harvey Rhody, Michael Richardson

Task Scope: The scope of the ISSI Phase 2 project is to investigate and develop methods of integrating sensor data from multiple sources and using that data to provide decision support products with a specific emphasis on disaster response. The baseline architecture includes airborne imaging instruments combined with ground based sensors of various types. These sensors are networked through wireless RF data links as shown schematically in Figure 5.4-1.

Figure 5.4-1: Basic ISSI architecture

Figure 5.4-2: WASP-Lite multi-spectral camera systemThis effort also includes system engineering and scientific investigations into which measurement parameters add the most value to an information product processing workflow.

Task Status: RIT has made substantial progress in the areas of compact sensor development, integration of ground based and airborne sensors, and real time remote sensing support to incident management. We have successfully tested the WASP-Lite multi-spectral camera system in support of wildfire monitoring research and environmental monitoring research. Figure 5.4-2 shows the WASP-Lite camera system.

In the case of wildfire research, we successfully collected ground based sensor data via an RF data link onboard an aircraft simultaneous with imaging the scene from the same aircraft. Figure 5.4-2 shows the WASP-Lite experimental setup with 4 Automated Environmental sensors deployed as the WASP-Lite system flew over the test site (as discussed in Section 5.3).

We also successfully collected narrowband spectral imagery of Lake Champlain in Upstate New York. The objective there is to be able to detect the presence of toxic blue-green algae in the lake water. Figure 5.4-3 shows an example frame from the collect taken at one of the spectral bands on WASP-Lite selected for this particular experiment.

Figure 3.5.4-3: WASP-Lite image at spectral band located on algae spectral feature

Our development of a real time mapping system for incident response is going extremely well. We have successfully demonstrated the airborne collection and real time downlink of orthorectified imagery over urban areas. The architecture includes the WASP multispectral mapping camera mounted on a twin engine Piper Aztec aircraft. The collected imagery is orthorectified on board the aircraft using RIT's Airborne Data Processor (ADP) system. It is then transmitted to the ground over a wireless digital data link to a ground station housed in a trailer. There, within seconds, the imagery is integrated with GIS data bases for display. Figure 5.4-4 illustrates the delivery process for orthorectified imagery in support of incident response.

Figure 5.4-4: Real time incident surveillance using RIT's ISSI technology