Doug Zeissner and Bryan Tuschhoff, of Michael Baker International, present "UAVs: Understanding Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Potential Applications" to ASCE OC on December 10, 2015.

1. UAVs: Understanding Unmanned Aerial
Systems (UAS) and Potential Applications
Doug Zeissner | Bryan Tuschhoff

2. Agenda
 UAV vs Drone
 System Platform Types
 Suitability & Capability
 Regulations
 Markets
 UAV Survey Pattern
 Cost Considerations/Timeframe/Turnaround
 Michael Baker’s UAS capabilities

3. What’s in a Name
 Unmanned Aerial System
(UAS)
Preferred terminology of the FAA.
Aircraft
Payload
(Camera…)
Autopilot RC Controller
Ground Station

4. What’s in a Name

5. Types
Multi Rotors Fixed Wing

6. Types of UAS
Multi Rotors
 Strengths
• Vertical takeoff
• Hovering capability
• Camera gimbals
• Simple to fly manually
 Considerations
• Short flight times (<20min)
• Hard landing with fail
• Low payload weight
Fixed Wing
 Strengths
• Hand launch
• Long flight times (>40min)
• Loiter capabilities
• Soft Landing with fail
 Considerations
• No payload stabilization
• Glide to loss with fail
• Best in programmed flight

7. Suitability
Multi Rotors
 Video Documentation
 Bridge Inspection
 Construction Site
Monitoring (Video)
 Architectural Modeling
 Fly Through Animations
 Stack Inspections
 Tower / Pole Surveys
 Site Mapping (< 5 acres)
Fixed Wing
 Watershed, Site Mapping
(< 160 acres)
 Land Dev Mapping
 Construction Site
Monitoring (Mapping)
 Corridor Mapping
• Transportation
• Utility
 Environmental Mapping
 Agricultural Mapping

8. Michael Baker’s UAS
 Fixed Wing
Precision Hawk

9. Michael Baker’s UAS
 Multi Rotor
DJI Phantom 3

10. Regulations
 The FAA is beginning to allow UAS operations
 This is a two step process
 Must file a Petition For Exemption under Section 333
 Must apply for and receive a Certificate of Waiver or
Authorization (COA).

11. Regulations
The FAA currently requires a
Licensed Pilot as the Pilot In
Charge (PIC).
The FAA requires a Visual Observe
as well (VO).

12. Markets
 Utilities
Corridor Inspection Services, Greenfield Mapping, ROW and Vegetation Encroachment,
Substation Mapping and Wind Turbine Inspection
 Transportation
High Resolution Corridor Mapping, New Construction, Construction Monitoring, Visualization,
and Modeling
 Land Development
Site Development, Topo Mapping, Volume Computations, Construction Monitoring, Planimetric
Updates, Asset Inventory, and Visualization
 Environmental
Waste Monitoring, Spill Monitoring, Vegetation Monitoring, and Sea Grass Monitoring

13. 12/30/2015 13
Top view of the initial image position. The
green line follows the position of the
images in time starting from the large blue
dot.
UAV Survey Pattern

14. Typical Costs
 Acquisition costs
• UAS have lower operating costs when compared to
conventional aircraft
• UAS can be mobilized at a lower cost than
conventional aircraft
 Processing costs
• Mapping costs per acre are lower
• As project size increases economies of scale tip
toward conventional acquisition means…fewer
images to process over a larger area

15. Timeframe/Turnaround
 Due to typical UAS project size, advances in
processing technology, and depending on the
deliverable…data can be delivered much faster.
 Sample Turnaround times with out control
• Video – Real Time
• Imagery – Within Hours
• Raw Semi Globally Matched (SGM) Point Clouds and
Ortho mosaics – Under 24 Hours
• Planimetrics, Contours - * Based on project size

16. Michael Baker’s UAS Capabilities
 Designed for aerial mapping of small to mid
sized projects.
 Rapid deployment
 Fully backed by 75 years of mapping
experience.
 ISO certified LiDAR processing
 One stop shop includes surveying also

17. Questions
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