Superior. Drone. Solutions. CASE STUDY. Improving Infrastructure Damage Assessment using Drones.

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1 Superior. Drone. Solutions. CASE STUDY Improving Infrastructure Damage Assessment using Drones

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the wake of Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016, Aerial Applications deployed in an emergency response capacity to assist Comcast Corporation s recovery efforts in Savannah, GA. In the wake of Hurricane Matthew in October of 2016, Aerial Applications deployed in an emergency response capacity to assist Comcast Corporation s recovery efforts in Savannah, GA. In the execution of its mission, Aerial Applications mapped 160 square miles with 150 flights over six days, and identified the precise coordinates of 117 sites where infrastructure assets had been damaged. Compared to past methods used to assess physical infrastructure damage after a natural disaster, the methods pioneered by Aerial Applications in this case provided a model to drastically improve safety and response time for future disaster recovery efforts while illustrating potential opportunities for improvement in infrastructure management generally using drone technology. Project management and imagery processing capabilities were critical aspects of completing the mission in the timeframe demanded to be a useful improvement over conventional methods. Project management included mobilizing 10 flight crews within two days, including logistics for deploying to a location in a disaster zone. The imagery processing capabilities demanded by the project exceeded those available from any cloudbased service providers, so Aerial Applications designed and built new servers specifically for the project, reducing the processing time per square mile from an industry-typical 2-3 days to less than two hours on a single customized machine. We assembled the nation s largest domestic fleet of Sensefly mapping drones and provided actionable data fast enough to inform and direct Comcast s response crew on the ground. Aerial Applications Chief Pilot Michael Lederman (left) assists a field pilot set up a SenseFly ebee, the fixedwing UAV system chosen for the Savannah, GA mission

3 ACTIONABLE DATA Getting Actionable Data with Drone Services Infrastructure projects require actionable data data that is timely, accurate, and easy enough to use that project management decisions can be made based on it. When speed and functionality matter, drone services are the easiest path for businesses looking to leverage the advantages of drone technology to capture actionable data that translates into faster repairs, less intrusive inspections, and more efficient use of human resources. The alternatives namely building an internal drone program, or simply going without the data are both (perhaps surprisingly) comparatively expensive, inefficient, and unreliable options. A partial map of the areas around Savannah tagged as damaged. Maps such as this one were delivered daily as new areas were mapped and annotated, along with a spreadsheet of coordinates. This case study shows how drone services can be leverage quickly and efficiently by a large corporation that is just beginning to experiment with drone technology. The results of this mission allowed our client, Comcast Corporation, to prove that they could realize immediate value from drones by improving repair times, a critical benefit to their customer service at a stressful time for their customers. DATA COLLECTION Pioneering Drone Data Collection Drones are amazing tools for getting actionable data in difficult and dangerous conditions. With the right planning, piloting, and equipment, drone technology is a robust and efficient way to improve workflows even in a disaster zone. To prove just how efficient commercial drones can be, Aerial Applications deployed our team to assist Comcast s recovery efforts in Savannah, GA the day after Hurricane Matthew made landfall. The city suffered significant damage in the wake of the storm, limiting access to electricity, telecommunications, and access routes to various parts of the city. OUR MISSION: map 160 square miles, identify what infrastructure had been damaged by the storm, and report back to Comcast so their ground crews could prioritize repairs. OUR GOAL: demonstrate how Comcast could use fast, accurate data to improve operational efficiency, reduce repair times, and restore connectivity to their clients faster than previously possible

4 To successfully accomplish our mission and goal, we had to assemble the nation s largest domestic fleet of Sensefly mapping drones, pioneer methods in UAV project management and data analysis, and deliver the results fast enough to inform and direct Comcast s response crew on the ground. The imagery processing capabilities demanded by the project exceeded those available from any cloud-based service providers, so we designed and built new servers specifically for the project. This reduced the processing time per square mile from an industry-typical 2-3 days to less than two hours on a single customized machine. Possible trajectories of Hurricane Matthew in the days leading up to landfall in Florida and Georgia. Models had drastically different possible outcomes, and until landfall was made Aerial Application s flight teams had to remain mobile. Photo courtesy of WLIX 19 News INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFLOWS How Drones Improve Infrastructure Workflows Critical infrastructure is exactly that: critical. Its construction, maintenance, and repair are essential to modern society. Telecommunications infrastructure in particular is critical in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, yet loss of service (partial or complete) remains a common characteristic of all disaster zones. As a critical capability for coordinating response efforts, informing the public, and identifying individuals in need of assistance, this loss of service can be a matter of life and death, resulting in avoidable loss of life or preventable property damage. In the past, assessing physically damaged infrastructure and prioritizing repairs required a fleet of technicians on the ground capable of combing the impacted areas, locating damage, capturing that information, and then physically moving to another location. This method is both dangerous and inefficient, but until commercial drone services became available it was unavoidable

5 UAV services provide several advantages over the current methodology, including: Improved range, including the ability to locate damaged infrastructure in areas with rear-easements. Improved safety; pilots (and any assisting spotters) can find the most open, safe location in each area to launch a flight, without being in close physical proximity to damaged or unsafe areas. Reduced assessment times for large areas impacted by disaster. Damage to telephone poles clearly visible from the air. Photos like these were used to identify areas where infrastructure was damaged. Once identified, a location like this one would be tagged with exact coordinates, helping Comcast technicians to quickly locate the downed lines. PROJECT MANAGEMENT Project Management for Multiple Drones Project management is important for any drone flight, but in a disaster zone it is the difference between success and failure. In the days before deploying, it was clear that we were heading into a very challenging environment. Hurricane Matthew grew to a Category 5 hurricane on October 1, 2016, with sustained wind speeds of more than 160mph. It made landfall in Haiti on October 4, where it killed nearly 900 people and left tens of thousands homeless before turning towards the U.S. eastern seaboard, where it triggered massive evacuations from Florida, through Georgia, South Carolina, and into North Carolina

6 We got the call to deploy on October 5. The project s massive scope and tight deadlines meant that we needed a large fleet 14 drones total, including 10 fixed-wing craft specifically used for aerial mapping. Using our nationwide pilot network and industry partners for equipment, we trained and fielded 10 flight teams within 72 hours, and began collecting data on October 9. Working 24-hour days in 2-team shifts, we handed Comcast their first orthomosaics tagged with GPS coordinates for all visible infrastructure damage on October 10, less than 24 hours after it was collected. We continued to deliver new data on a rolling basis every morning until the project was completed. At any given time during daylight hours, 70-80% of our fleet was in flight, with the remaining equipment available on standby for replacement or repairs. Fielding flight teams in a disaster zone is no easy task. Logistics in a disaster turn for-granted mission basics like housing, food, and power, into top priority variables. Consequently, project management has an over-sized impact on results. For example, an hour-long delay in site selection during project planning was found to have an estimated impact in the field of approximately 2-3 hours, resulting in 4-6 hours by the time that delay reached the image processing team. Having the right team is paramount. The importance of project management and the knowledge it takes to plan using drones as a tool is heightened in a disaster but is common to all infrastructure projects. A lack of clarity on when to fly, how to fly, and how to process and act on the data afterwards is a persistent struggle for companies that build internal drone programs. The full orthomosaic created from a series of several flights over Savannah, GA. For speed, each tile is analyzed individually for damage before being combined into a larger image. Comcast realized the immediate benefits of expertly-managed drone data collection namely, actionable data by choosing drone services over purchasing their own drone hardware. Under the current regulations, we believe this to be the most efficient model for small and large businesses seeking immediate results from available technology

7 REGULATORY COMPLIANCE Navigating Tricky FAA Regulations Regulatory compliance is a critical function of any legitimate drone operation. Unlicensed or non-compliant flights are both illegal and dangerous, and can result in serious liability for the operator and severe injury to individuals on the ground. For this project, we established a dedicated team to oversee airspace coordination and general compliance throughout the entire operation. Given the importance of responding quickly to telecommunication needs, Aerial Applications received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security clearing operations in the area. Compliance included coordinating with the Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) for the area and operating all flights in compliance with 14 CFR Part 107. All pilots used in the operation were required to have remote pilot certificates with small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (suas) ratings, or alternatively could fly under an applicable Section 333 exemption, provided they held that exemption and followed its requirements. Restricted airspace was avoided entirely for this mission, and close coordination with local authorities was maintained throughout field operations. Regulations required we register all new aircraft used in the mission before they could be used in the field. Once completed, Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) were filed using the registration numbers for each aircraft for all flights, in coordination with local air traffic control. Before deployment into the field, we briefed all flight teams on airspace restrictions, altitude requirements and weather conditions. Each team was given aircraft radios to monitor frequencies in the area and to maintain positive communication with other air traffic. All pilots referenced sectionals detailing local airspace restrictions, and any reports from the field flowed into a centralized mission command to be disseminated to all flight teams. This planning and preparation maintained strict adherence to FAA guidelines and helped to maintain our 100% safety record to date. LESSONS LEARNED Data in hand, Comcast held daily planning meetings that incorporated drone data; collected, analyzed, and processed by our emergency response flight teams. In doing so, their project managers and by extension, their field teams often had better, newer, and more accurate data than any other response crews. Without ever buying a drone, Comcast was able to use drone data to keep repair teams doing what they do best achieving ROI by making repairs instead of searching for damage. Refined and repeated, this would be a powerful differentiator to Comcast s current and potential customers. Drones are a powerful new technology that offer impressive capabilities to businesses that build, own, or maintain infrastructure assets. Implementing and integrating the data drones collect, though, is just as important to making the data actionable as the hardware that collects it

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