A White Paper on the potential for a small scale airborne system for Threat assessment, Characterization, Monitoring, and Tactical feed-back for deployment by First Responders. First responders Real-Time Airborne Instrument Platform

First responders are increasingly faced with the massive release of Toxic effluents, chemical smokes, particulate clouds, and hazardous aerosols. They currently have no way to assess, with the necessary precision, the nature and extent of an airborne chemical threat in real-time. Experience and judgment guide the tactics of a suppression attack; but faced with large active unknown threats, responses are often limited to pro-forma procedures that often have one of two outcomes: Massive over reaction to a perceived threat, or worse, underestimating the nature of the threat, resulting in loss of life. Technologies exist to address these problems, and the potential exists to integrate sensors, airframes, and software into an effective tool to be deployed by First Responders on-site and in Real-Time.

Capabilities -- What do we need ? Imaging Real time imaging, video and thermography, needs to see in several parts of the spectrum. Conventional video covers the the parts of the spectrum we can see. It provides a Point of view from the air to assess the size, position, extent, and shape of a threat and will be a primary tool in creating a tactical overview. Thermography covers the infra-red part of the spectrum and shows active fire and hot spots through smoke and particle obscuration and guides specific response tactics. UV imaging covers the ultra-violet part of the spectrum and detects chemical. physical, and dynamic properties invisible to the eye such as Hydrogen flames, fluorescence and spectral emission that characterize unique threats. Combinations of all three resolve chemical signatures, dynamic features, size, shape, and motion of a threat and informs an appropriate response strategy both at the site and downwind into the community.

Capabilities -- What do we need ? Analysis Real-Time sample analysis provides information on chemical composition, toxicity, concentration, temperature, and evolution of a threat and guides the appropriate counter response. Sniffers detect chemical composition, pH, concentration….. Particle detectors measure particles and aerosols, size, mass, distribution… Densitometers measure density, obscuration… Mass Spectrometers Do much of the above, and more…. More…..

Capabilities -- What do we need ? Mobility This thing needs to fly ! An aerial view is fundamental, but more important is the ability to follow an effluent cloud downwind, continually reporting the status of the threat. Orbital flight mode is the primary tactical tool. The aircraft circles the site providing a continuous overview of the situation in Real-Time. Survey flight mode is a preprogrammed flight pattern above and around the site to determine the extent and composition of the threat Mapping mode is a flight pattern developed on-site to fly through the effluent cloud to define the shape, size, concentration and direction the cloud is moving, and to fly along with and in the cloud to continuously monitor development, spread, and dissipation of a threat

Capabilities -- What do we need ? Deployment and Control The system is intended to arrive at a site with the First Responders, it must also launch, fly it’s mission and return. Packaging The aircraft and support systems must be small enough to fit into an engine, or service vehicle, and be robust enough to withstand rough handling and operating in a hostile environment Communications Video and data needs to get down, control inputs and programs need to get up. Bandwidth and range need to be sufficient to carry the amount of information going back and forth over the distances required to follow a threat. Operation Launching, flying, and landing the aircraft must be simple and straightforward. Operator workload kept to a minimum, ground equipment data and displays appropriate to the mission, and software, programs, and procedures debugged, tested and updated.

So, How do we do it ? Aircraft Hardware and software Sensors and video Funding sources and Stake-holders