1. AirTheo “Autonomous solution to your surveying needs”
Alex Zahn
Brandon Kunkel
Madison Fisher

2. Alex Zahn Aerospace Engineering Class of 2017
Our Team’s Mission: To take the risk out of land surveying and provide better information at a cheaper cost
Alex Zahn Aerospace Engineering Class of 2017
Brandon Kunkel
Aerospace Engineering
Class of 2017
Madison Fisher
Information Technology (Cyber Security)
Class of 2020

3. Value Proposition Safety: Cost: Ease of Use:
Safer way of surveying high risk areas (i.e. Post-disaster scenarios, mountainous terrain, etc.)
Cost:
Cheaper than utilizing helicopter/plane surveys
Saves ground crews time
Ease of Use:
Compact/easy to transport
Easy to set up
Capable of multiple types of surveying

4. Operational Concept: Assumptions
Sensors provide necessary precision
Acceptable Weather
Wind is under 35 mph
Visibility of greater than 3 miles
Survey site meets FAA regulations, or waiver can be acquired
Every person on survey site is a willing participant
Surveying takes place during day
Landscape allows constant line of sight

5. Operational Concept: Mission Profile
Arrive at survey site location.
Unpack UAV(s) and CAL modules. Plug in sensors, batteries, etc.
Turn on Ground Station, set # of AirTheos, choose survey area, and program develops flight path based on current topographical data. Options for manual flight path editing.
Place UAV(s) on ground between calibration modules close to program specified distance.
Calibration initiates and finds AirTheo location.
Calibration is OK’d by ground station, surveying begins.
UAV(s) slowly climb to 100 ft. and begin survey, capturing pictures and data, maintaining contact with calibration modules, and beaming location data to ground station.
UAV(s) return to 100 ft. above ground station at end of calculated flight path, and slowly descend until touchdown.
Collect data from UAV(s) and post process.

6. AirTheo Mission Profile
UAV 1
UAV 2
START
Flight Planning
Google Maps API integrated into software package
Designate area of interest (BLUE)
Program calculates the optimal flight path (Orange) based on number of drones and Google Maps topography

7. Operational Concept: Ground Station
CAL
Calibration modules (CAL) maintain contact with each other and UAV during flight, enabling precise position monitoring
Ground station coordinates with UAV and CAL modules during calibration and flight
Ground station collects data via Ethernet from UAV upon mission completion
¼” is standard uncertainty in surveying measurements

8. Operational Concept: Ground Station Output1.
Data acquired from the survey can be processed in a variety of formats, for example:
Colored point cloud
Contour Map
Vector Map
Boundary Maps
Difference Maps (erosion)
Composite Map, “stitched images” 2.
Possibilities of CAD file creation. Customer discovery suggested this was wanted. 3.

9. Operational Concept: Legal Issues
Limitations:
Must weigh less than 55lbs.
Must remain in visual line-of-sight, with only the use of normal sight or corrective lenses of the remote pilot
Must not be operated over any persons not directly involved in the flight
Must only be operated in daylight
Must yield right of way to other aircrafts
Must stay under 400ft. Above ground level or within 400ft. of a structure
Flying in Classes B, C, & D allowed with ATC permission
Flying in Class G allowed without permission
Must be at least 5 miles from an airport
No pilot may act as pilot for more than one aircraft at a time
May not fly unmanned aircraft from a moving aircraft
May not fly the unmanned aircraft from a moving vehicle unless the population in the area is sparse
Pilot may not operate the unmanned aircraft if they know or has reason to know of any physical or mental condition that would interfere with a safe flight
Pilot must conduct a preflight check of the unmanned aircraft

10. Operational Concept: Legal Issues
Steps to assure FAA authorized flights:
AirTheo weight << 55 lbs.
Ground Crew will provide line of sight
Work with FAA to look into line of sight solutions for large areas
Equipment designed to obtain results from authorized altitudes
Demonstrate safe operation of measurement instruments

11. Operational Concept: Privacy
Challenges:
Avoiding negative public image pertaining to drone surveillance
Providing correct information to the public (i.e. Operational transparency)
Adjacent land owners privacy concerns
Noise concerns

12. Operational Concept: Privacy
Proposed Action:
Communication and transparency will be key
Website will explain the average survey process
Flight planning will take into account property lines
Notify any neighboring landowners of impending survey and get authorization waiver
Time of survey checked with adjacent land owners and operational envelope reduces noise

13. Operational Concept: Maintenance
Replaceable Parts:
Battery
Propellers
Measurement Sensors
Calibration Module
Hardware (screws, nuts, bolts)

14. Operational Concept: Maintenance
AirTheo maintenance service
Monthly subscription package ($300 / mo.)
Includes shipping, labor, 24/7 live technical support
Doesn’t include part cost
One time service ($400 / service)
Includes shipping, labor, technical support by appointment
Doesn’t include part cost
Online Tutorials: Free

15. Operational Concept: Quality Assurance
Safety:
Takeoff and landing occur slowly
Flight path planning prioritizes safety, then speed
Manual flight path planning option
Mid flight override – emergency landing
Rotor guards

16. Operational Concept: Quality Assurance
Reliability:
Testing of each drone prior to shipment
Power on start test
Recommended maintenance schedule
Tracked by ground station
Flexible calibration system
Ground station software backup provided on USB drive

17. Links Photogrammetry (Slide 12)
Photogrammetry and DEMDTM Modelling
Wikipedia Rapid 3D mapping
Topographical Maps (Slide 13)

18. Operational Concept: Privacy
1946: Supreme Court confirmed that landowners have a right to prevent intrusions of airspace
Landowners own the air above their property, it’s just not clarified how much and when the flight above private property is considered trespassing
FAA — exclusive rights to regulate airspace above 500ft.
Mostly concerned with flight safety
States — may regulate airspace at lower altitudes
More concerned with privacy and nuisance concerns
Ex. California law: prohibits the taking of pictures of a person who has an “expectation of privacy”