NASA tests drone-based technology for firefighting support

PAMS, developed over the past year by NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, allows drone pilots to fly safely into wildfire response operations while operating from remote control systems or ground control stations, including outside the hours of daylight.

PAMS is roughly the size of a carry-on suitcase, and is intended to help drone pilots avoid collisions with other aircraft by monitoring and sharing flight plans. It also includes basic fire location and weather information.

“We’re aiming to provide new tools – including airspace management technologies – for 24-hour drone operations for wildfire response,” said Min Xue, Project Manager for ACERO. “This testing will provide valuable data to inform how we mature this technology for eventual use in the field.” 

Rigorous testing

To test the system, NASA researchers placed three PAMS units in different locations out of each other’s line of sight at a hangar at the Ames Research Center in California. Researchers stationed at each unit then entered a flight plan into their system, and observed that each unit successfully shared flight plans with the others through a mesh radio network.

Researchers then equipped a long-range vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL) with a camera, computer, mesh radio, and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) receiver. The VTOL and two drones were then successfully flown at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, outside of the line of sight of each other.

Finally, NASA then tested the PAMS units using a winged drone with VTOL capabilities manufactured by Overwatch Aero at Monterey Bay Academy Airport in Watsonville, California, establishing a communications relay with three different units. They then flew two smaller drones nearby.

This tested the PAMS units’ ability to receive communications from the Overwatch drone and share it with the other PAMS units. Pilots purposely submitted flight plans that would conflict with each other, and flew the drones outside of their preapproved flight plans.

The PAMS units successfully alerted pilots to both the conflicting flight plans and operations outside of preapproved zones. They also shared aircraft information, weather updates, and simulated fire location data.

“This testing is a significant step towards improving aerial coordination during a wildfire,” Xue said. “These technologies will improve wildfire operations, reduce the impacts of large wildfires, and save more lives.”
NASA confirmed that it will perform a flight evaluation to further mature the PAMS system.

California’s Elk Grove Police Department recently received beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) approval for drone operations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).