Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/N000609/1
Practical use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the Environmental Sciences
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Dr R Thomas, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Earth
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Global Change
- Natural Resource Management
- Pollution and Waste
- Science Topics:
- Instrumentation Eng. & Dev.
- Environmental Sensors
- Intelligent Instrument
- Abstract:
- Unmanned aerial Vehicles (UAVs, although many other names are used) have a huge potential to fulfil observational gaps in integrated measurement and modelling strategies for ecological, Earth and environmental sciences. Skills in UAV technology are also increasingly in-demand with key NERC-remit employers such as oil and gas companies, utilities suppliers, and resource managers of all kinds. A recent survey indicated that the provision of training in the use of miniand micro-UAV (i.e. capable of flying up to 300m altitude and <20kg in weight) continues to be a key barrier to the exploitation of UAVs by the NERC communities. This course will help remove that barrier by providing NERC PhD students and Early Career Researchers with the knowledge and hands-on, practical skills required to undertake an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) campaign safely, legally and successfully for NERC oriented science. This course is not designed to replace CAA recognised pilot qualifications, but to complement them by giving an overview of the process from a scientific perspective. This course would be the third iteration of a comprehensive five-day course, split 65% and 35% between practical and theory sessions. The first course (February 2014) attracted 42 applications for 25 places, 19 of which were filled with NERC-funded delegates and the second course in the same year was also oversubscribed by NERC delegates. Several applications on both occasions have come from senior academics, indicating a need for this training at all levels. In addition to positive feedback received from the first course, Prof Martin Wooster (Kings College London) will likely work with us to duplicate the indoor practical session for an undergraduate course in the 2015 academic year, which will start to embed aerial robotics at all levels of NERC-remit higher education. Additionally, one of our students has gone on to form a UAV startup company. Our third doctoral training course would again be hosted by SAMS in Oban utilising their highly experienced UAV Flight group, links with Oban Airport, and the un-congested local airspace. Practical sessions take the form of simulated mission scenarios. Using aircraft and instruments purchased in the first round, students will take an off-the shelf instrument, integrate it into a mini/micro UAV airframe (<20kg in weight) and plan and perform indoor and outdoor (weather permitting) missions designed along NERC themes. Indoor 'airspace' is regulated through a simulated air traffic control desk, with whom mission plans and incident reports (including mitigating steps) are filed and approved. Steps taken by the real pilots for the preparation of the outdoor flying are mirrored by the students. Alongside the hands-on sessions, lectures will be presented on topics including regulatory and air traffic legislation, flight planning and checks, and the miniaturisation and integration of instruments into UAV designs. The hands-on approach of this course is unique, and complements the few existing scientific UAV training opportunities which offer either a brief introduction to UAV (such as the NCAS Atmospheric Measurement Summer School), or focus on instrument development (e.g. NAROM Arctic EO Summer School (NAESS) in Norway). We believe the course is going from strength to strength with each iteration.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/N000609/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £23,600
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £23,600 |
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