Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/P020623/1
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:
- Boundary Layer Meteorology
- Aerosols
- Air pollution
- Dusts and particles
- Climate & Climate Change
- Conservation Ecology
- Survey & Monitoring
- Abstract:
- Unmanned aerial Vehicles (UAVs, our catch-all acronym for all aerial robotics) have a huge potential to fill 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, covering terrestrial, cryospheric, aquatic, and atmospheric components of the Earth system. Previous NERC-funded skills auditing has established that training in the use of mini- and micro-UAV (i.e. maximum take-off weight < 20kg) is a key barrier to the exploitation of UAVs by the NERC communities. Our course has helped 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. Not designed to replace CAA recognised pilot qualifications, the course provides an overview of the process from a scientific perspective. For the fourth iteration of our comprehensive five-day course, split 65% and 35% between practical and theory sessions, we propose to embed the training within the CENTA DTP whilst remaining open to all NERC doctoral researchers. The first course (February 2014) attracted 42 applications for 25 places, 19 of which were filled with NERC-funded delegates; subsequent courses have also been filled. We note in passing that, each time the course is advertised, several applications come in from senior academics, indicating a need for this training at all levels. We invite these academics to participate as observers where possible. One such observer, Prof Martin Wooster (Kings College London), has duplicated the indoor practical session for an MSc course in the 2014/15 academic year, embedding 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 fourth doctoral training course would again be hosted by SAMS in Oban utilising their highly experienced UAV Flight group, links with Oban Airport and the NEXUSS CDT, and the un-congested local airspace. We also bring in engineering expertise from Tom Richardson's aerial robotics group at Bristol University, thus strengthening cross research council links. The training course will benefit from the very positive UAV innovation-and-applications workshop held under the auspices of CENTA DTP at Parc Aberporth in September 2015 and will utilise CENTA administrative support for efficiency. Practical sessions take the form of simulated mission scenarios. Using equipment purchased for previous cohorts, students take an off-the shelf instrument, integrate it into a mini/micro UAV airframe 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 present topics including regulatory and air traffic legislation, flight planning and checks, and the miniaturisation and integration of instruments into UAV designs. The emphasis overall is on a systems approach to safe and effective research operations. The hands-on approach of this course is unique, and complements the few existing scientific UAV training opportunities which offer either a brief UAV show-and-tell (such as the NCAS Atmospheric Measurement Summer School), or focus on instrument development (e.g. NAROM Arctic EO Summer School in Norway). We continue to critique, revise, and develop the teaching approaches and learning opportunities in the course to ensure improvement with each iteration.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/P020623/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Doctoral Training
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Training
This training grant award has a total value of £73,157
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Other Costs |
|---|
| £73,157 |
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