Flight Planning Lab

Vehicle 1: DJI M600

Vehicle 2: Bramor PPX 

Introduction and Goal:

In this lab there is four scenarios, in which one must be chosen and analyzed. Using the information about the scenario, the user will pick from two UAVs and their sensors for the scenario and justify their answers.

Scenario 4: Missing Individual in Yellowstone

In this scenario a person has gone missing in Yellowstone National Park. They were reported missing after not returning home, and have likely been missing for 24 hours or more with no real sign of where they may be.

Map of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone On Skyvector

For this mission the Bramor PPX seems to be the best vehicle for the situation, as due to it being a fixed wing UAV it has a longer flight range, which will be useful as we have to cover a very large area. Since we are looking for a missing person we will be using the Altum Multispec for our sensor, due to it's broad range of light that it can record. Since the operation is taking place in a national park, normally a waiver would need to be obtained, which typically takes around 90 days to received. However, since this is an emergency situation it is likely that a waiver would not be needed. Due to the large area and rugged terrain, as well as not having any sign of where the individual was last, it will be important to do a very thorough search of the park. Firstly, it is important to obtain a trip plan from the missing person from park officials if they made one. If there was a plan, that would be the best place to start, tracking along their planned path to see if they can be found.

If the missing person is not located on the path where they should be, that should be where a broader sweep begins. Due to the large size of the area and mountainous terrain, perhaps a sweep in a circular fashion of the area from a high altitude may be best. Starting at their last known location continuing to sweep in a circle spreading outward. Using the Heat sensing capabilities of the Altum Multispec may be best to find a living missing person, but may lead to some false positives due to the wildlife in the area. If the persons outfit is known the RGB values of the sensor could be altered to find their specific apparel if possible, which may help if they are deceased and no longer putting off a heat signature. Any leads on their location should be reported to the search party as the search continuous.

To Conclude:

Finding a missing person or persons in this area will be difficult. People go missing in Yellowstone quite often, and are not always found. However, with the aid of the UAV and sensor discussed above, it may become easier to locate them with the assistance of specialized software. But, they have been missing for around 24 hours, which drastically decreases the likelihood they will be found alive or at all. Even if they are not found alive, it is important to find their remains to have closure on the case and for the family.