The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A special publication of the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center X-Press, Edwards, California

The Ikhana Uninhabited Aircraft System is changing the way fires are fought and proving to be a valuable science tool June 2008 X-tra X-tra June 2008 By Jay Levine Index X-Press Editor he Ikhana project’s -4- new manager has a special appreciation for the unique aircraft’s Tpotential. When Ikhana flew missions over the deadly 2007 California New wildfires, Tom Rigney was a Dryden project manager living in the Antelope Valley but he retained a home in Santiago Canyon – ground zero for some of the worst of the blazes. His home was surrounded by a 28,000-acre Before remotely ED08 0066-1 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida brush fire as Ikhana flew above the piloted aircraft can inferno and gathered information Before Ikhana project manager Thomas Rigney came to Dryden, his home Heights was threatened by a fire the Ikhana helped battle. Rigney has a special ap- enter the same for firefighting commanders on preciation for the aircraft’s capabilities and hopes to see it used to help others the ground. It was a close call for airspace as piloted during future fire missions the way it helped him. Rigney, as the fire came within 30 ones, months of feet of his house. about the aircraft’s role in keeping coordination are “The people themselves – not Just the facts firefighters out of harm’s way and required. Multi-faceted aircraft offers only the firefighters, but those in saving their homes. people whose homes and lives are For more information: In order for uninhabited aircraft -8- involved – want to know where call the Dryden Strategic systems, or UAS, to one day fly flexibility and reliability the fire boundaries are,” Rigney Communications Office at in the same skies as commercial said. “They’ve been evacuated, and 661-276-3449 aircraft, or the national airspace, they have no way of finding out the aircraft will have to be where the fire is. These images let Ikhana information: equipped with software and people know where the fire is with http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ sensors that allow them to detect accuracy. dryden/aircraft/Ikhana/index. and avoid other aircraft, a future “Having been in that situation html research role the Ikhana might fill, Rigney said. myself, I know the value. It was Fiber Optic Wing very distressing.” Ikhana images: The fire missions are but one The Ikhana, a civil variant of http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/ example of the Ikhana’s potential Shape Sensor the General Atomics Aeronautical Gallery/Photo/Ikhana/ as a testbed for researching proves its worth Systems Predator B, is a remotely HTML/index.html technologies, he said. He also head-to-head with piloted aircraft flown from a envisions the UAS being used traditional sensors. cockpit in a Dryden ground For both missions, the team in other disasters or emergency control station. The ground gathered information on the fires operations as well as a platform for station, which is mobile, also as they happened, identifying environmental science and study of -10- houses monitoring and research hot spots using instrumentation areas of ongoing ecological concern capabilities necessary for carrying developed at Ames Research such as ice shelves or coral reefs. out the aircraft’s science missions. Center, Moffett Field, Calif. They “It’s exciting. It has a lot of Over a five-day period last fall, coordinated that information and potential,” Rigney said of the the Ikhana team assisted the U.S. imagery with Google Earth maps UAS. “It’s already showed some of Forest Service with the California to provide fire commanders on its potential on the fire missions, wildfire disaster by providing the ground with data to help them with its ability to carry large imagery in near real-time to map strategy for fighting the blaze, sensors and transmit real-time emergency operation command explained Brent Cobleigh, former images to the ground. I’m also centers and individual fire-incident Ikhana project manager. impressed by the Fiber Optic Pilots fly the Ikhana commands. The team used skills Rigney intends, if Dryden Wing Shape Sensor experiment, UAS from a ground refined while working on the is asked to assist in the fire which is happening on the Ikhana station. Learn what Western States Fire Missions mission for a third straight now.” (See related story.) it means to fly completed earlier in the summer, year, for the Ikhana team to Data obtained through that without four of the Above, the Ikhana surveys fires during the Southern California wildfire emergency last fall. (NASA Photo ED07 0243-35 by Jim Ross) when the aircraft’s thermal infrared help fire authorities to continue experiment, he said, could have sensors were used to map wildfires developing life-saving strategies applications for all aircraft as five senses, and do Cover, Ikhana flies over the high desert. (NASA Photo ED07 0139-19 by Lori Losey) in six states on missions of up to 20 for fighting the fires. He also it safely. hours in duration. plans to help inform the public See Ikhana, page 6 2 3 June 2008 X-tra X-tra June 2008 By Jay Levine X-Press Editor COA ... from page 4 eeting complex requirements for the he said. engage in flight research Ikhana to enter the national airspace, Within 24 hours of the request using an F-16 recently where piloted aircraft fly, has become the Altair was ready to fly. Dryden Ikha- loaned to Dryden from Greg Buoni’s area of expertise. The suspected arson fire, which na ground the Air Force for a series MBuoni, the Ikhana project’s lead operations claimed the lives of five firefighters crewmen Gus of missions that would engineer, has become skilled at determining and was driven by powerful Santa Carreno, left, examine the potential the right steps to take to fulfill Federal Aviation Ana winds, spread over 40,200 and James of collision-avoidance Administration requirements for a special- acres, or roughly 62 square miles, Smith load systems. permission Certificate of Waiver or Authorization destroying 34 homes and 20 other the thermal- Automated Collision infrared imag- known as a COA. A COA is required in order for structures. Avoidance Technology ing scanner uninhabited aircraft systems, such as the Ikhana, to From an altitude of 43,000 feet, is one concept being be permitted to fly in national airspace. pallet into over a 16-hour period on Oct. 28 the Ikhana’s explored to test how The Ikhana, a General Atomics Aeronautical and 29 the Altair’s wildfire sensor well a system works for Systems Predator B adapted for civil science and underwing collected and sent 100 images and payload pod. automatically avoiding research missions, flies in the national airspace more than 20 data files containing contact with the ground with a COA in place describing its operations, the location of the Esperanza fire’s and potentially for ground station and telemetry system. The COA perimeter. Data from the NASA ED07 0243-14 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida detecting and avoiding also contains information, Buoni said, about what system were used at the Fire Incident other aircraft. the aircraft is specifically tasked with doing, and Command Center to map the fire’s submitted an application for a 2007 team flew four flights over Southern To provide see-and- what happens should the pilot controlling it from location and behavior and direct COA at the end of February in hopes California wildfires Oct. 24-28 and avoid capability, current FAA a cockpit in the ground control station lose contact resources to critical areas. of obtaining it by July, ahead of the captured thermal-infrared imagery policy requires a manned aircraft with the aircraft. anticipated need for it in August. to aid firefighters battling the to accompany UASs flying below Buoni is honing his ability to secure a COA Western States Wildfires, 2007 The approved COA had its blazes. The Ikhana took off from 18,000 feet. Above that altitude, air quickly and efficiently in the event Dryden is asked In anticipation of 2007 fire limitations, however. Dryden for missions of about nine traffic controllers are responsible for to provide the Ikhana for use in fire missions again missions, the Ikhana team began “The approved geographic area hours each. monitoring aircraft and ensuring this summer. Acquiring the first COA, for the 2006 working in late 2006 to prepare was somewhat limited in comparison Officials from the California that they fly safe distances apart, fire missions, took six months. Dryden officials’ a COA request. The 2007 COA to the request, and the flight plan Office of Emergency Services and Buoni explained. diligence in obtaining COAs before they are needed request was based on the successful had to be submitted three days in the National Interagency Fire Until new rules are approved, coupled with a series of wildfire emergencies 2006 COA effort. Because of the advance. Three days is a long time Center in Boise, Idaho, requested Dryden officials will continue during the past two summers is leading to a more larger geographic area identified in when wildfires move and change. the flights, including those over taking steps to simplify the COA streamlined process, Buoni said. the request, negotiations and further For that reason, we were mostly the Santiago Fire mentioned in the application process. More than 280 agreements were required. The limited to [flying missions during] lead story. potential landing sites, for example, Esperanza mission, November 2006 agreement gelled, but approval didn’t the big fires,” Buoni said. “The Ikhana team knew the were identified for use in the event Long before the Ikhana was delivered to NASA come until well into fire season. But FAA air traffic controllers data we sent to firefighters on the an emergency landing was required or flew its first fire mission, Dryden was working The COA request covered flights were very accommodating when ground could help them save lives in the requested COA area. with FAA officials to secure a COA for a General made at any time, from the Mexican the wildfires moved and changes in and homes. These missions were Together with Lt. Cdr. Phil Atomics Aeronautical Systems Altair aircraft. border to the Canadian border and flight plans were requested, Buoni very fulfilling. We’re hoping the Hall of the National Oceanic and Dryden leased an Altair, essentially a civil variant of from the Pacific Ocean to central added. Forest Service is able to acquire and Atmospheric Administration, ED07 0038-017 NASA Photo by Tony Landis the Predator B, for use on missions until the Ikhana Colorado, wherever the wildfire The first phase of the four flights use this technology in the future,” Dryden’s Kathleen Howell, Jeri Ikhana crew chief Joe Kinn gives the aircraft a final check. was ready for delivery. That effort provided a solid happened to be – those were the began Aug. 16 as the Ikhana Buoni said. Myers, Range Safety Office and a foundation for accelerating COA procurement in requirements defined in connection captured images of California crew of interns looked at available emergency situations. with the Ikhana’s use, Buoni said. wildfires, including the Zaca Fire in Developing new rules routes and compiled results into a On Oct. 28, 2006, the California Governor’s “This was referred to as ‘the Santa Barbara County. The aircraft For uninhabited aircraft and large database detailing potential Office of Emergency Services and the Esperanza mother of all COAs,’” Buoni carried the NASA Ames-developed aircraft systems, hard-and-fast landing sites. Fire Incident Command Center requested Dryden’s recalled. “Getting the COAs was Autonomous Modular Sensor certification requirements like Information includes location assistance with imaging and fire mapping to help one of the things we were on pins configured for wildfire sensing, those for commercial and general and composition of the landing area fight the Southern California blaze. In the aftermath and needles about. There were which collected data while flying aviation aircraft are not yet in place. (for example, whether it is paved or of Hurricane Katrina, the FAA had developed good lessons learned and [the FAA] more than 1,200 miles over a 10- And, Buoni said, the very content dirt) as well as Google Earth images an emergency COA process that could result in did issue a COA to do most of the hour period. of what will constitute those rules of viable approaches to each site. COA issuance of a COA amendment within 24 hours. things we were asking to do.” Subsequent flights in this phase is being studied and debated The information was produced in a Before it flies in the same The Esperanza wildfire spurred one of the first Creating the COA application provided support to firefighters in throughout the nation and the notebook that pilots could reference requests to use the new process, Buoni said. became even more complicated Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, world because of concerns about during each flight. skies as piloted aircraft, Soon after the Esperanza fires broke out and lives when the FAA changed from a paper Montana and Wyoming. The flying remotely piloted aircraft in The net result of all the work the Ikhana must have an were being lost, “Despite issues with time zones, the system to an online application longest flight was more than 3,200 national airspace. undertaken since 2006 is a simple COA was approved by early evening because there process, though the online system miles and took about 20 hours to Ironically, manned aircraft may one – if Dryden is called to assist FAA-approved flight plan was danger to life and limb – it was a real emergency,” undoubtedly made the FAA review complete. be the key to making UAS flights in fire missions this summer, the process more efficient. Dryden In the second phase, the Ikhana safe, he noted. Dryden is expected to Ikhana team will be ready to fly. See COA, page 5 4 5 June 2008 X-tra X-tra June 2008

data collection and operations and how that will augment our fleet. Ikhana ... from page 3 “I feel like I’m in the UAS nexus by participating with NASA,” Hall said. well as in adaptive control on general commercial aircraft, driving important advances in technology used to detect, identify and correct The mobile UAS system operational problems in flight. In addition to the Ikhana’s ability to fly a diverse range of missions, it’s also mobile and capable of flying day-and-night cycles An invaluable tool totaling 24 hours, Cobleigh said. The aircraft flies at altitudes As proven in the fire missions, the Ikhana is an excellent sensor of more than 40,000 feet, depending on payload and mission platform, said Vince Ambrosia, senior research scientist at California parameters. State University, Monterey Bay, and at Ames. The Ikhana’s versatility allows the system to be deployed to remote “It’s beyond the capability of manned platforms,” he said of the areas of the world where it could be used for volcano and ocean work performed with the UAS. “It presents the ability to scramble a studies, emergency response and technology development efforts like UAV when you need it, over critical events, and be able to linger over collision avoidance, he said. those critical events for a long period of time to monitor conditions. Ikhana crew chief Joe Kinn described how the aircraft is prepared Ikhana fits that niche perfectly.” for a remote mission. For fire missions, a reliable airborne science sensor system in use by “For transport we’ll pull the wings, the rudder, the tails and the NASA for decades was repackaged to operate autonomously, or via prop and we’ll use a crane to pick it up and put it into what we call remote control from the Ikhana. Called the Autonomous Modular ‘the coffin’ – essentially, a big container – to transport the airplane. It Scanner-Wildfire, the Ames-developed sensor can sense heat with (the coffin) will support the fuselage – after we lift it with the crane two of its 12 channels, both of which are calibrated to measure and retract the landing gear – and the rudder and tails,” Kinn said. temperatures from one-half degree to 1,000 degrees Centigrade, “There’s a separate container for the prop. That’s basically how we Ambrosia said. transport it. It will all fit in a C-130, a C-17, a C-141, a C-5 or on a “They’re perfect and unique for assessing fires and burning flatbed truck. The ground station also is self contained,” he added. conditions and, because Ikhana missions pose no physical threat to a Ikhana is remarkable not only for the primarily composite pilot, volcanology,” he added. materials of which it is made, Kinn noted, but also because a The instrument, with its three scanning heads, ultimately could majority of the aircraft is fully electric – the only hydraulics be used for missions as diverse as calibrating and validating satellites, on the aircraft are for brakes. That translates to greatly reduced monitoring wildfires, assessing vegetation, ocean and atmospheric maintenance. monitoring and study of volcanic plumes – all of which could be accomplished with the Ikhana, he said. Transferring information These are just some of the ways that the UAS could be tapped While the aircraft is unique for many of its physical qualities, it’s by customers seeking to use and learn more about uninhabited air what’s on the inside that counts in moving information to the end systems for monitoring, surveillance and science needs. ED07 0243-37 NASA Photo by Jim Ross Dryden’s Ikhana surveys fires during the Southern California wildfire emergency last fall. The Ikhana team anticipates a second year of fire missions this summer. user, said Russ James, Dryden range systems engineer. “You get immediate feedback, positive or negative, on the NOAA missions quality of data that’s being collected. The pilots are flying, and the Another potential customer/partner for work with the Ikhana is researchers in the back (of the ground station) are telling them in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA’s Lt. near-real time if they want another pass over the area,” James said. Cmdr. Phil Hall is currently on a three-year assignment to Dryden The information on fire missions collected by the UAS is relayed to learn more about UAS operations. He serves as Ikhana deputy through a Ku satellite communications link – essentially, a big project manager and has worked hard to get up to speed with his new satellite dish used to move information, he said. assignment. “There was some preprocessing going on aboard the vehicle – on “I was pretty overwhelmed by the technology. It was a steep the payload itself – so that when the data got to the ground station learning curve and I’m still learning,” Hall said. it was immediately useful. Then it went down a dedicated Internet “The systems, subsystems and all the technology – the project even connection to the end users, so the fire commander was receiving has a different language – is very complicated. I’m impressed with the the information in seven minutes,” James said, adding that the Ku competency of the people on the team and the people on the (flight) satellite link, like other Ikhana components, is fully portable. reviews. It’s really clear that everything is looked at thoroughly and “When we flew the Santa Barbara fire – the very first fire nothing is left to chance.” mission (last summer) – I got word, secondhand, that the incident NOAA is interested in partnering with NASA to learn about commander reported because the smoke was so dense and they didn’t uninhabited aircraft systems, Hall said. After all, fiscal year 2008 was ED07 0243-19 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida know where the fire was, he was planning to send crews into an area the first time NOAA allocated funding – $3 million – for uninhabited Above, Dryden engineer Kathleen Howell and former Ikhana project where they would have been in harm’s way if it hadn’t been for the aircraft, he said. NOAA’s interest is with missions involving manager Brent Cobleigh check flight paths in the Ikhana’s ground control imagery he received from Ikhana,” James said. hurricanes, weather and climate. NOAA also will be involved with the station prior to takeoff. science payloads for a NASA Global Hawk mission scheduled for the Adding capability spring of 2009. At left, a sensor on board the Ikhana recorded this image of the Grass The aircraft’s array of capabilities could be expanded later this “We’re in a learning phase and determining where we can use UAS Valley/Slide Fire near Lake Arrowhead/Running Springs in the San aircraft. We need to determine where they can help in our mission of Bernardino Mountains. The Ikhana carried sophisticated sensors that See Ikhana, page 12 Courtesy Ames/Ikhana team/Google Earth “peered” through the smoke and haze to reveal hot spots. 6 7 June 2008 X-tra X-tra June 2008

By Jay Levine Sensors ... from page 8 X-Press Editor he Ikhana uninhabited A winning proposal aircraft system is flying Richards and his team At left, although the new research missions with submitted a plan to fly the fiber sensors on the Ikhana, which an advanced sensing Measuring optic wing shape sensors on are located on fibers that are Ttechnology installed on its wings up to the the Ikhana’s long wings when the diameter of a human that measures and displays the shape proposals for research with the hair, are not visible, the sealant used to apply them of the aircraft’s wings in flight. remotely piloted aircraft were The new sensors, which can be seen in this view from requested in late 2006. NASA’s above the wing. incorporate fiber optic sensing Aeronautics Research Mission technology, are located side by Gold Standard Directorate, through which the Below, Larry Hudson and side with traditional sensors. basic research development project James Smith work on a Generations of aircraft and with the sensors is funded, is ground validation test with spacecraft could benefit from work supporting algorithm and systems the new sensors that led to with the new sensors if the sensors development, instrument and validation flights with the perform in the sky as they have in ground test validation. aircraft. the laboratory, said Lance Richards, When using the fiber optic Dryden’s Advanced Structures and sensors, researchers do not require ED07 0287-08 NASA Photo by Tony Landis Measurement group lead. analytical models for determining Aerospace companies, NASA the answers they seek for strain mission directorates and other and other measurements on the government entities are watching aircraft because data derived with the experiments with interest. The the sensors include all of the actual weight reduction that fiber optic measurements being sought. sensors would make possible offers “There are 3,000 sensors on dramatic possibilities for reducing Ikhana that are imperceptibly small costs and improving fuel efficiency, because they’re located on fibers Richards said. approximately the diameter of a The potential for weight human hair,” Richards explained. reduction, however, is but one “You can get the information you small part of the picture. This need from the thousands of sensors technology also opens up new on a few fibers without the weight opportunities and applications and complexity of conventional that would not be possible with sensors. Strain gauges, for example, conventional technology. For require three copper lead wires for example, the new sensors could every sensor.” enable adaptive wing-shape control The research team is taking that – the concept of changing a wing’s concept a step further by comparing shape in flight to take advantage of results obtained with the fiber optic ED08 0016-20 NASA Photo by Tony Landis aerodynamics and make the aircraft wing shape sensor against those of Dryden’s F/A-18 no. 853, which during its lifetime, gathering data reduction in fuel costs and an more efficient. traditional sensors to validate the was used as the Active Aeroelastic on structural performance, he said. increase in the distance aircraft are Six hair-like fibers located on new sensors’ accuracy. Wing project testbed, if tests on At the heart of the technology is capable of traveling. the top surface of the Ikhana’s “There are 16 strain gauges on the Ikhana go as planned. the comprehensive measurement There are other potential safety wings provide about 2,000 strain the wing that are co-located with “Active wing shape control of strain, the parameter that allows applications for the technology. If an measurements in real time. The the new sensors for side-by-side represents the gleam in the eye engineers to determine the stress aircraft structure can be monitored fibers are so small that they have no comparison,” Richards said. of every aerodynamicist,” he experienced by aircraft structures. with sensors and a computer can significant effects on aerodynamic said. “If the shape of the wing For the first time, Richards manipulate flight control surfaces to lift and weigh less than two Proving the technology can be changed in flight, then explained, aircraft designers can compensate for stresses on the wings, pounds. The fiber optic sensors The Ikhana flights will represent the efficiency and performance use the sensors to gain important structural control can be established themselves are so small that they one of the first comprehensive of the aircraft can be improved information regarding the to prevent situations that might could eventually be embedded validations of fiber optic sensor throughout the aircraft’s widely efficiencies of their designs and otherwise result in a crash. Richards within composite wings in future technology in flight, an enabling disparate flight regimes, from the validity of their assumptions. said the fiber optic strain and wing aircraft, he added. step toward using the fiber optic takeoff and landing to cruising By knowing the stress levels at shape sensing also has the potential “The applications of this ED08 0109-08 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida sensors for active wing shape and maneuvering.” thousands of locations on the to revolutionize ground-testing technology are mind-boggling,” control. Richards said the team is Another benefit of the aircraft, designers can more methods, analysis and flight research. Richards said. The fiber optic wing shape sensor team is testing its work, which will compare a fiber optic-based system with conventional sensors in flight. The sensors, located along a cable the thickness of a human hair, aren’t visible in the pursuing flying the fiber optic wing lightweight nature of fiber optic optimally design structures and By extension, it could center of the wing, but could have ramifications for all future aircraft and spacecraft. Team members include, clock- shape sensors for research into sensors is that thousands of reduce weight while maintaining See Sensors, page 9 wise from left, Anthony “Nino” Piazza, Allen Parker, William Ko and Lance Richards. aeroelastic wing shape control on sensors can be left on the aircraft safety. The net result could be See Sensors, page 11 8 9 June 2008 X-tra X-tra June 2008

Pilots ... from page 10

sink rate is important,” Posada said. completing work such as preparing And a second set of eyes offers the ground station, verifying software, No one on board another benefit. checking flight plans, programming “A second pilot is sitting at the an emergency flight plan and fueling Ikhana pilots fly aircraft from the ground rack (pilot station) in case there are and preparing the aircraft. problems. That allows us to switch The Ikhana system also offers By Jay Levine racks, because a pilot is sitting there capabilities that are key for certain X-Press Editor and ready to take control of the science missions. uiding a mission airplane,” Pestana said. “A primary advantage that this remotely from a ground Piloting the Ikhana does have system offers over traditional aircraft cockpit without the some similarities to flying manned is endurance and altitude,” Pestana feel, smells and sounds aircraft. said. “For example, atmospheric Gof a traditional aircraft and the “It’s a team effort. There are a lot scientists prefer to have continuous environment in which it flies is of people on the team. Without data collection over a full day’s a challenge routinely tackled by their vital support, we couldn’t get cycle, where the presence or absence Dryden Ikhana pilots Herman the airplane in the air,” Posada said. of sunlight may drive chemical Posada and Mark Pestana. On flight days it’s not reactions in the atmosphere that Posada flew Predator unmanned ED07 0243-18 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida uncommon for the first affect weather and climate. aircraft systems for General Atomic crewmembers to arrive at midnight Dryden research pilot Mark Pestana prepares to fly the Ikhana aircraft re- “This aircraft makes it possible Aeronautical Systems for 10 years motely from the ground control station at Dryden. for a morning flight because to cover long distances and over 24 prior to joining Dryden as an of the Ikhana’s special start-up the mission, the Ikhana must be batteries that must be charged hours on a single mission.” Ikhana pilot. Dryden’s Predator B, a requirements, Pestana explained. turned on and operational for several hours before flight. That’s Posada and Pestana have an civil variant, is named Ikhana after Unlike a traditional aircraft, refueling. The engine powers a why the first team members must appreciation for the complexity of the Choctaw Nation word “Ikhana” for example, in which the ground generator that provides electricity. arrive so far in advance of takeoff. the aircraft they fly and the team that (pronounced ee-KAH-nah), which crew can call for a fuel truck and In the event of a generator failure, Pilots and crew generally arrive makes it possible to succeed in new means “intelligent.” have the aircraft fueled well before the backup system takes special three hours prior to the flight for types of missions. Posada adapted to differences between the Ikhana and Predator aircraft, learning the former’s Sensor ... from page 9 idiosyncrasies in order to fly it successfully. revolutionize wing design efficiency “There are and originated data processing of military, space and civil aircraft “I think it’s just experience,” and that of wind turbines by algorithms, and Anthony health-monitoring systems. ED07 0248-06 NASA Photo by Tony Landis Posada said of piloting the Ikhana. making the wing more efficient by 3,000 sensors on “Nino” Piazza is the team’s strain Richards’ team began “The experience is not for everybody. Ikhana pilots Herman Posada, left, and Mark Pestana say flying from a ground cockpit is much different than flying a few percent. Ikhana that are measurement expert. The group incrementally, through laboratory It’s not a perfect system, but there are traditional aircraft. “A few-percent improvement imperceptibly small developed the sensor and the experiments, to accumulate research ways to make it work right.” equals a huge economic benefit,” supporting avionics system and showing that fiber optic sensors For Mark Pestana, who never flew stick and throttle familiarity, it through procedures and to additional pilots are contracted, with Richards said. “The sensors could because they’re algorithms that make the fiber could match performance by the a UAV prior to his experiences with didn’t simulate how to use all familiarize the pilot with where none flying more than two hours at also be used to look at the stress of located on fibers optic wing shape sensors work, gold standard in sensors, strain the Ikhana, it was an adjustment of the aircraft’s many displays, the different buttons live and do a time, Posada said. Ikhana missions structures, like bridges and dams, and has applied for two patents for gauges. A baseline was developed to fly without the sensations of the Pestana said. A home computer some maneuvers in the simulator can total more than 20 hours. and possibilities extend to potential approximately use of the algorithms developed and the fiber optic sensors cockpit in the sky. flight simulator offered help, but that we wouldn’t do with the real Two fully operational pilot biomedical uses as well.” the diameter of a during the course of the work. performed within a few percentage “The data and displays are produced sound when he made aircraft. Basically, we use it as a stations are occupied for takeoffs human hair.” In 1996 Richards developed points of strain-gauge performance presented for a pilot in a way engine adjustments to signal that procedures trainer.” and landings, although only one Origins a partnership with a NASA in side-by-side laboratory that’s different from a traditional acceleration was successful. When Landing the aircraft can be pilot can fly at a time. A single pilot Richards, who holds a doctorate Lance Richards, Langley Research Center team led comparisons. The accuracy of the cockpit,” he said of the ground- piloting the Ikhana, he has to another challenge for pilots can handle the aircraft during flight in mechanical engineering, watched Dryden’s Advanced by Leland Melvin, currently an fiber optic sensors was proven – station experience. visually confirm the engine power unaccustomed to the ground and requires assistance only with with interest as fiber optics began Structures and astronaut and a former Langley important data he felt were missing “Instead of physical switches – readings and airspeed readout to station cockpit because of the the demands of takeoff and landing. to evolve in research laboratories Measurement group lead engineer. Increasingly complex in the literature prior to his own toggle switches or dials – you’re determine whether the airplane absence of sound and sight cues, “There’s a lot of stuff you’re throughout the 1980s. In the research examined a technique research, he said. using a keyboard and track ball is doing what he commanded including peripheral vision, looking at while working the radios mid-1990s, he began to consider technology is available for real- patented by Mark Froggatt, After a lot of perseverance, the and pulling down menus like you through the throttle. available in a manned cockpit, and checklists. It’s a little too much aerospace applications of that time wing shape sensing, he formerly of Langley, for applying crucible of flight research is about would on your personal computer, “We use the simulator as a tool Posada said. for one (pilot). You need an extra technology for sensors. An internal added. fiber optic technology to flight. to distill the scientists’ contentions. to activate systems. Understanding to get the gist of the operation,” And because of the flood of set of eyes because sometimes you’re Dryden Code R competition for Once he obtained funding, Gains Melvin’s team made in Fiber optic wing shape sensors will where all of these system controls Posada added. “They’re trying to information available to the pilot drowning in information. Having grants resulted in seed money Richards assembled a team 1994 provided a foundation for compete head-to-head with strain are located and finding the right teach you how to fly an aircraft and the stresses of the ground other people say your speed is high enabling him and his small team to of Dryden engineers. He and its 1996 work in the development gauges in the rigorous environment screen display to access the controls in a completely different way cockpit, pilots fly no more than or fast, or telling you to watch your begin filling in gaps in research that William Ko developed optimized of a facility that provides a means of flight where vibration, is challenging.” than most pilots have learned two hours at a time. When shifts would validate sensing technology structural algorithms, Allen of performing advanced sensor temperature and other challenges While the flight simulator offered how to fly. We use it to go of up to 12 hours are required See Pilots, page 11 for broad use. No commercial Parker developed the systems and laser research for development will prove the sensors’ merit. 10 11 June 2008 X-tra

The Ikhana team stands ready for whatever mission it is called on to complete, ED07 0248-01 such as sending the aircraft to monitor more western wildfires. NASA Photo by Tony Landis

Ikhana ... from page 7 year when research begins on the algorithms, along with Airborne Research Test System, instrumentation on board the or ARTS III, a third-generation Ikhana then would “manage” system. Previous generations were its own mission by mapping an used at Dryden to investigate efficient route, flying there, and technologies such as the Flush Air surveying the fires. Data system algorithms on the F/A- “Think of it as a virtual onboard 18 (no. 845) and neural network pilot,” Lin said. “The ARTS III is control systems on the F-15 (no. engaged by the pilot in the ground 837), said Yohan Lin, Ikhana chief station and control of the aircraft engineer. is given to the ARTS. The aircraft The ARTS III was designed will stay with the priorities and as a research system for use in execute the mission. conducting advanced experiments. “However, before it works It could be configured, for example, like that, there will be more with software to allow “intelligent” engineering and a number of mission management on the modifications to the ground Ikhana so the vehicle can search control and aircraft software. The autonomously for forest fires, Lin ARTS III is a flexible system and explained. Personnel at the U.S this is just one facet of what it can Forest Service command center do. System health monitoring and would be able to request that the collision-avoidance maneuvering aircraft survey the highest-priority are other possibilities.” fires by pointing and clicking on Whatever the Ikhana’s next them on a map. This information mission or future uses, one thing is would be sent to the vehicle. certain – it will all play out on the ED07 0186-09 The ARTS intelligent mission forefront of technology. The Ikhana completes a checkout flight. NASA Photo by Jim Ross

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