Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1132978
July/August/September 2019 I 15 FIGURE 7: Social media monitoring enhances intelligence and residential evacuation progress. The remote launch of additional fixed wing UAS tracks and predicts the projected wildfire path, allowing the primary response UAS to provide overwatch. Can You Hear Me Now? Acoustic and Energy Signature Sensors The U.S. Department of Defense introduced directional projectile energy sensors in an effort to protect armed forces under threat of covert enemy snipers, providing energy-based firearms detection with weapon's round caliper identification. These sensors are invaluable in determining the presence and path of an active assailant. When mental health facilities in Europe needed a way to detect patient anger escalation, they turned to companies skilled in recognizing acoustic signatures of vocal patterns, glass breakage and firearms. They created application software that distinguishes between a non-violent discussion and an escalating argument or fight. The Launch of the Super Drone It seems that almost every trade show has the presence of drones or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as a tech- nology demonstration. Considering the amount of recent natural and man-made disasters, there seems to be many opportunities for search and rescue to provide tactical overwatch, map the changing terrain, survey transpor- tation infrastructure stability and protect soft targets. Drone manufacturers have done an amazing job with the efficiency of the quadrotor or quadcopter aerial vehicle with power sources, light-weight materials, advanced image stabilization, terrain tracking and AI-based collision avoidance. What is the drone's mission? Is the drone supposed to fly very long distances as in the case of wildfires or carry high payloads? Is the drone going to fly in a limited radius or at great distance or altitude? This will determine the energy source. It appears that drone solution providers have reached a limit when it comes to power density or the available power per unit mass or volume. Lithium-Polymer (Li-Po) and Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries continue to become smaller and more affordable, thanks to the smartphone industry. The use of tethered drones where a power source is continuous has been useful for perimeter and event surveillance, flying in limited formation. How can a drone be dispatched for a closer look at a wildfire, detected by AI-based long range object recognition, when the typical flight time for an advanced quad- copter is about 45 minutes? With superior lift, limited drag, capability of flying 40-50 miles per hour and a conservative flight time of five hours, fixed wing, dual rotor drones are a welcome advancement for first responders (Figure 7). This "super drone" is a fusion of the consumer electronics, AI, energy, wireless, location services and aviation industries. It is a multi-sensor equipped UAS capable of detecting gas leaks from refineries, smoke from wildfires and even airborne biothreats. With the advance- ments of fixed wing UAS underway, there is now available integration with public safety answering points (PSAPs) and computer aided dispatch systems.