Drones: Forest Service Unmanned Aircraft Systems Advisory Group

Via S. Dumlwy

 

All I could think of was "is there is a limit on weaponry.........."

 
From: Grell, Adrian G -FS
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 2:58 PM
To:
Subject: Distribute the FS UAS Information Needs Assessment Survey

Greetings,

There’s interest from the Forest Service Unmanned Aircraft Systems Advisory Group (UASAG) to begin soliciting feedback from potential users of UAS in the Forest Service. We would welcome any feedback in any format, but prefer that potential Forest Service UAS users participate in the online Forest Service UAS Information Needs Assessment Survey (link below).

We’re asking you (all UASAG members) to distribute this survey to individuals within your deputy, staff, or application area. Use your discretion as to who you think should participate in this survey.

Additionally, we’ve generated a note (below) that you can provide to all individuals who you would like to complete the survey. The note provides an overview of who we are and why we are soliciting their mission requirements information.

Don’t hesitate to contact Tom Zajkowski or me if you have any questions.

Regards,

Adrian Grell
Rapid Disturbance Assessment & Services Program Assistant
USDA Forest Service, Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC)
Salt Lake City, UT
801-975-3833

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The Forest Service recently chartered the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Advisory Group, an interdisciplinary committee formed to 1) explore the use of UAS and associated technologies for their potential to support operational needs throughout the Forest Service; and 2) recommend necessary aviation policy modifications related to the acquisition, lease and use of UAS within the agency.
The Advisory Group is currently researching UAS and related technologies, interfacing with interagency partners, and determining the need to expand current USFS policy on the use of UAS over National Forest System lands. One component of these efforts is to perform an agency-wide UAS information needs assessment to identify observation requirements necessary to fulfill Forest Service operational objectives and strategic goals, but are not being attained using manned aircraft and/or satellite observations. In addition to observation requirements, this needs assessment also intends to catalog other potential niche applications (enhanced communications capability, payload delivery, etc.) that may not safely or effectively be accomplished using manned aircraft.
To assist the UAS Advisory Group in inventorying potential observation requirements and applications, we request that you, or a representative of your staff, complete the Forest Service UAS information needs assessment survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/. It will be necessary to complete the survey once for every unique requirement or mission, and most missions should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Please complete the survey before December 31, 2012. For clarification regarding any of the questions on the survey, or for general technical assistance, please contact Tom Zajkowski 801-975-3758 or Adrian Grell 801-975-3833 at the Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC).
In the near future, a summary of the information acquired through this exercise will be compiled by the UAS Advisory Group. This summary will be posted and available for review from the UAS Advisory Group website that will eventually be accessible from RSAC’s main website (http://fsweb.rsac.fs.fed.us).