Developing a Capability at the University of Hawaii for Multiple UAV Observations of Active Volcanism

The goal of this NASA EPSCoR proposal is to enable University of Hawaii (UH) faculty and research staff to learn how to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for science projects, with a specific focus on the analysis of the active Kilauea volcano. NASA has long studied the volcanoes in Hawaii using different remote sensing techniques and has used satellites, aircraft and, more recently, unmanned aerial vehicles such as the UAVSAR to study the active volcanism on the island. In late 2013, Hawaii was selected to be part of (in addition to Alaska and Oregon) one of six national Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) UAV Test Sites. But the UH is poorly prepared to take advantage of this opportunity for new research, and through this project we hope that we will become more competitive with our future research proposals to be submitted to NASA. The science objective for this proposal, to be mentored by Dr. Dave Pieri at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is to use multiple UAVs of the active lava flows and volcanic plumes at Kilauea volcano. Specifically, we want to investigate the connection between the thermal properties of active lava flows and the changes in flow topography on an hour-by-hour basis. We also want to estimate the gas flux from the volcanic plumes associated with these flows. To accomplish the science objectives we need to make simultaneous measurements from multiple UAV platforms. We need to learn how to conduct UAV formation-flying because this would open up many new science research opportunities due to stereo-viewing. These concurrent measurements would be coordinated through the adaptation of the UH COSMOS small-satellite software to control UAVs. Through mentoring by Dr. Matt Fladeland (NASA Ames), we will learn the operational aspects of UAV research and how they relate to NASA’s broader research objectives. This project would enable our Team to: (1) Purchase UAVs and optical/thermal instruments to conduct innovative geological research on the active Kilauea volcano, Hawaii; (2) Develop UAV formation-flying capabilities using the UH-developed COSMOS software. This software has been developed under earlier NASA EPSCoR funding to control multiple small satellites (cubesats) in Earth orbit. The analogy between cubesats and UAVs is strong as they are both small data collection platforms, so that it is possible to adapt COSMOS to control UAVs in a coordinated way. (3) Explore the certifications necessary to fly UAVs under the regulations imposed on NASA-funded projects, and educate UH faculty researchers so that they too can use UAVs as science platforms. We will inform these researchers of the FAA and State regulations controlling the flights. (4) This knowledge transfer will be accomplished by holding two multi-day UAV Applications Workshops on the Big Island for UH faculty we will fund to attend from around the State (i.e., Kauai, Oahu and Maui).

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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