Aerial Photographic Reconnaissance (APR), Digital Photography, and Web Mission Information Reporting System

(WMIRS)

Lt Col Dietrich P. Whisennand

HQ 4th Group, TX Wing

WMIRS OVERVIEW

• The Web Mission Information Reporting System (WMIRS) is a web based system for keeping the records of a mission.

• The CAP National Technical Center developed WMIRS as a secure system that requires approval to access.

WMIRS OVERVIEW

• WMIRS is also the repository for digital pictures. Flight crews, ground teams, and mission base staff personnel all need to be trained to upload digital pictures to WMIRS.– During small missions, the air/ground crew will

probably upload their own photos.

– During large missions, mission base staff will generally upload the photos after sortie debrief.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

• Flight crews and ground teams need to know how to take good digital pictures

• All personnel need to be able download them to a personal computer, attach them to an email and send them to WMIRS

• This is the same process used by SDIS to transmit pictures to WMIRS and to the agency requesting the pictures

How to Take a Good Photo

• Have the subject of the photo roughly centered on the picture.

• Fill the frame with the target if possible

• Turn the flash OFF - many digital cameras default to AUTO flash on power-up.– May ruin the shot with reflections– Decreases battery life

• Don’t use the digital zoom if possible.

Aerial Photography Specifics(1 of 4)

• A 3 person minimum aircrew is needed - pilot, photographer, recorder. Ground unit may be 2 persons, if no moving photos are to be taken.– In an aircraft with a rear photo window, the

scanner is usually the photographer, while the observer logs photos, times, lat/long, direction.

– In aircraft without a photo window, the observer uses the window mod to photograph, while the scanner logs.

Aerial Photography Specifics(2 of 4)

• Don’t take pictures through the Plexiglas if at all possible– Use the photo window, if installed, or– Remove the retaining arm screw from the right

window BEFORE FLIGHT and reinstall the screw to prevent loss. The window will swing up to horizontal during flight for photography. Reconnect it after the flight.

Aerial Photography Specifics(3 of 4)

• Get as close as possible to the subject, other than overview shots.– Current CAP regs prohibit APR flights below

1K’ AGL without prior approval.– Get advance approval to fly lower if possible.

• Use as high a resolution camera as possible (currently about 5 megapixel minimum).

Aerial Photography Specifics(4 of 4)

• Avoid getting aircraft/vehicle parts in the photo (wings, window frames, struts, etc.)

• When using a small camera and/or the large observer window, use a wrist strap to avoid losing the camera out the window.

Aerial Photo Sequence (1 of 3)

• This is a general, default sequence - actual mission requirements or customer requests may alter this procedure.

• First, take an overview photograph which shows the objective in relation to its surroundings

• Next, take close-up shots from each cardinal direction.

Aerial Photo Sequence (2 of 3)

• Last, take any specific shots which show any desired feature or damage, if they show it better than in the cardinal direction shots.

• For each shot record:– date and time– lat/long of the object– direction shooting from and altitude– description of the object and any damage/feature

noted.

Aerial Photo Sequence (3 of 3)

• When recording, be sure to match the photo file name as used by the camera to the logged description of photo.

• What follows is a sample of a APR damage assessment of a lake bridge.

Overview from NW

From N

From E

From S - E span

From S - center span

From S - W span

From W

Overview from SW

Critique of APR Shots?

• N shot is from too far away - get closer

• All 3 S shots show why not to shoot through windows if possible - reflection of CAP uniform plainly visible

• W shot has wing & strut in frame

DOWNLOADING PICTURES TO THE PC

• The method to do this will vary with the camera used.

• Commonly, this is done by:– attaching the camera to the PC using an USB

cable, or

– by taking the memory card out of the camera and using an adapter to transfer the data.

EMAILING THE PICTURES

• The WMIRS server will automatically read and process the email. In order to process the data correctly the email must follow the follow standards:

Email Submission Format

• The email will go to a special email address. – The email to use for practice is video@jackjack

.org.– The email to use for a real mission is

wmirs@capnhq.gov.

Email Submission Format

• The subject line must contain the caption for the picture, the LAT/LONG location, and altitude of the aircraft when the picture was taken. Additional data may be requested by the customer.

• EXAMPLE: Canyon Lake Dam from North LAT:29 51.60 LONG:098 11.93 Alt: 4,300’ AMSL

Email Submission Format

• The last two lines in the content (body) of the email must be:– -----------------------------------------------------

WMIRS MISSION: SWLR04-0160– The mission number will be the actual mission

number in this format

• Attach only one digital picture (.jpeg format) to each email.

Questions?