learning activities and science fair project suggestions...
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27October,2017 1
Gotadrone?Trythis…
LearningActivitiesandScienceFairProjectSuggestions
forYouandYourRecreationalDroneManeuveringthroughafast-pacedvideogametakesskills—pilotinganunmannedaerialvehicle(adrone)intherealworldcanpresentanevenbiggerchallenge.Flyingarecreationaldronepitsyouagainstthelawofgravityaswellasenvironmentalconditions.Whenyouattempttoaccomplishsomegoalwithyourdrone,youuseyourjoystickskillsaswellassomescienceandengineeringconcepts.Checkouttheactivitiesinthisguideforideasaboutwhatyoumightlearnwithyourdrone.Teamupwithsomehelpersorotherdronepilotstocompeteorcollaborateononeormoreactivities.Ifyousetouttolearnsomething,anddocumentyourprocedures,youcouldflyyourwaytoawinningsciencefairproject.Notethatthisguideisnotdesignedtoteachyouhowtoflyyourdrone…Weassumethatyou’vealreadylearnedtheskillsyouneedtosafelypilotyourdrone,andyou’rereadytoapplythoseskillsinnewways.Safetyfirst!Nomatterhowexperiencedyoumaybe,starteachflyingsessionwithafocusonsafety;planaheadtobecertainnooneishurtwhileparticipatingindroneflights.Whataretheseflyingthingscalled?Recreationaldronesare“toys”thatweighlessthanahalf-pound.TheyarealsocalledUnmannedAerialVehicles(UAVs),UnmannedAerialSystems(flightunitpluscontroller),quadracopters,andothernames.Throughoutthisguide,weusethetermdrone.TableofContentsWhatpayloadcanmydronecarry?....................................................................................................................2Howfastcanmydronefly?....................................................................................................................................4Howhighcanmydronefly?..................................................................................................................................6A3dviewfromadrone...........................................................................................................................................8Science&EngineeringPracticesandtheEngineeringDesignLoop.................................................10ScienceProjectandScienceFairTemplate..................................................................................................11Comparingimagesfromsatellitesanddrones...........................................................................................14Collectingdatawithdrones................................................................................................................................15UAVChallenge:AerialSurveyofaDisasterArea......................................................................................17AdditionalIdeas.......................................................................................................................................................28Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................................28
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27October,2017 2
Whatpayloadcanmydronecarry?Smallsensorsthatmeasureenvironmentalconditionssuchastemperature,airpressure,andlocationarebecomingwidelyavailableatreasonableprices.Canyourdronecarryoneormoreoftheseintoflight?TheChallenge:DesignandconductanexperimenttofindapracticallimitonthepayloadmassyourUAVcancarryintoflight.SuggestedMaterials:
String,shoelaces,orrubberbandsSetofmetalwashers,bolts,orothersmallweightsSmallfoodorpostalscaletomeasureweights
Trial1
UAVonlyTrial2
UAV+PayloadTrial3
UAV+PayloadTrial4
UAV+PayloadTrial5
UAV+Payload
Mass
Abilitytolaunch(good,fair,poor,fail)
Abilitytomaneuver
(good,fair,poor,fail)
Payloadmass
Thinkitthrough:Whatwillyoudotocollecttheinformationyouneed?Questionstoconsider:DoesthesampledatatableaboveincludealltheinformationIneed?Aretheterms“good,fair,poor,andfail”sufficientdescriptionsofmydrone’sabilities?Wouldaddingothertermsordefiningaquantitativescalebehelpful?Haveyouconsideredeverythingyouneedtotakeintoaccounttomakesureeachtrialisfair?Questionstoconsider:Whatenvironmentalordrone-basedvariablesthatcouldinterferewithyourtests.Howmucherrorcouldtheyintroduceintoyourresults?Howcouldyouaccommodateforthosevariablessothateachtrialisafaircomparisonofhowmuchweightyourdronecancarry?Howmanyseparatetrialswillittakeforyoutofeelconfidentinyourfinalanswer?Questionstoconsider:Isonesuccessfultrialenoughtoidentifyhowmuchweightyourdronecancarry?Isthereaminimumamountoftimeithastoflytocount?Ifyourdronehastheabilitytotakeoffwithacertainweight,butithasdifficultymanuevering,whatdoesthattellyouaboutitspracticalweightlimit?Whatkindofgraphics,videos,and/orphotographswouldbestdocumentyourresults?
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27October,2017 3
Flyyourdronetocollectdata.Recorddataabouteachsessionandflight.Useyourdatatoanswerthequestion.Presentyourresults.YoumaywanttodiscussanswerstotheQuestionstoConsideraspartofyourresults.FollowupSearchtheInternettofindsensorsyourdroneiscapableofcarryingintoflight.Describeexperimentsyoucouldconductwithoneormoresensorsandwhatyoucouldlearnfromthem.
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27October,2017 4
Howfastcanmydronefly?Anafterschoolgroupdecidedtheywantedtomakeasnapshotofaspecifictreeontheircampuseveryday.Inordertofigureouthowmuchtimeitwouldtaketoflyouttothetree,getthepicture,andflybackeachday,theyneededanestimateofthedrone’saverageforwardspeed.TheChallenge:DesignandconductanexperimenttofindapracticalmaximumspeedyourUAVcanfly.SuggestedMaterials:
SportsfieldwithmarkeddistancesStopwatchesSeveralpeopletoserveastimers/spotters
Trial1 Trial2 Trial3 Trial4 Trial5
Distance
Time
AverageSpeed
Thinkitthrough:Whatwillyoudotocollecttheinformationyouneed?Questionstoconsider:HowcanImeausurethedrone’saveragespeedoveracertaindistancewithoutincludingthetimeittakestolaunchandgetuptospeed?Whatminimumdistanceshouldthedronecoverineachtrialtogetanaccurateestimateofitsspeed?5yards?50yards?Whatdidyoufindwastheperfectdistanceforyourtestingandwhy?Haveyouconsideredeverythingyouneedtotakeintoaccounttomakesureeachtrialisfair?Questionstoconsider:HowcanImakesureeverytrialisconsistent?Areallspotters/timersfollowingtheexactsameprocedure?Arespotters’resultsthesameorcloseoneachtrial?Whatenvironmentalordrone-basedvariablescouldinterferewithyourtests?Howmucherrorcouldthosevariablesintroduceintoyourresults?Howcouldyouaccommodateforthosevariablessothateachtrialisafaircomparisonofhowfastyourdronecanfly?Howmanyseparatetrialswillittakeforyoutofeelconfidentinyourfinalanswer?Questionstoconsider:Whatarethepracticallimitsofflyingyourdroneasfastasitcango?Atthemaximumpracticalspeedyouidentified,howlongwouldittakeforthedronetoflyoutoftheeffectiverangeofitscontroller?Whatkindofgraphics,videos,and/orphotographswouldbebesttohelpyoudocumentyourresults?Couldyouconstructadiagramtomakewhatyoudidsoclearthatanothergroupcouldsetupthesameexperiment?
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27October,2017 5
Flyyourdronetoperformyourexperiment.Recorddataabouteachsessionandflight.Useyourdatatoanswerthequestion.Presentyourresults.YoumaywanttodiscussanswerstotheQuestionstoConsideraspartofyourresults.FollowupIfthetreethegroupwantedtophotographwaslocated40yardsfromthedronelaunchsite,howmuchtimewouldittaketogetthephotographeachday?Whatotherfactorsshouldthegroupconsiderinestimatingthetimethedailyexperimentwouldtake?
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27October,2017 6
Howhighcanmydronefly?Ifyourdronedoesn’thaveaGPSunit,howcanyoufigureouthowhighyou’reflying?TheChallenge:Designandperformoneormoreexperimentstohelpyouidentifyawaytoestimateyourdrone’sheight.Useyourexperiencetojudgewhichmethodprovidesthemostaccurateestimates.Suggestedmaterials
FootballorsoccerfieldwithmarkeddistancesormeasuringtapeAngle-measuringapponasmartphoneORProtractorinclinometer(findinstructionsonlinetomakeyourown)Scientificcalculator
SuggestedProcedureSetupaflightzonesothedronepilotandobserverareaknowndistanceapart.Forinstance,youmightplaceyourselvesonasportsfieldsoyouare10yards(30feet)apart.Recordyourmeasurementonadatatable.Pilot:Flythedronestraightupandhoverdirectlyoverheadattheheightyouwanttomeasure.Observer:Usealevelapponasmartphone(oramakeanduseasimpleinclinometer)to1)Measureandrecordtheangletothedrone—you’llusethisvaluetocalculatetheheightofthedroneaboveyoureyelevel.2)Measureandrecordtheangletothespotdirectlybelowthedrone—you’llusethisvaluetocalculatetheheightofyoureyeabovetheground.3)Usetheanglesandformulas(whichusethetangentfunction(tan)onascientificcalculator)tocalculatetheheightofthedroneabovetheground.
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27October,2017 7
Example Trial1 Trial2 Trial3
Distancefrompilottoobserver
30feet
Observedangletodrone
43°
Observedangletothelocationdirectlybelowthe
drone
10°
Calculation(Tan(∠a)xdistancefrom
pilottoobserver)+(Tan(∠b)xdistancefrom
pilottoobserver)=Droneheightaboveground
(Tan(33)x30feet)+(Tan(12)x30feet)=(19.5feet)+(5.3feet)
=24.8feet
DroneHeight24.8feet
Thinkitthrough:Howmanytrialswillittakeforyoutofeelconfidentyourfinalanswerisaccurate?Howmightyoucheckifyouranswerisreasonable?Whatcanyoudowiththeinformationofhowhighyourdroneis?Howelsemightyouusethetechniqueyouusedtoestimateheight?Presentyourresults.YoumaywanttodiscussanswerstotheQuestionstoConsideraspartofyourresults.
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27October,2017 8
A 3d view from a drone When walking on a hike or around the schoolyard, sometimes you see something that is high up on a rock outcrop or a wall that catches your interest. Drones can fly up and take photos that you can anlyze later. By planning ahead to have enough overlap between photos, you take take those individial photos and make a 3-dimensional image! The Challenge: Design and conduct an experiment to take enough photos to make a 3-dimensional image of an outcrop to study the rocks and view where vegetation is growing on the outcrop. Steps:
What can we learn about the rocks where plants are growing on a rock outcrop?
Rock, paper, vegetation: An investigation using drones to photograph plant roots breaking rocks
Suggested materials:
1) Drone with a camera 2) One-meter circle or square laid on the ground (cloth or tarp) 3) Software that will make a 3D image from photos:
a. Photosynth: Capture your world in 3D: https://photosynth.net - make the 3d image b. Autodesk 123D: http://www.123dapp.com/catch c. SynthExport: https://synthexport.codeplex.com/ - export tool
Questions to consider as you plan: What other materials would be useful? What do you plan to photograph? What order & from what angles will you take the photos? Where: how high, from how far away, how many, how much overlap (>70% if making 3-dimension image)? When during the day, during the year, after an event? What other data is needed? How does the angle of camera on the drone impact the photos? Are circles still circles in the photograph? What environmental or drone-based variables could interfere with your photographs? Does the sample data table in step 5 include all the information I need? Who do I need on my team? Who will be the pilot? The photographer? The spotter?
What other information should be in your sketch? How far from the outcrop will the drone need to fly and get enough detail for your project? How many photos will you need to take to have 70% overlap? What hazards are there to be avoided?
Pick a question that you want to try answering with your drone.
3. Create a draft title based on your project question:
What are you steps? What will you do to collect the information you need?
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27October,2017 9
Consider making a table similar to this for your data: Flight 1: Location identification numbers for map
Name of pilot, photographer, spotters
Range of photo numbers
Date & Time Range
Height above ground, Distance from the outcrop & Area covered of each photo.
Direction of image collection (Panorama, Walk, Spin, Wall)
Description of image (Are there trees, bushes, grasses at the top of the outcrop? How far do the roots go into the rock? How is the rock where there are roots different than other areas? Color, consistency, staining, etc.)
Test circle Pilot: Photographer: Spotters:
1
2
3
4
5
Using software such as Photosynth or Autodesk 123D, stich the photos together to make a 3D image or panorama.
What modifications, sensors, and/or instruments would have helped with your project? Take a look at the engineering design loop for ideas.
Compile flight log, hypothesis, images, data chart, conclusion and any additional project pictures and results into a short report (or power point) for a classroom presentation or science fair exhibit.
Brainstorm additional projects you can do with the camera on your drone; what other 3D projects could you do; how could printing the 3D image help with your analysis, communication etc.
Organize the data – How do they contribute to answering your questions?
Measure the objects in your photos - are circles actually circles? How do the sizes of objects in photos change with distance and height of the drone? Generate statistics from your data. What patterns do you see in the rocks and/or roots? How far or how large an area of the outcrop has plant growth in it?
What have you learned from data that help you answer your project questions? How would you have changed your investigation design? Consider adding the answers from the questions to consider in step 4.
9a. Communicate: Make a Science Fair Display of your project and results
9b. Communicate & Evaluate: What would you tell your community leaders? Go online – what information would add to your project? What other ways could you use this information? What other data would be useful to evaluate if drones are useful & successful for these types of investigations?
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27October,2017 10
The Science & Engineering Practices and the Engineering Design Loop Work Together: An example. You’vefoundtheperfectscienceprojecttotryout!Yourquestionhashelpeddefinetheproblemyouwanttostudy,andyouareworkingthroughtheScience&EngineeringPractices.Asyoustartputtingtogetheramodeltodescribeyourhypothesisandplanyourproject,yourealizethatyoudon’thaveallofthepartstomakethestudywork.TheycouldberubberbandsandVelcrotoholdatinyinstrumenttoyourdrone.Maybeyou’reworkingwithateamofmakerstobuildyourownsensor.Perhapsit’sabettercamerathatissuperlightweight.Maybeyouwanttochangetheangleofthecamerasothatitpointsstraightdownorstraightahead.Eitherway,yourprojecthastakenaturntowardsengineeringdesign!Whetheritisasmallmodificationoracompleteseparateproject,theEngineeringDesignloopisagreatwaytoapproachtosolveaproblem.Whiletheloopisdrawninacircle,youmightfindthatyouneedtodosomejumpingwithinthelooparoundtocomeupwithaworkingprototypeandfinaldesign.Infact,oftenscientistsandengineerswillgobackandforthbetweenthetwoloopstoinform,test,andrefinetheproductbeingproducedanditsimpactonthescientificstudy.Tryitout!Youmightrealizethatyouarealreadydoingbothscience&engineeringinyourprojects!
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27October,2017 11
Pick a question that you want to try answering with your drone
Your Name & Team members
3. Create a draft project title based on your question:
What are you steps? What will you do to collect the information you need?
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27October,2017 12
Measure the objects in your photos - are circles actually circles? How do the sizes of objects in photos change? Generate statistics from your data. What patterns do you see?
Organize the data – How do they contribute to answering your questions?
What have you learned from data that help you answer your project questions? How would you have changed your investigation design?
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27October,2017 13
9a. Communicate: Make a Science Fair Display of your project and results
9b. Communicate & Evaluate: What would you tell your community leaders?
What other data would be useful to evaluate if drones are useful & successful for these types of investigations?
Go online – what information would add to your project? What other ways could you use this information?
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27October,2017 14
ComparingimagesfromDroneswithSatelliteimagesObjective:Explorethebasicconceptsofremotesensingbycomparingdatacollectedbyinstrumentsonpolarorbitingsatelliteswithpicturesandvideoscollectedviacamerasonrecreationaldrones.Materials:
1) SatelliteImageofyourlocationa. SatCam(freecitizenscienceappforiOSdevices)
http://satcam.ssec.wisc.edu/b. MODISToday(freeimagesviaanywebbrowser)
http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today/2) UAVwithcamera
Steps:1) Makeahypothesisaboutthisdatacomparison,forexample:“Thesatelliteimagewillcoveragreaterareathanourdrone”(YES,ofcourse,butyougettheidea)2) Acquireasatelliteimageonthesamedayyouplantoflyyourdrone.Identifyas
manyfeaturesaspossible(clouds,bodiesofwater,vegetationtypes,citiesortownsetc…)
3) Conductadroneflightandcollectcamerapictures.Identifyasmanyfeaturesaspossible.
4) Organizeyourdata,hereisanexampleofatableyoucouldcreate:
Date SatelliteImage UAVPhotoDataSource&time(temporalresolution)
AreaCovered(includeunits)
Smallestfeature(spatialresolution)
Largestfeature(scale)
5)Makeaconclusionbasedonyourdata6)Brainstormadditionalprojectsyoucandocomparingdronedatawithsatelliteimages,forexample:green-uporgreen-down,identifyingiceonnear-bylakes,investigatingfallfoliage,etc…7)Compileflightlog,hypothesis,images,datachart,conclusionandanyadditionalprojectpicturesandresultsintoashortreport(orpowerpoint)foraclassroompresentationorsciencefairexhibit.
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27October,2017 15
Collectingdatawithdrones
Objective
Togivestudentsexperiencewithhowdronescanbevaluableforcollectingscientificdata,therebysupporttheirinquiryskillsaswellastheirknowledgeofdrones,knowledgeofsensinginstruments,andexperienceflyingdronesandcollectingdatafromthem.
CourseName:EarthScience
GradeLevel(s):6-12
LessonPlan:Collectingatmosphericdatawithrecreationaldrones
Goals
Studentswillmakepredictions,justifytheirpredictions,designaprediction-testingstudythatinvolvesflyingadronewithasensor.Thentheywillanalyzetheirdatatoseeiftherepredictionswerecorrectandsuggestafollow-upstudy
Estimatedduration:Three45-minuteclassperiods
Measurableobjectives
1.Salientpredictionandjustification
2.Feasibledesignofinvestigation
3.Successfuldroneflightanddatacollection
4.Appropriateanalysisofthedataresults
5.Designoffollow-upstudythatfollowslogicallyfromtheresults
Instructionalsequence
Period1:PredictionJustifications,andInvestigationPlanning
Period2:Atminimum,oneclassperiod,thoughthisphasecouldstretchoutdependingonthescopeoftheinvestigation
Period3:Dataanalysisandfollow-upsuggestion
Materials:Sensor,plusdronewithenoughlifttocarrythesensorpayload
Assessment:Rubric-basedscoringonthemeasurableoutcomes.
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27October,2017 16
Activity:Collectingdata
Introduction
Didyoueverwonderhowmuchairchangeswithaltitude?Doesitalwaysgetcolderormoister?Doesthepressurealwaysdecrease?And,howmuchdotheseconditionschange?Dothechangesvarywiththeweather,ortimeofday,orseason,withwhat'sonthesurface,orwiththeelevation?Dronesaregreatvehiclesforcollectingdatatostudythesethings.
Directions
1.Makeaprediction.Forexample,"IfIlaunchadroneonaflatgrassysurface20feetabovesealevelatnoononthefirstdayofeverymonthforawholeyear,Ipredictthattherewillalwaysbeadecreaseintemperaturegoingup200feet,butsometimestherewillbeabiggerdifferencebetweenthesurfacetemperatureandthetemperatureat200feetthanatothertimes.
2.Explainyourreasoningbehindtheprediction.Forexample,"IpredictthisbecauseIknowthatairisthinnerthehigheryougoandsoisitsretentionofradiatedheatatthesurface."
3.Chooseasensor.Makesurethesensorisdesignedtobecapableofhavingitsdatauploadedtoacomputingdeviceforanalysis.
4.UseVelcroorawelltiedstringtoattachthesensortothedrone.
5.Decidehowhighyouwanttoflythedrone.
6.Makeatabletorecordyourdata.Makeonecolumnforelevationandanotherfordatareadingsfromthesensor.
7.Flythedrone,andnotethedatareadingsatequalintervalsofchangeinelevation.Forexample,ifyouareflyingyourdroneupto200feet,youcouldtakeareadingataheightslightlyabovegroundlevel,thenat50feet,100feet,150feet,and200feet.
8.Onceyouhavethedata,determineifyourpredictioniscorrectandtrytorenderascientificexplanationfortheresults.
9.Presentyourdataandexplanation.
10.Suggestwhatwouldbeagoodfollowupstudywiththedrone.
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27October,2017 17
UAVChallenge:AerialSurveyofaDisasterAreaIntroductionStudentswillflytheirUAVs(UnmannedAerialVehiclesor"drones")overascale-modeltownthathasbeenstruckwithadisaster,surveyingthedamageviaacameraontheUAV.ThisactivitycanserveasaculminatingactivityinaseriesofUAVactivities(seelinksbelow)thatbuilduponeachother.Thisactivitycanserveasaperformanceassessmentfortheentiresequenceofactivities,sincethechallengepresentedinthisactivityincorporatesskillsandknowledgegainedfromalltheotheractivitiesinthisseries.WerecommendthatstudentscompletetheLearntoFly!UAVFlightSchool,LearntoFly!UAVFirstFlightandLearntoFly!AerialManeuverswithaUAVactivitiesasprerequisitestothisactivity.YoumightalsowanttohaveyourstudentsexperiencetheUAVPerformanceTest:CarryaPayloadactivityinpreparationforthisactivity.IntheCarryaPayloadactivity,studentsdeterminethemaximumweightthattheirUAVscanlift.InthatactivitystudentsbecomefamiliarwiththewayadditionalweightaffectstheflightperformanceoftheirUAV.Thatfamiliaritycouldbehandyinthisactivity,inwhichtheUAVcarriestheextraweightofacamera.YoumightalsowishtohaveyourstudentscompletetheUAVPerformanceTest:BatteryLifetimeactivitybeforetryingthischallenge.ThatactivitywillhelpthemestimatehowlongtheirUAVcanstayairborne,whichwillhelpthemplantheirmissionstrategyinthischallenge.CreditsThisactivitywascreatedbyRandyRussellandJohnRistveyoftheUCARCenterforScienceEducation.GradeLevelThisactivityisbestsuitedforstudentsinmiddleschoolorhighschool.Someupperelementarystudentsmightbecapableofconductingthisactivityaswell.TimeRequiredTeacherPreparationTime:60minutestogathermaterialsforthesimulatedtown,setupthetown,practicetheactivityandprepUAVsforstudentuse(chargingbatteries,etc.).ClassTime:About90-135minutes,dependingonwhichoptionsyouincludeandhowmuchtimeyouhavestudentsspendonin-depthanalysisofaerialimages.
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27October,2017 18
Dependsonhowmanystudentscanbedoingtheactivityatthesametime,whichisdependentonthenumberofstudentsinyourclass,thenumberofUAV'savailable,theamountofmaterialsavailabletomakesimulatedscale-modeltowns,thenumberofadultsavailabletosupervisestudentgroups,andthespaceavailableforflying.Approximatetimesforthesubsectionsofthisactivity:ExplaintheChallenge:20minutesAssignRolestoTeamMembers:20minutesAerialPhotography:20minutesAerialSurvey:30minutes(optional)In-depthimageanalysisanddisasterresponseplanning:45minutesLearningGoals
• Studentswilllearnhowremotesensingandaerialreconnaissancecanbeusedtohelppeopleindisastersituations.
• Studentswilllearntoplananaerialsurveymissiontomaximizetheamountofusefuldatatheycanretrieveinalimitedamountoftime.
• ActivityObjectives• Studentswillpracticeinterpretingaerialphotographs.• Studentswilldiscoverthechallengesrelatedtocapturingandinterpreting
remotesensingdata.• Studentwillworkasateam,fillingvariousroles(Pilot,SafetyOfficer,
CameraOperator,etc.).LessonFormat:Hands-onactivityScienceEducationStandardsAddressedNextGenerationScienceStandards
• 3-5-ETS1EngineeringDesign• MS-ETS1EngineeringDesign• HS-ETS1EngineeringDesign
MaterialsForeachStudent:
• safetygogglesForeachGroup:
• photo(s)ofwhatthesimulatedtownlookedlikebeforethedisaster• items(tape,rubberbands,pipecleaners,etc.)forstudentstousetoattach
acameratotheirUAVinanorientationthatallowsittocaptureimagesofobjectsdirectlybeneaththeUAV
• oneormoreUAV("drone")withacameraandthecontrollerusedtoflytheUAV
o Note:weusedtheSYMAX5HW-I.Someoftheinstructionsandimagesarespecifictothisparticularmodel,butmostaspectsofthisactivitycanbedoneequallywellwithotherUAVmodels.
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27October,2017 19
• smartphoneortabletcomputerwithsoftwareappfordisplayingtheimagesandvideofromtheUAV'scamera
o Note:theSYMAbrandUAVthatweusedwhiledevelopingthisactivityincludesasoftwareappcalledSYMAFPVthatrunsonsmartphonesortablets.TheappallowsyoutoconnectwiththeUAV'scameraduringflight,watchingthelivevideofeedfromthephoneortablet.Italsoallowsyoutorecordthevideofeedortotakestillphotoswheneveryouchoose.YouwillneedtodownloadandinstalltheSYMAFPVsoftwareontothesmartphone(s)and/orcamerasyouplantousewiththisactivity.IfyouareusingadifferentUAVmodel,consultyouruser'sguideforinformationonviewingandrecordingvideoandphotoswithyourUAVmodel.
• extrabatteriesfortheUAV• stopwatch(optional)
FortheClass:• anopenspaceinwhichtofly.Werecommendflyingindoorsinalargeopen
spacelikeagymnasium.Minimally,anarea20x30feetwithaceilingheightof15feetshouldsuffice.
• materialsforbuildingthesimulated,scale-modeltown.(SeeBuldingtheTown,below.)Itemssuchastoycarsandbuildings,Duplo™and/orLego™blocks,smalldollsandfigurines,waterbottlesandsimilaritemsworkwell.Avoiditemsthataretoolightweight-the"wind"fromtheUAV'spropellerscanblowthosearound-anditemsthatcouldbreakiftheUAVlandsorcrashesontothem.
• materialsforbuildingabarrierthatblocksthestudentsviewofthesimulatedtown;suchasawaist-high"mountainrange"madebydrapingaplastictarpoverafewchairs
Preparation• Conductafewtestflightstodeterminehoweasyordifficultthisactivitywill
beforstudents.• Createasimulated,scale-modeltown(seedescriptionbelow).• ChargebatteriesfortheUAV,includingspares.• IfyourUAVmodelincludesadetachablecamera,installthecameraonthe
UAVforthisactivity.Buildingthe"Town"Usewhatevermaterialsyouhavereadilyavailabletobuildasimulated,scale-modeltown.Herearesomesuggestionsforfeaturestoincludeanditemstousetorepresentthem:
• Buildings:Woodenblocks,boxesofvarioussizes,andLego™orDuplo™blocksworkwellforbuildings.Usestacksofcans(sodacans,cannedgreenbeans,etc.)orPringles®cansforroundtowers.Buildingsmadewithpiecesorsegments,suchasblocksorstacksofcans,canreadilybeconvertedto"damaged"formsafterthe"disaster"byplacingsomeoftheirpartsonthegroundnearby.Buildingscouldincludehousesorapartments,ahospital,firedepartment,aschool,cityhall,achurch,andsoon.
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27October,2017 20
• Vehicles:Toycars,trucks,ambulancesandfiretrucks,bulldozershelptellthestoryofthedisaster'sstatus.Aretherecrashedoroverturnedvehicles?Arethereemergencyresponsevehiclesonthescene,andifso,where?Isconstructionequipmentdiggingthroughrubble?
• PeopleandAnimals:Dolls,stuffedanimalsandfigurinesofallsortscanbeusedaspeople,pets,andlivestock.PickasizethatstrikesabalancebetweenlargeenoughtorecognizeviatheUAV'scameraandnottoolargeinproportiontobuildings,vehicles,andotherfeatures.
• WaterTowers:Waterbottlesworkwellforthis,andcanreadilybeoverturnedtorepresentdamage.Dothetown'sresidentshavedrinkingwaterornot?
• GasorOilTanks:Tanksofpetroleumforfuelorheatingcanrepresentfiredangers.Metalorplasticbowls,turnedupsidedown,orsmallballscouldrepresenttanksofgasoroil.
• FloodingorLava:Blueclothorplasticsheetingcanbeusedtorepresentwaterthatisfloodingportionsofthetownifyoupresentafloodingorhurricanedisasterscenario.Makesureyour"water"issecuredtothefloorsothe"wind"fromtheUAVdoesn'tblowitaround.Redmaterialcouldrepresentlavaifyouchooseavolcaniceruptionforyourdisaster.
• Useyourimagination!Iftherearelandmarks(statues,sculptures,unusualbuildings,etc.)inyourtownornearbyplacesthatyoucanincorporatetomakethetownfeelmorefamiliartoyourstudents,addthosein.
BeawarethatlightweightobjectsmightbeblownaroundbythewindfromtheUAV'spropellers;userelativelyheavyordenseobjectsforpartsofyourtown.Youcandoaquickcheckoftheeaseordifficultyofidentifyingyourmodeltown'sfeaturesviatheUAV'scamerabyhandcarryingtheUAVoverthetownwithitscameraon.Thiscanhelpyouquicklydeterminewhethercertainfeaturesareclearlytooeasyordifficulttoidentify.KeepinmindthattheimagesfromaflyingUAV,ascomparedtoahand-heldUAV,maybemuchlessclearandfarmoredifficulttointerpret.Payattentiontoscalewhenchoosingobjects,tomakeidentificationviaimagesfromtheUAVsimpler.Adollorfigurinerepresentingapersonshouldbesmallerthanavehicle;avehicleshouldbesmallerthanabuilding.Onceyourtownisassembled,takeoneormorephotosofitinitsundamagedstate.Providethese"before"imagestoyourstudentstoserveasamapofthetown-sotheycanplanwhichareastoflyoverandphotograph-andtocomparetotheiraerialimagestoassessdamage.Youcantakemultiplephotosifyouwant:from"groundlevel",fromabove,andfromdifferentcardinaldirections(North,South,East,West).Afteryouhavephotographedtheundamagedtown,createsomedamagefromadisaster.
• Decidewhatkindofdisasteryouwanttorepresent.Youmaywanttochooseadisasterappropriateforyourregion.Forexample,isyourlocalepronetoearthquakes?Tornadoes?Flooding?Hurricanes?
• Ifyouhavebuildingsmadeofmultipleparts(blocksorstacksofcans),takesomeofthepartsoffandplacethemonthegroundnearby.
• Tipoverwaterbottlestorepresentdamagedwatertanks.
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• Dollsorfigurineslyingonthegroundcanrepresentinjuredpeople.• Overturnedvehiclescanindicatecrashes.• Thepresenceofemergencyvehiclessuchasambulancesorfiretruckscan
showwhereaidisneeded.• Youcanusebluepaperorclothorplasticsheetingtorepresent
floodwaters...butwillneedtotapethemdownorotherwisesecurethemtopreventtheUAVfromblowingthemaround.
• Stripsofredcrepepaperorplasticcanrepresentfires.Buildingthe"Mountains"The"mountains"preventthestudentsfromdirectlyviewingthedamagedtown,requiringthemtosurveythedamageviatheUAV'scamera.ThemountainsshouldbebetweentheplacewherethePilotandtherestofthestudentsstandandlocationofthesimulatedtown.Themountainsshouldbejusttallenoughtopreventstudentsfromseeingthetownbypeeringoverthemountains.Don'tmakethemountainstootall;studentsshouldbeabletokeeptheirUAVinviewatalltimeswhileflying,evenwhentheUAVishoveringoverthetownonthefarsideofthemountains.Here'soneexampleofasimplewaytomakea"mountainrange":
• Placeafewchairsside-by-side.• Drapeaplastictarp(about8x10footsizeworkswell)oroneormorebed
sheetsoverthechairs.• Tucktheendsofthetarporsheetsunderthefeetofthechairstoprevent
themfromblowingaroundwhentheUAVfliesover.Step-by-stepInstructions(fortheteacher)ExplaintheChallenge
• Explaintoyourstudentsthechallengetheyaretryingtosolveinthisactivity.
o ThenearbytownofDisastervillehasbeenstruckbyacalamity(choosebetweenanearthquake,tornado,flooding,volcaniceruption,hurricane,etc.).Communicationwiththetownhasbeencutoff.
o StudentsneedtoflytheirUAVoverthetowntosurveythedamagetoDisasterville.TheywillusethecameraandvideocapabilitiesoftheUAVtotakephotosand/orvideosofthetown.
o Youmightwanttodeviseafairlyin-depthstoryorlifelikescenarioforthischallenge,choosingadisasterscenariothatisespeciallyrelevanttotheareawhereyouandyourstudentslive.Youcouldbaseyourscenarioonactual,historicalevents.Forexample,thechallengedescriptionpagefromourMountainRescueactivityincludesanactual,real-lifescenariothatyoucouldadaptforthisactivity;floodinginamountaintowninColoradoin2013.
• Providestudentswithpre-disasterphotosofthetowntouseforreference.Thiswillhelpstudentsdecidewheretheyneedtoflyandwhatspecificfeaturestheyshouldsurvey.Asanalternative,youcouldgivethestudentsasketchedmapofthetown'slayoutandkeyfeatures.
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• Studentsshouldplantheirreconnaissanceflighttomakesuretheysurveyasmuchofthetownaspossible.Theyshoulddeterminespecificgoalsfortheirsurveyplans,suchas:checkinfrastructuresuchaswaterandgastanks,examineeachmajorbuildingintown,locateinjuredpeople,seewhereemergencyvehicleshavegone,andsoforth.
• Youmightwanttoputatime-limitonthesurveyprocess,tosimulatetheneedforquickdecisionsandactionsoftenrequiredinemergencyresponsesituations.Ifyoudoincludeatimelimit,tellyourstudentswhatthatis.
• Explaintostudentsthattheywillprobablyneedtore-examinephotosorvideostheyrecordduringtheirflightaftertheirflighthasended.Objectsthatfleetinglywhizbyinliveviewsduringtheflightcanbemorecloselyexaminedbyfreezingthevideoduringplaybackaftertheflight.Thisrealizationmayhelpinformstudentplanningoftheirsurveyflight.
• Asanoptionalfinalstageofthisactivity,youmaywanttohavestudentsformulateadisasteraidplanforthisscenarioafterthey'vecompletedtheirsurveyflight.Ifso,informthestudentsatthestartaboutthataspectofthechallenge.
• Tellstudentsthatthisisaverydifficultchallenge.Theyprobablywon'tbeabletogetgoodimagesofeverythinginthetown.Someimagesmaybequiteblurryandhardtointerpret.Explainthatintherealworld,disasterresponseteamsoftenhavetodealwithsimilardifficultiesanddothebesttheycanunderchallengingcircumstances.Encouragestudentstoremainpositiveevenifthischallengeismoredifficultthantheyexpect.
AssignRolestoTeamMembers
• Thereareseveralpossiblerolesforstudentsinthisactivity.Someareessential;otheraresomewhatoptional.Insomecases,onestudentmightbeabletofillmorethanoneroleifyouneedtokeepthestudentgroupssmall.Otherwise,thisisagreatteamactivitythatcanbebestdonebyagroupofstudents,eachfillingdifferentrolesandeffectivelycommunicationwitheachother.
• ThePilotusesthehand-heldcontrollertoflytheUAV,poweruptheUAV'spropellersinpreparationforflight,andpowerdownthepropellersaftertheUAVlands.ThePilotlistenstoinstructionsfromotherteammembersaboutwheretoflytogetthedesiredaerialimagescoveringallthekeyfeaturesinthetown.ThisactivityrequiresgoodpilotingskillstosteertheUAVtotherightspotsandhoverinplacewhilecapturingphotosandvideo.ThegroupshouldchooseoneoftheirmostskilledpilotstoflytheUAVduringthischallenge.
• ThePhotographermonitorsthevideofeedfromthecameraontheUAVduringtheflight.Sherecordsvideoand/ortakesphotosforlateranalysis.ShecommunicateswiththePilot,tellingthePilotwhichdirectiontomovetogetbetterfootageofaspecificgoalandletsthePilotknowwhentomoveonafteraparticulartargethasbeenphotographed.ThePhotographerworkscloselywiththeNavigator(describedbelow)tomakesureallkeytargetshavebeenobserved.
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o Note:theUAVmodelweusedwhiletestingthisactivityisabletosendalivevideosignalfromitscameratoatabletorsmartphoneforviewingduringflight.Theseinstructionsarewrittenforasystemwithsimilarcapabilities.SomeUAVcamerasrecordphotosandvideosduringflight,butthoseimagescannotbeviewedliveduringtheflight;theymustbedownloadedandviewedaftertheUAVhaslanded.Ifyoursystemhasaphoto/videosystemlikethat,youwillneedtomodifythisactivityslightlytoaccomodatethatsituation.
• TheNavigatorholdsthemaporpre-disasterphotosofthetown.ShecommunicateswiththePilotandthePhotographertohelpthemmakesuretheyflyoverandgetimagesofasmanykeytargetsinthetownaspossible.TheNavigatorshouldbesuretohaveaclearunderstandingofthegroup'sstrategyfortheirflightthatthegroupformulatesbeforetheyflytheirUAV.Ifyouneedtohavesmallgroups,itmaybepossibletocombinetheNavigator'sandPhotographer'sroles.
• AnoptionalSpottercanhelpthePilotbyconcentratingonkeepingtheUAVawayfromobstaclesandalertingthePilottoimmediatedangers.ThissupportcanallowthePilottofocusonthemissionofflyingoverplacestobephotographed.TheSpottercancommunicatetothePilottotakeemergencyevasiveactionsifdangerarises.TheSpotterandPilotshouldarrangeclearsignalsthattheyagreeuponbeforetheflight.
• AnoptionalTimercankeeptrackoftheflightdurationandalerttherestoftheteamaboutthepassingoftimeduringthemission.ThisisespeciallyusefulifyourstudentshavepreviouslycompletedtheUAVPerformanceTest:BatteryLifetimeactivityandknowabouthowlongtheUAV'sbatterylastsduringflight.TheTimercanlettherestoftheteamknowto"hurryup"iftheyhaveusedmostoftheirestimatedbatterychargebeforetheyhavecompletedamajorityoftheirmission.TheTimercanalertthegroupthattheyshouldflytheirUAVbacktobasesoonwhentheexpectedbatterydurationisalmostreached.
• TheRangeSafetyOfficer(RSO)hasthreeresponsibilities;explainthesetothestudents:
1. Makesureallstudentsinvolvedwiththeflightwearsafetygoggles.2. VerifythatthelaunchareaandairspaceareclearbeforetheflightandsignaltothePilot"allclear"whenready.3. AlertthePilotifanysafetyhazardsariseduringtheflight.4. Ifasafetyissueoccurs,theRSOshouldinstructthePilottolandtheUAVandstopthepropellersbypullingdown(towardsthePilot)theleftleveronthejoystickandholdingitdown.
• Beforeflying,theteamshoulddiscusswhereeachmemberwillstandduringtheflight.
o NoneofthestudentsshouldbeallowedtostandwhereshecandirectlyseeDisastervillewithoutviewingitviatheUAV'scamera.Tellthistothestudentsexplicitly.
o ThePhotographerandNavigatorneedtobenexttooneanotherandnearenoughtothePilortocommunicatetoher.
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o TheSpotteralsoneedstobenearenoughtothePilottocommunicatewithher.IftheSpotterfacesthesamedirectionasthePilot,somecommandsaresimpler("Goright...doyoumeanmyrightoryourright?").
AerialPhotography
• ThisactivitycanserveasanintroductiontoaerialphotographyandvideographyfromaUAV.YoumaydecidethatphotographyfromaUAVisitselfsufficientlychallengingforyourstudentsthatyouwouldlikethemtogainexperiencewiththatskillbeforeattemptingthisactivity.Ifso,youcouldhavethemconductarelativelyquickexerciseinwhichtheytakeaphotoorvideoofsomeobjecttoprepareforthisactivity.Thatexercisecanhelpthemdiscoverthequalitytheyshouldexpecttoachieveintheiraerialphotosandvideos,howeasyorharditistopointthecameraaccuratelyatandobject,howeasyorharditistokeepaUAVsteadywhiletakingpictures,andsoon.
o Afunvariantofthisistohaveyourstudentstakea"dronie"ofthemselves-a"selfie"phototakenfromtheUAV(drone+selfie=dronie).Thiscanpresentasignificantchallengeintheformofaseeminglysimpletask.FlyingaUAVthatisfacingtowardsthePilotistricky,since"moveleft"and"moveright"arereversed.Takingastillphotoatjusttherighttimeisnoteasy.PointingtheUAVanditscamerainjusttherightdirectionsothestudentsareallintheframeofthecameraisalsochallenging.
• TheUAVmodelthatweusedwhiletestingthisactivityhasacamerathatismountedfacinghorizontally.Inotherwords,it"looks"forwardfromthefrontoftheUAV.ThisisnotanidealalignmentfortakingphotosofobjectsdirectlybeneaththeUAV,whichisneededinthisactivity.Intestingthisactivity,weusedsometapetoattachthecameratotheUAVinanon-standardpositionsoitwasfacingdownward.Todoso,wehadtomakesurethecamerawasstillfirmlyattached,wasnotinterferingwiththeUAV'spropellers,andwasstillcloseenoughtothesocketontheUAVwherethewirefromthecameraplugsin.Also,ourdownward-pointingmountingleftthecamerasomewhatoff-center,whichcausedtheUAVtobesomewhatmoredifficultforthePilottocontrol.YoumightwantyourstudentstocompletetheUAVPerformanceTest:CarryaPayloadactivitybeforeattemptingthischallenge;itwillgivethemexperienceflyingtheUAVwhenitisabitmorechallengingtocontrolduetotheaddedweight.Youcanhaveyourstudentstakeonthechallengeofhowtobestmountthecamerainadownward-pointingorientation,posingitasanengineeringdesignchallengethatispartofthisoverallchallenge.Yourstudentsmightinventacreativesolutiontothisproblem,suchasmountingasmallmirrorinfrontofthecameraata45degreeangletoeffectivelymakeit"look"downward.
AerialSurvey
1. PlaceabatteryinsideaUAV,connecttheUAVwiretothebatterywire,closethebatterycompartment.
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2. TheteacherandtheRangeSafetyOfficershouldinspecttheUAVandthecameramountingforsafety.
3. PlacetheUAVinsideofandnearoneedgeofthespaceyouhaveavailableforflying.
4. ProvidethePilotwiththeUAVcontroller.5. Whenitissafetofly,havetheRangeSafetyOfficerindicatetothePilotthat
shecantakeoff.6. ThePilotshouldcontroltheUAVtotakeoffandflyacrosstheFlightArea,
overthesimulatedmountains,andhoverabovethesimulatedtown(henceforthreferredtoas"Disasterville").The(optional)TimershouldstartthestopwatchwhentheUAVtakesoffandshouldmonitortheelapsedtimethroughouttheflight.
7. TheNavigatorandthePhotographershouldadvisethePilotwheretosteertobringkeylandmarksinDisastervilleintothecamera'sfieldofview.
8. ThePhotographershouldtakephotosofkeyfeaturesastheycomeintoviewand/orrecordvideothroughouttheflight.
9. IfyouincludetheoptionalSpotterrole,thatstudentshouldadvisethePilotif/whentheUAVisdriftingawayfromthesafeareatoflyorgettingtooclosetoanyobstacles(suchasthesimulatedmountains).ThissupportfromtheSpottercanallowthePilottofocusmorefullyonfollowinginstructionsfromtheNavigatorandPhotographerthroughoutmostoftheflight.
10. ThePilotshouldflytheUAVbacktothetakeofflocationandlanditgentlyonce:
a. TheNavigatorandPhotographerdecidethatallofthekeyfeaturesofDisastervillehavebeenphotographedorcapturedonvideo,or
b. TheUAV'sbatterygetslow,eitherasindicatedbyflashinglightsontheUAVorwhentheTimerindicatesthatthebatteryisduetorunout
11. Aftertheflight,allstudentsontheteamshouldreviewthephotosand/orvideosfromtheflightandassessthestateofaffairsinDisastervilleanddeterminetheextentandtypeofdamagetothetown.Theyshouldreporttheirfindingstotheteacher.
Thereareseveraloptionalextensionstothisactivitythatyoucanhaveyourstudentstryifyouhaveenoughtime.DetailsofthoseoptionsaredescribedintheBackground&Extensionssection(tab)ofthisactivitywriteup.Thoseoptionsinclude:formulatingadisasteraidplanforthetownbasedontheirreconnaissanceimages,makingmultiplesurveyflightswithanalysisandnext-flightplanningsessionsbetween,conductingthisactivityasawhole-class,largegroupexercise,oraddingaverychallengingtaskofdroppingoffsuppliesintoorcarryingsomethingoutofthestrickentown.AssessmentThereareseveraltimesduringthisactivitywhenyoucanassessstudentsperformance.Thesearemostlynaturalconsequences...properactionsbythestudentsresultinsuccessfulflights,whileinappropriatebehaviorsarelikelytoresultinpoorflights.Youcanusethisin-depthassessmentrubricorrefertothebulletpointsbelowtoevaluatestudentperformance.
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• HavethestudentsmountedtheircameraontheUAVinawaythatallowsthemtocapturegoodpictures?Isthemountingsafe,unlikelytointerferewiththepropellers,andunlikelytofalloffduringflight?
• DothestudentshaveagoodplanforphotographingkeyfeaturesinDisasterville?
• DothePilot,Navigator,andPhotographerhaveagoodplantocommunicatewitheachotherduringtheirflight?Dotheycommunicatewellduringthesurveyflight?LikewisefortheSpotterandTimerifyouincludethoseroles.
• DostudentssuccessfullycaptureimagesofmostofthekeyfeaturesinDisasterville?
• Howwelldothestudentsinterprettheirdata(photosandvideos)andaccuratelyassessdamagetothetown?
• Howgoodisthestudents'planfortheirrecommendedemergencyresponsetothetown?Dotheyhaveagoodsenseofsuppliestosend?Ofthescopeofthedamage?Ofthenumberofinjuredpeople?Ofurgentissuestoaddress(destroyedwatertowerorfirehazardfrompetroleumtanks)?
• DostudentssuccessfullyflytheirUAVtothetownandbackandlandsafely?DotheycrashandlosetheUAVsomewherenearthetown?DotheycrashtheirUAVontoanythinginthetown?
TeachingTipsSafety
• Avoidwind(werecommendflyinginalargeindooropenspacesuchasaschoolcafeteriaorgymnasium)
• Beforeflyingindoors,checkthespaceyouplantouseforsafety.Arethereanylightfixtures,A/VequipmentorothersensitiveobjectssuspendedfromtheceilingthatcouldbedamagediftheUAVcollidedwiththem?ArethereanyfiresprinklerheadsthatmightbesetoffifdisturbedbytheUAV,floodingtheroom?CarefullyinspectthespaceforhazardsandfragileobjectsthatcouldbedamagedbytheUAV.AgymnasiumcanbeagoodchoiceforindoorflyingsincethefixturesinagymaregenerallydesignedtowithstandbeinghitbyobjectsheavierthanasmallUAV,suchasbasketballs.
• Beforeeachflight,checktomakesurethestudentPilotknowshowtoquicklylandtheUAVandhowtoquicklystoptheUAV'spropellers.Intheeventofacrash,sometimesthepropellerswillcontinuetospin(iftheUAVisleaningagainstawallorisupsidedown)untilthePilotturnsoffthepropellers.InthecaseoftheSYMAUAVmodelweusedwhiledevelopingthisactivity,thePilotmustpulltheleftjoysticktowardsherselfandholditforacoupleofsecondsuntiltheUAVpropellersstop.ChecktheinstructionsforyourUAVtomakesureyouknowyourmodelworks.StudentscanbecomeabitflusteredwhenaUAVcrashes,soitisagoodideatoreviewthis"emergency"shutdownprocedureimmediatelybeforeeachflight.
• WheneverastudentwhoisinexperiencedatPilotingiscontrollingtheUAV,itisimportantfortheteachertobenearthePilotandofferassistanceasnecessaryduringtheflight.Intheeventofanunsafesituation,helpthestudentinneedortakecontrolfromthePilottoensurethateveryoneissafe
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• Practiceatlowaltitudes• Setandobserveflightsinsafeplaceswithboundariesclearofhazards• Bealert.Don'tletenthusiasmovercomecommonsense• Ifthereisapotentialdanger,stopandchangethesituation
OptionalExtensions• Asafollowuptothedamageassessmentreport,havestudentsformulatea
disasteraidplantohelpthetowno Isemergencymedicalassistanceneededforinjuredpeople?How
manyinjuredtownsfolkdidthestudentsspot?o Isthereaneedforemergencyshelter?Weremanybuildings
damaged?Howseverely?o Werethewatertanksorthepetroleumstoragetanksdamaged?Do
thetownsfolkneedsuppliesoffreshwater?Isthereadangerofthepetroleumtanksingniting?
o Ifpossible,whatifanyaidsuppliesshouldbeflowntothetown?Ifpossible,shouldanyinjuredpeoplebeairliftedoutofthetown?
• Dependingonthetimeyouhaveforthisactivity,youmightallowstudentstoconductmorethanonereconnaisanceflight.Aftertheyreviewtheirphotosandvideos,theymaydiscoverthattheydidn'tgetimagesofcertainfeaturesofthatsomeoftheirimagesareofpoorquality.Theirsecond(andsubsequent?)flightcouldfocusongettingbetterimagesofitemstheymissed.Westronglyrecommendyouallowstudentsmorethanoneflightiftimepermits;itcanbeverydifficulttogetgoodimagesonafirstflightandfrustratingtotrytointerpretpoorimages.
• Thiscanalsobeawhole-classactivity.ThefirstteamtosurveyDisastervillecoulddescribetheirdiscoveriestotheothergroups;thendifferentgroupscouldfocusoncapturingimagesofareasthefirstgroupmissed,orthatrequireasecondlookfromanotherangleorabetterqualityimage.Thisapproachrequiresalotofcommunicationandbetween-groupcooperation.
• Youcouldalsohavestudentsattempttoeitherdeliversimulatedaidsuppliestothetownviaadrop-offfromaUAVortoairliftaninjuredpersonoutofDisasterville.ThiswouldbeaVERYchallengingextensiontothisactivity.Ifyouchoosethisoption,itwouldprobablybegoodforstudentstocompletetheUAVChallenge:RetrieveaPayloadactivitybeforetakingonthischallenge.
MoreUAVActivities• LearntoFly!UAVFlightSchool• LearntoFly!UAVFirstFlight• LearntoFly!AerialManeuverswithaUAV• UAVPerformanceTest:BatteryLifetime• UAVPerformanceTest:CarryaPayload• UAVChallenge:RetrieveaPayload
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AdditionalIdeasUseyourdronetocheckoutsomethingthatisn’treadilyvisible.(Setupatypeofscavengerhuntwhereyouaskthingslike“whatobjectisontheroof?”or“submitapictureofanislandinapond.”Takepicturesofthesamethingfromtwodifferentpointsofview.Identifysimilaritiesinthepicturetoalignthem.Useimage-processingsoftwaretogenerateared/bluecompositeimage.Viewitwithred/blueglassesforathree-dimensionalvisualization.Howdoestemperatureaffectbatterylife/flyingtime?Canyouflylongerincoldorwarmtemperatures?Athighorlowelevations?Whatotherfactorsmightaffectthemaximumflightduration?Whatisthemaximumdistance(range)atwhichyoucancontrolyourUAV?CanyourUAVreceivesignalsthroughwood?brick?glass?metal?Deviseatesttofindoutwhichmaterials(orwhatdistance)interferewiththesignalfromyourcontrollertoyourUAV.Considerconductingsimilartestswithotherremotedevices(Bluetoothcomputermouse,cordlesstelephone,otherRCtoys)Takeseveralphotoswithyourdroneandusesoftwareto“stitch”themtogethertoproduceaphoto-realisticmapofaparkorschoolcampus.Howoftenmightyouneedtoupdatethemaptoensurethatitremainsuptodate?Woulditremainthesameineachseason?Setupachallenge:Modelthestepsitwouldtaketodeliverfood,water,andmedicalsuppliestoanareawhereadisasteroccurred.Takeapayloadofaminimumweighttoaspecifiedlocation,deliverit,andflythedronebacktoyou.Exploresocialfacetsofusingdrones.Somepeopleareagainsttheuseofdronesforvariousreasons(theiruseinwar,potentialforinvasionofprivacy,thenuisanceofnoise)Choosealocationandtakerepeatphotographytodocumentchange.Pre-requisite:FigureouthowtoflyyourUAVtothesameheightandlocationonmultipleoccasionsfortimeseriesphotos.ConsiderusingGLOBEand/orNature’sNotebookprotocolstobecomefamiliarwithobservablechangesinplantsandanimalsindifferentseasons.Howwouldyoumodifytheprotocolstomakeobservationswithyourrecreationaldrone?AcknowledgementsThesedraftactivitieswerecontributedbyvolunteerswhoparticipateintheEducationCommitteeoftheESIP(EarthScienceInformationPartners)Federation.ThankstoLuAnnDahlman,Collabralink,Inc./NOAAClimateProgramOffice;MargaretMooney,CIMSS/UW-Madison;ShelleyOlds,UNAVCO;RandyRussell,UCARCenterforScienceEducation,andDanZalles,SRI.
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