Law Enforcement UASLaw Enforcement UASConcept of Concept of OperationsOperations

US Forest ServiceUS Forest Service

Law Enforcement & Law Enforcement & InvestigationsInvestigations

DRAFT

Issues- LEIIssues- LEI

Direct contact with ATC may not always be Direct contact with ATC may not always be possible.possible.• Options: cell phone, sat phone, hand held radio or Options: cell phone, sat phone, hand held radio or

indirect via relayindirect via relay Law Enforcement & Investigations (LEI) missions Law Enforcement & Investigations (LEI) missions

will require immediate (6 hours to 24 hours) COA will require immediate (6 hours to 24 hours) COA submission and approval.submission and approval.• Never know where or when the criminal activity will Never know where or when the criminal activity will

occur.occur. LEI missions may require some flight in IMC LEI missions may require some flight in IMC

(smoke) and at night.(smoke) and at night.• Line of sight observation would be intermittentLine of sight observation would be intermittent

Mission Overview- LEIMission Overview- LEI

USFS LEI has enforcement and USFS LEI has enforcement and investigation responsibility for 193 investigation responsibility for 193 million acres of forest and grasslands million acres of forest and grasslands in 42 states and 1 territoryin 42 states and 1 territory

LEI officers and agents often need to LEI officers and agents often need to be able to gather ISR on criminal be able to gather ISR on criminal activities and SAR missions activities and SAR missions

Mission Purpose- LEIMission Purpose- LEI

Collect real-time photo/ video Collect real-time photo/ video color/IR data and transmit to Law color/IR data and transmit to Law Enforcement Officers/Special Agents Enforcement Officers/Special Agents

LEI incident conditions can be LEI incident conditions can be mountainous with heavy vegetation mountainous with heavy vegetation

Provide another level of officer Provide another level of officer safety, situational awareness and safety, situational awareness and ability to find and avoid hazardous ability to find and avoid hazardous conditions/persons. conditions/persons.

Concept Overview- LEIConcept Overview- LEI The Forest Service intends to utilize small The Forest Service intends to utilize small

UAS for tactical intelligence collection on UAS for tactical intelligence collection on criminal investigations, fugitive and SAR criminal investigations, fugitive and SAR missionsmissions

UAS would be used by Law Enforcement UAS would be used by Law Enforcement Officers/Special Agents to provide real-Officers/Special Agents to provide real-time photo/video and infrared imagery time photo/video and infrared imagery pro-actively (e.g. raid planning and drug pro-actively (e.g. raid planning and drug site reconnaissance) and also reactively site reconnaissance) and also reactively (e.g. fugitive or search and rescue (e.g. fugitive or search and rescue missions) missions)

COA Process- LEICOA Process- LEI

Submit “original” COA with baseline Submit “original” COA with baseline informationinformation

When a LE Incident occurs, request When a LE Incident occurs, request an emergency COA with location, an emergency COA with location, date/time, and other changesdate/time, and other changes

What’s DifferentWhat’s DifferentOriginal COAOriginal COA ProponentProponent POCPOC Operational DescriptionOperational Description System DescriptionSystem Description PerformancePerformance AirworthinessAirworthiness ProceduresProcedures Avionics/ Eq.Avionics/ Eq. LightsLights SpectrumSpectrum ATC commATC comm Visual SurveillanceVisual Surveillance Flight Ops Area/ PlanFlight Ops Area/ Plan Flight CrewFlight Crew ObserversObservers Special CircumstancesSpecial Circumstances

Emergency COA ChangesEmergency COA Changes Proponent- No ChangeProponent- No Change POC- No ChangePOC- No Change Operational Description- Operational Description- Night ops & operational Night ops & operational

area and date/timearea and date/time System Description- No ChangeSystem Description- No Change Performance- No ChangePerformance- No Change Airworthiness- No ChangeAirworthiness- No Change Procedures- No ChangeProcedures- No Change Avionics/ Eq.- No ChangeAvionics/ Eq.- No Change Lights- No ChangeLights- No Change Spectrum- No ChangeSpectrum- No Change ATC comm- ATC comm- Indirect via phone or radioIndirect via phone or radio Visual Surveillance- Visual Surveillance- Intermittent based on Intermittent based on

conditions and terrainconditions and terrain Flight Ops Area/ Plan- Flight Ops Area/ Plan- Various locations in TFRVarious locations in TFR Flight Crew- No ChangeFlight Crew- No Change Observers- No ChangeObservers- No Change Special Circumstances- Special Circumstances- all flight < 1000’, Class G, all flight < 1000’, Class G,

Sky Seer System Description- LEISky Seer System Description- LEI The The Octatron SkySeerOctatron SkySeer is an autonomous, computer is an autonomous, computer

controlled unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for controlled unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for easy transport and launch. It is designed and easy transport and launch. It is designed and manufactured by Octatron, Incorporated of LaVerne, manufactured by Octatron, Incorporated of LaVerne, CA USA.CA USA.

Wingspan: 6.5' Wingspan: 6.5' Weight: 3.125 lbsWeight: 3.125 lbsEndurance: 45 to 60 min. at Endurance: 45 to 60 min. at cruise of 23 mphcruise of 23 mph

Sky Seer System Description- LEISky Seer System Description- LEI Intended for short-range operations, the electric-powered Intended for short-range operations, the electric-powered

SkySeer resembles a RC airplane or two-meter glider. Once SkySeer resembles a RC airplane or two-meter glider. Once unfolded from its storage tube and its electronics initialized, unfolded from its storage tube and its electronics initialized, the SkySeer is then hand-launched by its operator. All of the SkySeer is then hand-launched by its operator. All of the UAV’s basic flight functions are handled by the UAV’s basic flight functions are handled by GPSGPS and and manual control, including landings. It is also capable of manual control, including landings. It is also capable of autonomous takeoffs and landings. Range is autonomous takeoffs and landings. Range is approximately two miles/3.2km and is extendable via approximately two miles/3.2km and is extendable via Octatron's NetWeaver interface. It is normally flown at 250 Octatron's NetWeaver interface. It is normally flown at 250 AGL.AGL.

Video interface is in real time and allows the operator to Video interface is in real time and allows the operator to literally see what the UAV sees and to record it as such. The literally see what the UAV sees and to record it as such. The ground station's recorder can store up to twenty hours of ground station's recorder can store up to twenty hours of high-quality high-quality MPEG-2MPEG-2 format video which can then be format video which can then be transferred to transferred to DVD DVD or or Macromedia FlashMacromedia Flash..

LEI- Mission #1LEI- Mission #1

An LEI supervisor would determine An LEI supervisor would determine the need to see over the trees, the need to see over the trees, through vegetation, down a canyon through vegetation, down a canyon etc.etc.

Hand launch the UAS, control the Hand launch the UAS, control the UAS from that location as well as UAS from that location as well as receive data from the cameras and receive data from the cameras and make tactical decisions based on the make tactical decisions based on the data.data.

Mission SafetyMission Safety

Pilots would meet 08-01, 9.1.1.1- Pilots would meet 08-01, 9.1.1.1- Operations not requiring a pilot certificateOperations not requiring a pilot certificate

Radio communication with the pilotRadio communication with the pilot Special airworthiness certificate or Special airworthiness certificate or

airworthiness statementairworthiness statement Airspace - within TFR –Class G typically Airspace - within TFR –Class G typically

250 but <400AGL250 but <400AGL• Additional to TFR could be “UAS operations at Additional to TFR could be “UAS operations at

1000 ft. or below”1000 ft. or below” Utilize LEI UAS Operational PlanUtilize LEI UAS Operational Plan

The MissionThe Mission

Small, 4 lb. UASSmall, 4 lb. UAS Class G airspaceClass G airspace Fly within 14 CFR 91.137 (a) (2) TFRs Fly within 14 CFR 91.137 (a) (2) TFRs

ordered specifically for the LE ordered specifically for the LE incident.incident.

Flight Level < 400 ft. Flight Level < 400 ft. Airworthiness Statement/CertificateAirworthiness Statement/Certificate

Agency UAS PolicyAgency UAS Policy Recently updated Agency Aviation Manual Recently updated Agency Aviation Manual

to include UAS operations.to include UAS operations. UAS are considered the same as manned UAS are considered the same as manned

aircraft regarding- aircraft, inspections, aircraft regarding- aircraft, inspections, maintenance, training, acquisition and maintenance, training, acquisition and reportingreporting

All acquisitions will have a manufacturer’s All acquisitions will have a manufacturer’s special airworthiness certificate or special airworthiness certificate or airworthiness certificateairworthiness certificate

USFS UAS operations will comply with FAA USFS UAS operations will comply with FAA policy (08-01) and/ or regulationspolicy (08-01) and/ or regulations

Develop an LEI UAS Operational PlanDevelop an LEI UAS Operational Plan

Operations DescriptionOperations Description

Fly within TFRs in all 50 statesFly within TFRs in all 50 states Class G airspaceClass G airspace Primarily VFR, but some IMC (night)Primarily VFR, but some IMC (night) <400 ft. flight level<400 ft. flight level

DRAFT

BenefitsBenefits

Collect flight data on visual Collect flight data on visual characteristics, visibility, etc.characteristics, visibility, etc.

Publish or submit to FAA Publish or submit to FAA Increased officer safety Increased officer safety

20092009

COA issued for LE Investigation COA issued for LE Investigation within US. within US.

LE Project team operates UAS on LE Project team operates UAS on reconnaissance within COA reconnaissance within COA provisionsprovisions

Submit feedback and data to FAA Submit feedback and data to FAA post-incidentpost-incident