UAV/SUAS

Flying Robots Replace Oil Roughnecks

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cyberhawkrig

“We decided to focus on oil and gas because the barriers to entry are very high, but there are real problems to be solved and the economics were better, despite the very low oil price,” Blackford says.

Business, Blackford says, is booming. Although the first drone inspections were carried out five years ago, demand for Sky Futures’ and Cyberhawk’s services has surged, more than doubling in the last year alone.

At the start of 2015 the Federal Aviation Administration finally relaxed its stance on drones flying in U.S. airspace, giving companies like Sky Futures access to the world’s largest offshore market. ”We will continue doubling, if not tripling, revenues over the next three to five years,” says Blackford.

Drone Data

Inspections involve sending one drone operator and one engineer out to a rig to fly a small aerial vehicle around the platform, building a 3D model of the structure and mapping any anomalies.

“What we can capture in five days using a drone could take eight weeks with human inspectors,” Blackford says. “We can even inspect the flare stacks while in production, which saves money.” Avoiding a shutdown can save more than $4 million, the company says.

Once the data is captured, it’s analyzed using proprietary algorithms and presented through an online portal, instead of a traditional paper report. Each flaw is flagged in red, amber or green, based on urgency. Thanks to lasers, Sky Futures’ drones can track cracks and corrosion and map how they evolve over time. They can even sniff for gas leaks.

Cyberhawk, founded in 2008 in Livingston, Scotland, offers a similar service to oil and gas companies as well as inspecting renewable energy plants with wind turbines, communications towers, pipelines and railway lines and bridges.

Cyberhawk’s commercial director, Phil Buchan, says his customers don’t care about the drones, only the data: “They care about the information you can give them and the decisions you can help them make.”

Blackford agrees: “We view ourselves as a data business and not a drone business.”

North Carolina-based PrecisionHawk has served the oil and gas industry by mapping the ice roads across remote areas of Alaska. In the past, coming within five miles of a polar bear den would have meant the replanning of routes at a cost of millions of dollars to avoid the animals. PrecisionHawk’s drones can identify the dens in advance.

Automation

The next milestone for inspection drones is automating their flight. “We still have to send out an oil and gas inspection engineer and a drone pilot. Our vision is total automation,” says Blackford.

Trouble is, drone technology isn’t yet good enough.

Jeremy Howitt, who oversees drone research at Qinetiq, says, “Once aircraft know where other vehicles and obstacles are and they have the ability to safely avoid collisions and areas of known traffic density, it will open up many new applications.”

Beyond oil and gas, there are plenty of other applications for these airborne inspectors.

“Oil and gas is a big vertical, but the same technology applies to lots of industries — wind farms, solar, other refineries, pipelines and other fixed infrastructure,” says Simon Menashy, investment director at venture capital firm MMC Ventures, which invested $4 million in Sky Futures in May. That’s before even looking at construction and agriculture. “There is lots of opportunity,” he adds.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-21/flying-robots-replace-oil-roughnecks

How to Officially Report Your Drone Flight Plans to Nearby Pilots

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Let other pilots know where you’re gonna be in the air up there.
By Chris Clarke

U.S. pilots are lucky enough to have free access to an abundance of flight information via Flight Service Stations since the 1920s. This service is generally used to check weather along a desired route and to file and close flight plans. Now with the proliferation of drones flying in the same airspace as regular airplanes, the service is integrating information on unmanned flights as well, and you can participate.

For the majority of its existence, Flight Service for pilots was accessed by a phone call to your local station. You’d be connected with a local briefer who would have intimate knowledge of local weather patterns and airport procedures, and could inform you of any closed runways or inoperative approach lights. After you were satisfied that you’d received enough information pertaining to your flight, you could then file a flight plan while you were still on the line. It was very common to call hours before your flight to get an outlook briefing and then again right before departure to check if any major changes might have popped up.

In more recent years, this job has been handed over to Lockheed Martin, who has been hard at work consolidating information into a nationwide system to more quickly and automatically disseminate information to pilots. To accomplish this, Lockheed Martin has implemented an Adverse Conditions Alerting Service to automatically send pilots alerts for things like newly forecasted severe weather, newly restricted airspace due to government or military activity, or things like a high density of aerial firefighting activity. In the wake of rising reports by pilots of drone sightings, Lockheed Martin has added Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS or drones) flight areas to this alerting service as well.

If you happen to be one of the roughly 1,200 commercial drone operators to receive an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly in the national airspace system, then you are required by law to declare your intended flight by filing a plan with Flight Service. The “hobbyist” and fly-by-night drone operators are also encouraged to participate in the system too, hopefully limiting the chances of a mid-air collision.

U.S. pilots are lucky enough to have free access to an abundance of flight information via Flight Service Stations since the 1920s. This service is generally used to check weather along a desired route and to file and close flight plans. Now with the proliferation of drones flying in the same airspace as regular airplanes, the service is integrating information on unmanned flights as well, and you can participate.

For the majority of its existence, Flight Service for pilots was accessed by a phone call to your local station. You’d be connected with a local briefer who would have intimate knowledge of local weather patterns and airport procedures, and could inform you of any closed runways or inoperative approach lights. After you were satisfied that you’d received enough information pertaining to your flight, you could then file a flight plan while you were still on the line. It was very common to call hours before your flight to get an outlook briefing and then again right before departure to check if any major changes might have popped up.

In more recent years, this job has been handed over to Lockheed Martin, who has been hard at work consolidating information into a nationwide system to more quickly and automatically disseminate information to pilots. To accomplish this, Lockheed Martin has implemented an Adverse Conditions Alerting Service to automatically send pilots alerts for things like newly forecasted severe weather, newly restricted airspace due to government or military activity, or things like a high density of aerial firefighting activity. In the wake of rising reports by pilots of drone sightings, Lockheed Martin has added Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS or drones) flight areas to this alerting service as well.

If you happen to be one of the roughly 1,200 commercial drone operators to receive an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly in the national airspace system, then you are required by law to declare your intended flight by filing a plan with Flight Service. The “hobbyist” and fly-by-night drone operators are also encouraged to participate in the system too, hopefully limiting the chances of a mid-air collision.

 

http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/drones/a16987/how-to-officially-report-your-drone-flight-plant-to-nearby-pilots/

Knock, Knock. Your UAV Was There

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If technology can make it possible to catch irresponsible drone operators in the act while improving flight safety for manned and unmanned aircraft, shouldn’t we be using it?
By Patrick C. Miller

Normally I don’t like to visit the same subject two weeks in a row, but a brief conversation with the FAA this week and a couple interviews for an upcoming article got me to thinking about drone safety once again.

I called Les Dorr at the FAA to ask him about the agency’s recent warning to drone operators. Because of a large spike this year in the number of pilots who’ve reported seeing UAS near their aircraft, the agency wants drone operators to know that flying too close to manned aircraft can result in the FAA levying civil and criminal penalties.

The FAA’s concern is understandable, although it begs the question: How successful has the agency (or anyone else, for that matter) been in catching and taking action against reported violators? After all, in 2014 and this year, there have been nearly 900 pilot reports. But after saying that the FAA has initiated more than 20 enforcement cases, Dorr added: “Several of the cases involve UAS operating near other aircraft.”

Dorr explained how difficult it is to actually catch a drone operator flying in restricted airspace, even when a pilot report is fairly specific. By the time the FAA notifies the proper local law enforcement agency and an officer can be sent to the area, there’s a good chance the offending party will no longer be there. And even if he or she is, it’s often difficult to spot the drone pilot from the ground.

So the likelihood of a UAS airspace violator getting caught and suffering the consequences is quite low. As with Internet communications, anonymity has a tendency to cause people to say and do things that they usually wouldn’t. As long some—probably a few—UAS pilots know that there’s little chance of getting caught, they don’t feel compelled to observe airspace restrictions.

And that leads me to another discussion I had this week with Paul Jauregui of the Praetorian Group and Chris Eyhorn with DroneSense. Praetorian—a security firm—and DroneSense—a UAS startup company—partnered on a project to survey how many electronic devices in Austin, Texas, are connected to the Internet. A sensor developed by Praetorian was installed on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) owned and operated by DroneSense, which flew it over sections of Austin.

Essentially, the drone-mounted sensor interrogated the Internet-connected devices through the ZigBee Wi-Fi standard they use. Using this data, Praetorian created a map showing the types of devices and where they’re located. This data can help Praetorian develop better methods to keep Wi-Fi networks secure.

What does this have to do with UAS safety and catching irresponsible drone pilots in the act? If an airborne sensor light enough to be carried by a small UAS can obtain information from an Internet-connected device the size of a lightbulb in a building on the ground, why can’t similar technology be used to link a drone to its owner?

It occurs to me that we have the technology to help solve the UAS safety problem. Every UAV sold should be equipped with an embedded chip that contains an electronic ID number registered to the aircraft owner. The information should be uploaded to an FAA database.

A sensor similar to the one Praetorian has developed could be installed on commercial aircraft operating in high-traffic areas or be made available to law enforcement agencies. At the touch of a button, the sensor would record the UAV’s ID number, as well as the time of the contact and the GPS coordinates of where it occurred.

Would UAS operators be as bold about pushing the regulatory envelope if they knew there was a good chance the FAA or a law enforcement operator might coming knocking on their doors? I think not.

http://www.uasmagazine.com/blog/article/2015/08/knock-knock-your-uav-was-there

FAA warns UAS operators to stay away from manned aircraft

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By Patrick C. Miller | August 20, 2015
  • Because of an increase in drone sightings by pilots, the FAA is warning UAS operators that flying drones near manned aircraft is dangerous and illegal.
    PHOTO: UAS MAGAZINE

Concerned about an increase in pilots reporting encounters with unmanned aerial systems (UAS), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) wants drone pilots to understand that operating their aircraft around manned aircraft is dangerous and illegal.

While the FAA said unauthorized UAS operators can face stiff fines and criminal charges, including possible jail time, catching them remains problematic.

FAA spokesperson Les Dorr told UAS Magazine: “As you can appreciate, it’s a challenge when we get a pilot report and sometimes the report is not very specific. Even when it is specific—say the pilot says ‘I saw a quadcopter 200 feet off my port wing and I was 3.5 miles from the end of the runway’—that’s still a pretty big area in which to try to identify the operator.”

Dorr described the action the agency takes in such circumstances.

“What we would typically do is notify the appropriate law enforcement organization and have them try to see if they could identify the operator—but it is a challenge,” he added.

Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), said the organization supports enforcement action against careless and reckless UAS operators who violate restricted airspace.

“Stricter enforcement will not only punish irresponsible operators, it will also serve as a deterrent to others who may misuse the technology,” he noted.

Last year, the FAA said it received a total of 238 UAS sightings from pilots, but this year had received 650 such reports by early August. The agency said it has levied civil penalties for a number of unauthorized flights in various parts of the country, and has dozens of open enforcement cases.

Asked how many and what types of penalties the FAA has levied, Dorr checked with the FAA’s general counsel, and responded: “We have initiated more than 20 enforcement cases. We have settled five cases in which operators paid civil penalties. We have proposed penalties in at least five other cases. Several of the cases involve UAS operating near other aircraft.”

The FAA said pilots reported seeing 16 unmanned aircraft in June of 2014, and 36 the following month. This year, 138 pilots reported seeing drones at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet during the month of June, and another 137 in July.

In addition, the agency said firefighters battling wildfires in the western U.S. have been forced to halt operations on several occasions for safety reasons when they spotted one or more unmanned aircraft in their immediate vicinity.

Wynne called on the FAA to finalize its small UAS rules, which would require all UAS operators to follow the safety programming of a community-based organization or abide by new UAS rules for commercial operators.

“Once the rules are finalized, consumers will no longer be able to fly without any oversight or education,” he said.

The FAA said it will continue to work closely with industry partners through the “Know Before You Fly” campaign to educate UAS users about where they can operate within the rules. The agency is also supporting the National Interagency Fire Center’s “If You Fly, We Can’t” efforts to help reduce interference with firefighting operations.

The agency also said it’s working closely with the law enforcement community to identify and investigate unauthorized unmanned aircraft operations. The FAA encourages the public to report unauthorized drone operations to local law enforcement and help discourage dangerous, illegal UAS activity.

http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1210/faa-warns-uas-operators-to-stay-away-from-manned-aircraft

As use of drones takes off, so will risks, says Lloyd’s of London

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oldold3drquad

A sharp escalation in the use of drones will bring increasingly complex risks from cyberattack, reckless pilots and privacy issues, a new report from the Lloyd’s of London insurance market has warned. Spending on unmanned aerial vehicles is likely to double to more than $90bn by 2024, Lloyd’s predicted, but makers and users of the machines, as well as insurers, are relatively unprepared for the emerging consequences.

“Drone technology has significant potential, but is a particularly novel – and controversial – emerging technology. Insurance is expected to be a key component in the risk-management framework that will need to be developed for the systems to operate safely and with due regard to third-party interests,” it argues in the report “Drones take flight”.

“As the market for drones continues to expand, manufacturers can expect to face increasingly complex and high-value risk exposures. Protection of intellectual property and the management of product liability will also likely need to be considered in the scope of insurance cover.”

Drones have a controversial image because of their use by the military, but the technology is increasingly being expanded into a number of civil and commercial uses.

Put simply: drones sound like fun gizmos, until they’re falling on our heads or spying on us.

“This technology has immense power, but it has developed faster than regulations,” says Nick Beecroft, Lloyd’s of London’s manager of emerging risk and research. “Regulators and insurers don’t yet have comfort and clarity here. And no one wants a free-for-all.”

Beecroft says the explosion in drone is largely the result of huge drops in the cost of such tech. An app-controlled quad-copter capable of shooting 1080p video is $1,000, a fraction of what such machines cost even five years ago.

“The growth in maturity and affordability is incredible,” says Beecroft. “What’s needed is a sensible debate on the risk management of drones.”

Drones have quickly mushroomed from backyard hobbyist toys to powerful commercial tools. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) expenditures over the next 10 years are expected to total $91 billion, according to the Teal Group. But  the sector remains largely unregulated and potentially dangerous.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/20/as-use-of-drones-takes-off-so-will-risks-says-lloyds-insurers

Eye in the sky shows farming possibilities

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 By Terry Anderson, Midwest Producer News Editor

COLBY, Kan. — It may have been a bit foggy, but that didn’t deter the demonstrations of small Unmanned Aerial Systems near Colby on Aug. 10. About 50 farm producers, agribusiness representatives and others interested in drone technology attended the outdoor display, followed by an indoor presentation by the demonstration companies and other experts.

The event was organized by the Kansas Ag Research and Technology Association (KARTA).

The fog may have hampered observations, but the four airborne systems could be heard as they criss-crossed nearby fields, sending live visuals back to equipment on the ground.

Apis Remote Sensing Systems of Hays, Kan., demonstrated an AgEagle fixed-wing system, manufactured in Neodesha, Kan., as well as a four-prop helicopter-type drone. Chris Pope of Crop Quest in Dodge City and Thomas Harris of Agribotix in Boulder, Colo., also demonstrated four-prop drones.

The exhibitors noted the fast advancements in the aerial systems, despite lack of clear regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration. The UAVs are being used as part of commercial agronomy packages.

http://www.midwestproducer.com/news/agri-tech/eye-in-the-sky-shows-farming-possibilities/article_8af491e0-4690-11e5-ac9d-97beefa3ce40.html

Teal Group Predicts Worldwide UAV Production Will Total $93 Billion in Its 2015 UAV Market Profile and Forecast

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Darts_in_a_dartboard

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) continue as the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace industry this decade, report Teal analysts in their latest market analysis. New unmanned combat aerial vehicle programs, commercial, and consumer spending all promise to drive more than a tripling of the market over the next decade.

Teal Group’s 2015 market study estimates that UAV production will soar from current worldwide UAV production of $4 billion annually to $14 billion, totaling $93 billion in the next ten years.  Military UAV research spending would add another $30 billion over the decade. (For further details and study availability, contact the respective Teal sales representative in your area at http://www.tealgroup.com/).

“The market for UAVs looks very strong, increasingly driven by new technologies such as the next generation of unmanned combat systems, and the development of new markets such as civil and consumer drones,” said Philip Finnegan, Teal Group’s director of corporate analysis and an author of the study.

This year’s study includes consumer UAVs for the first time because of their rapid growth and the blurring of the commercial and consumer markets. “Consumer UAVs are showing that they can do many of the easier commercial missions such as simple real estate photography,” Finnegan said.

Civil UAV Market

“Our coverage of the civil UAV market continues to grow with each annual report, mirroring the increase in the civil market itself,” said Finnegan.  “Our 2015 UAV study calculates the UAV market at 72% military, 23% consumer, 5% civil cumulative for the decade.” Of the three areas, civil UAVs grow most rapidly over the forecast period as airspace around the world is opened, but it grows from a very low base.

“The Teal Group study predicts that the US will account for 64% of total military worldwide RDT&E spending on UAV technology over the next decade, and about 38% of the military procurement,” said Teal Group senior analyst Steve Zaloga, another author of the study.  The larger, higher value systems procured by the United States help drive the relative strength of the US market over the decade.

The 12th edition of the sector study, World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems, Market Profile and Forecast 2015, examines the worldwide requirements for UAVs, including UAV payloads and companies, and provides ten-year forecasts by country, region, and classes of UAVs.

Teal Group analysts already cover the UAV market in their World Missiles and UAV Briefing, which examines the UAV market on a program-by-program basis. Sensor payloads are also treated in Teal’s Military Electronics Briefing. The sector study examines the UAV market from a complementary perspective, namely national requirements, and includes both a comprehensive analysis of UAV system payloads (authored by Dr. David Rockwell) and key UAV manufacturers (authored by Phil Finnegan).

The 2015 edition includes UAV market forecast spreadsheets, permitting data manipulation and offering a powerful strategic planning mechanism.

http://www.suasnews.com/2015/08/37903/teal-group-predicts-worldwide-uav-production-will-total-93-billion-in-its-2015-uav-market-profile-and-forecast/

 

How the FAA Boss is Keeping the Skies Safe

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By HE&IT
Aug 17, 2015 – 7:17:43 AM		  

 
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta

Last June Michael Huerta was named one of “8 Most Influential People in Drones” by dronedefinition.com. The group of eight included thought leaders who want to deliver packages to your door via a drone, mount cameras on unmanned aerial vehicles, and sell drones that will follow you wherever you go.

Also in the lineup was a 20-something inventor who built his first drone using parts from a Nintendo Wii and a lawyer who took on the first ever Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) case against a drone – and won. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta was recognized as “the face of the organization that will ultimately decide the fate of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the United States.”

In a blog post on the transportation department’s website, Administrator Huerta, 57, said that the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industry is changing faster than any segment of the aviation industry.

“So many bright minds are focused on advancing this technology. People are finding new ways to use these devices on almost a daily basis,” he wrote.

Huerta added that the FAA’s next step is to determine if and how unmanned aircraft operations in America can be safely expanded in partnership with three leading U.S. companies.

“CNN, PrecisionHawk, and BNSF Railroad have committed extensive resources toward research that will help us expand the range of FAA-approved UAS operations in the next few years,” Huerta continued.

“Their work will provide significant insight into how unmanned aircraft can be used to transform the way certain industries do business – whether that means reporting on a natural disaster, checking on the health of crops, or making sure trains run on time,” he said.

In December 2013, the FAA selected six public entities to develop unmanned aircraft systems research and test sites around the country. In one interview, Huerta called the selection of the six test sites “an important step in the evolution of unmanned aircraft in the United States.”

“This is a technology that shows great promise but also brings significant challenges, so our test sites provide a structured framework where we’re able to conduct research, conduct test operations, and really understand how we can safely integrate these aircraft into the national airspace,” he said.

The FAA chose the six unmanned aircraft systems research and test site operators after a 10-month selection process involving 25 proposals from 24 states. The test sites – University of Alaska, Nevada, New York’s Griffiss International Airport, North Dakota Department of Commerce, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) – are designed to collect data for the FAA concerning safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace, which is expected in 2015.

HE&IT magazine’s Career Voices department features Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi’s Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center, one of the six test sites selected by the FAA to research drone technology.

Huerta has also addressed hot button issues about privacy concerns and the commercial use of drones.

“The thing that we care about, first and foremost, is the safety of our national airspace system. And these aircraft operate very differently, and they operate in the same airspace with a wide variety of other users,” he told NPR.

Just before the holidays last December, Huerta and representatives of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, and the Small UAV Coalition joined to launch a “Know Before You Fly” website and educational campaign. Amazon, 3D Robotics, Airware, and camera manufacturer GoPro are some of the Small UAV Coalition members.

The knowbeforeyoufly.org website summarized the rules that apply to each of three categories of users: recreational, business, and the public.

Know Before You Fly

1. Don’t fly above 400 feet.
2. Keep your unmanned aircraft within sight.
3. Don’t operate near people or crowds.
4. Do not fly an unmanned aircraft within five miles of an airport without notifying FAA Air Traffic Control or the airport operator. These conversations with Air Traffic Control are critical for safety.
5. You may only fly unmanned aircraft for hobby or recreational uses–you cannot earn money or use it for your business unless you get prior authorization from the FAA.
6. Please respect the privacy of everyone. No taking pictures of people if they are not expecting it!
7. Join a model aircraft club to help you learn how to safely operate and enjoy your aircraft.

In February, the FAA offered safety rules for small unmanned aircraft (under 55 pounds) conducting non-recreational operations. Under the proposed rules, the person flying a small unmanned aircraft would be an “operator.” An operator would have to be at least 17 years old, pass an aeronautical knowledge test, and obtain an FAA UAS operator certificate. To maintain certification, the operator would have to pass the FAA knowledge tests every 24 months.

The new rules also propose operating limitations designed to minimize risks to other aircraft and people and property on the ground:

1. The operator must discontinue the flight when continuing would pose a hazard to other aircraft, people, or property.
2. A small UAS may not fly over people, except those directly involved with the flight.
3. Flights should be limited to 500 feet altitude and no faster than 100 mph.
4. Operators must stay out of airport flight paths and restricted airspace areas and obey any FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions.

The rule maintains the existing prohibition against operating in a careless or reckless manner. It also would bar an operator from allowing any object to be dropped from the UAS.

The FAA is also asking for comment on how the agency can leverage the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test site program and an upcoming UAS Center of Excellence to further spur innovation at “innovation zones.”

Next-Generation Technology

FAA employees work with next-generation technology at airports, regional offices and centers, and headquarters in Washington, D.C. It takes the combined efforts of air traffic control, engineering, safety and security, acquisition, contracts, or IT.

The workforce includes:

Air Traffic Controllers
Aviation Safety Inspectors
Airways Transportation Systems Specialists
Engineers
Program Managers
Technicians

Learn more about the different types of FAA occupations in the Career Fields section

 

http://blackengineer.com/artman2/publish/HISPANIC_ENGINEER_55/How-the-FAA-Boss-is-Keeping-the-Skies-Safe.shtml

 

Drone Technology Aids in Discoveries at Medieval Irish Sites

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loughkey

Jeanette Grider

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have been gaining attention in the news for the last few years, but archaeologists like Saint Louis University history professor Thomas Finan, Ph.D., have always appreciated what aerial photography could accomplish.

Finan says UAV technology, along with high speed computer applications and mapping software, and sensors that can collect multi-spectral image are changing archaeology, adding that unmanned aerial survey is the next great jump in archaeological technology.

For nearly 20 years, Finan has spent summer breaks on archaeological digs, often taking SLU students to areas such as North Roscommon in Ireland in search of ancient sites, relics and a deeper glimpse of history.

Finan has now partnered with Paul Naessens, director of Western Aerial Survey, and a field archaeologist he has worked with for two years in North Roscommon, to further their exploration through the use of UAVs.

“Paul is not only a great archaeologist,” said Finan. “He is fully licensed by the Irish Aviation Authority to carry out these surveys and broaden our knowledge of the area.”

Finan has been working in north County Roscommon for the last two decades, conducting archaeological explorations at a number of sites, including the ecclesiastical complex at Kilteasheen, the Rock of Lough Key, the MacDermot moated site stronghold near the Rock, six ringforts (smaller agricultural settlements) and the Kilbrian ecclesiastical site. He says the landscape is breathtaking, but the archaeology is even more incredible.

“In 2013-14, we identified what we believe to be a major medieval Gaelic settlement in proximity to the Rock of Lough Key, a stunning island fortification,” Finan said. “This year, we focused our attention on some lesser known sites in the area, including a ringfort that shows great promise for medieval settlement and what appears to be a major settlement in association with the parish church at Kilbrian.”

The survey, conducted as part of an ongoing field survey of north Roscommon, brings together the latest in archaeological technology to enhance the understanding of sites that had been identified before.

“Most of these sites are found in the inventory of the National Monuments Service, but are often given cursory classification distinctions,” Finan added. “My interest is piecing together  various medieval settlements (high status lordly sites, ecclesiastical sites, lower status agricultural sites) to explain social dynamics and the events of the thirteenth century in particular.”

Finan’s team uses traditional tools such as gradiometry, electrical resistivity and topographical surveys to identify features in the landscape. The aerial survey adds a completely new element to the study.

“We have collected an unprecedented amount of digital data,” Finan said. “The 3D landscape data allows us to see minute changes in the topography that can be defined as structures and human occupation. The digital data collected with the geophysics is then wrapped around that 3D data to give us an amazing understanding of what is there without sinking a spade.”

Finan says managing this data has been a challenge. The amount of data collected in aerial survey fills hard drives quickly, and dealing with archiving and storage is a major pre-occupation for the team.

“We build a great deal of redundancy into the project, but in reality the management of the data revolves around developing tools that can both archive and present the data in new ways. This is really where the cutting edge of digital archaeology is right now. We have tons of digital data, but what do we do with it? From our perspective, we have chosen to make the data freely available to anyone who wants to use it for scholarly purposes with proper attribution using an open-data policy. Our next step is to integrate that database with other archaeological information that has been collected over the years from excavations, archives and even aerial photos from a hundred years ago.”

While the project is ongoing, Finan is content with saying that the process of data collection is reaching a significant milestone after only three years.

“When combined with the rich collection of historical sources that we have for north Roscommon in the thirteenth century, this research has huge potential to change the way we understand that century. But what is more important to me is that the local population in north Roscommon appreciates this research and has been so helpful to us all these years. Farmers have told us about sites not recorded, have given us access to their lands, and have been thrilled to see students from America working in their area. It continues to be a great experience for all involved.”

 

For additional information, contact Dr. Finan at finantj@slu.edu

http://www.slu.edu/nl-finan_irish_summer-817