Google's Wing releases free app to take the pain out of drone flights

[Eclipse]

https://dronelife.com/2021/06/29/the-wing-free-drone-pilot-app-for-commercial-and-recreational-users-opensky-launches-today/

"The Wing free drone pilot app, OpenSky, launched today: with features to simplify airspace intelligence for both commercial and recreational flyers.

The Wing free drone pilot app has been available in Australia for a couple of years: OpenSky is available in the U. S. today for the first time. OpenSky is an adaptation of the software that Wing uses in it's commercial drone delivery programs worldwide.  Wing says that the OpenSky system offers an easy to use app that clearly shows pilots of all levels where they can and cannot fly."

[bwana50]

Anyone tried it yet?

[Spam]

Interesting - thanks for posting, Bob.

This would be tactically useful for CAP SAR/DR if it had tailorable underlays for:
1. topo maps (scaleable)
2. paved/logging roads/trails
3. airways and approach profiles to airfields
4. an updated VVOD vertical obstacle database (towers wires etc).

Otherwise, it doesn't help much to CAP transition sUASs beyond the "toy" phase.


Change my mind: 
I have yet to see a CAP sUAS team accept my challenge to take an imaging-equipped system deep into a heavily wooded wilderness on foot, embedded with a Ground Team, and then risk flying it over a heavily wooded ridgeline, imaging the reverse slope of the crest where an approach localizer crosses (and where we usually find the wreck). Tactically this would be useful, since it would save teams hours of vertical movement to a potential target area.

Since all I get in reply are offers from people even more out of shape than me to image T hangars, or the unpaved field out back of a Hampton Inn parking lot, or do vaguely unstructured "AE demos for cadets", I still haven't seen that sUAS Billy Mitchell battleship moment yet.  So... with no useful TTPs, an sUAS for the ES mission is a toy and a waste of time, despite years now of "development". Change my mind - please!

V/r
Spam

[bwana50]

Under those conditions, I think you're right, not much use.  Part of the issue is that sUAS are restricted to line-of-sight operations; if I'm deep in the woods, my line of sight where I could see the drone is basically straight up, and that's about it.  If we expand ES into DR, I think that's where drones have the most utility - photographing structures, areas, etc., after a disaster.

[Spam]

That is an interesting thought. Let me take a shot at that, and y'all poke holes in my assumptions:

For the SAR ESF, CAP ground ops functional call outs have declined dramatically over the past decade. In the last decade, at least in SER, I am not aware of any incidents where CAP performed meaningful ground team tasks in any DR incidents (and that includes the hurricane missions, wildfire, and tornado post strike ops in which my units and I have taken part). The last significant DR ground ops I recall were Katrina and before that the 1993 midwest flooding. To my knowledge, I am the only GBD/GTL/IC in my Wing who has planned or conducted any specific GT DR scenario training (and that was five years ago - practicing building surveys/wellness checks/marking to the ASTM standards, but I don't know of any CAP units actually training to the DR/SAR ASTM standards, perhaps folks like SARDOC may know of some).

So for SUAS in a DR scenario I see us following that pattern. Given (a) the nonstandard and low Resource Typing of the usual CAP ground team (usually an ad hoc team), (b) the marginal (to be charitable but based on recent actual history) likelihood that CAP will be used in a DR ground role, and (c) the doctrinal FEMA assumption that we would be used only in the response phase (not recovery, where commercial crews would take over), I can't really see us fielding an SUAS team to take immediate post incident structural damage imagery. There are too many well equipped professional heavy Urban SAR teams out there (see the recent Miami Beach condo collapse) for an IC to risk sending a few amateur volunteers with a rarely used SUAS capability into a hazard-rich collapsed structural DR area.

Any requested aerial imaging in a DR post event scenario, I think, would be from our manned assets. Historically, we're doing pretty well at that (rave customer reviews, by some accounts).  However, high res, close in detailed structural imaging for collapsed structures isn't currently in any of our internal training CONOPS, and isn't yet a factor in any of our DR plans with partner/customer agencies. None of our GTs or UDFs train to these scenarios either. If we want to offer this mission, perhaps we need to do a market survey with FEMA/state and local agencies before spending cash and volunteer time recruiting and equipping?

I apologize if I am stepping on anyones toes here. I realize that there's a group of members who really want to turn their hobby into a public service, like our forefathers did in 1941 with their private aircraft. I am struggling however to see that we've established a customer need, relevancy, and a development road map before working to recruit, fund, and field a capability. I invite comments to 'splain it to me in real world operational terms.

Bwana, thanks, that was a good line of thought.

V/r
Spam

[Eclipse]

^ Sadly true. A little worse every year since Katrina when it looked like
CAP had at least gotten 3 and 4-letter agency attention.

Since then it's...

...more rhetoric (Total Force) and less missions.

[Paul Creed III]

https://www.cap.news/cap-suas--credited-in-successful-n-carolina-search/

[Spam]

https://www.cap.news/cap-suas--credited-in-successful-n-carolina-search/

Paul, thanks so much for sharing this (I had missed it). Totally relevant.

So I haven't dug into my IC kit for my stats data* on missing person find data, but IIRC the radius from LKP for say 80 percent of found Alzheimers is just a couple of miles, and shorter for toddlers, etc. I would hypothesize (again without looking at the data, but its a strong guess) that most of those are "on pavement" suburban missions near residences and facilities.  If so, the referenced FIND is probably a good example of a valid mission niche.

Which then would lead me towards a few actions:

1. I need to delegate someone(s) to put together a CONOPS and training package to reflect this scenario (not the mechanics of flying/imaging, but the TTPs).

2. For training, I need to set up a separate SUAS target/scenario around these sorts of incidents, not "tacking on" SUAS to a major fixed wing CAP exercise. The plan/TTPs should form the basis of the exercise ("Exercise the Plan, don't plan the exercise").

3. I need to delegate someone(s) to market and coordinate our capability to "letter agencies" (and that would be County and State level 3 letter agencies and EOCs, where the callouts happen) to coordinate our IC contact info with their IC alerting system. It makes no sense to have a team if the mission delegating authority is unaware of its availability across counties and state lines.

4. As a result of 3, we need to get multi agency practice going with them and adjust the CONOPS/TTPs (back to steps 1 and 2).

Does that track well? Could someone who is following our SUAS program let me know, is this what they're doing? If there is a real operational use - and if our members will work to make it a program, not toys - I totally will support that as a commander.

Thanks,
Spam

* strongly recommend the "Managing the Search Function" classes and similar, with stats based planning, coupled with the use of ASTM and other national/international SAR/DR standards. (Wait, who am I kidding, this is CAP)... 

[Spam]

^ Sadly true. A little worse every year since Katrina when it looked like
CAP had at least gotten 3 and 4-letter agency attention.

Since then it's...

...more rhetoric (Total Force) and less missions.

Thing is, we have a tendency to think of the 3 letter agencies as Big Government Saviors. My thought is, we need to focus the attention and energy where it makes a difference: with each local county EMA and state EMA (see? 3 letters in EMA there!  

The trouble is, not every county has a CAP unit, and not every unit has an organic capability. So the forcing function is to do the Wing and Group level coordination with mutual aid systems and do that footwork to get us networked. My experience with CAP is that that usually lasts for about 3 years and then people move/quit/reassign, and the MOUs and contact lists get stale, and we stop getting called. So it is a continual agenda item if we want to be involved, rather than complain like a Maytag washer repairman who never gets called (and atrophies).

Most CAP members hate the paper pushing and plan writing and wont do it. They just joined to fly, and thats the weakest link in CAP, that no one wants to do this vital staff work that is needed.

Circling back to the OP - anything like this Wing app, is grade A progress in my book, by reducing planning burden!

R/s
Spam

[Eclipse]

https://www.cap.news/cap-suas--credited-in-successful-n-carolina-search/

The exception that proves the rule - CAP hangs its hat on anecdotal / circumstantial success
vs. programmatic justification.

Same goes for the Cell phone team - 3 guys working out of their kitchen means literally nothing
to the rest of the membership. Saved people don't care who saves them, but it doesn't help retention
when members who signed up based on brochures realize the majority of the "interesting" missions
will never happen anywhere near them.

Cadet flight training?  137 cadets in 4 years out of ~30k means it's not going to be you.

ES? Maybe 10 incidents worth mentioning in that same time period?
(3 people helping in a food pantry taking credit for 258MM meals doesn't count either, but enjoy the battle streamer)

Thing is, we have a tendency to think of the 3 letter agencies as Big Government Saviors. My thought is, we need to focus the attention and energy where it makes a difference: with each local county EMA and state EMA (see? 3 letters in EMA there!

That's the excuse that keeps the "anything" from happening - NHQ says "this needs to happen locally", locally,
the agencies reach to the regional / national and the regional / national says "who are you again?".

There isn't a self-contained unit in the country that can provide sustained (& timely) response to a local agency.
It's always going to be at least a wing-level response just to get the approvals and the resources
needed (by all means please run to the keyboard to tell us about that one unit that accidentally has an
IC, a plane nearby, and a ground team - they still can't self deploy, and they have no depth, so its
another circumstantial, non-programmatic situation based on whether "Jim is in town, and school is in session".)

The effort, initiative, and programmatic coordination has to come from national and start with the national
agencies. Walk away from the "mutual admiration MOUs" and start getting CAP on the first call lists, the
annual planning tables, and start working 2-way commitments that if CAP is ready, someone will actually call.
That has to filter down.

It's always been a problem, but right now it's especially prevalent, that CAP doesn't remotely have the
personnel or capabilities to commit anything to anyone.  It literally doesn't even know who its active
members are, let alone who and how many would actually show up.

It's been the same for 20 years and isn't going to change until someone accepts that fact and then
acts on it, or the organization completes its slow rolling entropy.
 

[etodd]

It's always been a problem, but right now it's especially prevalent, that CAP doesn't remotely have the
personnel or capabilities to commit anything to anyone.  It literally doesn't even know who its active
members are, let alone who and how many would actually show up.

Our squadron did a tour and meeting of the local County EMA. We talked of course of all the trained personnel we have, the local airplane and gear. At some point in the meeting he flat out said ... "If I call, you will you show up"?  The room went silent. Didn't want to say "it depends on who can take off from work, etc.

If a Wing gets a call for an ELT search, the calls go out, starting with someone nearby and then across the wing until a plane and aircrew can be found. Often times a crew from many miles away will cover another squadron's area, that didn't have anyone raise their hand.

So a Wing can usually find a crew. But a local Squadron trying to make a commitment to local agencies, can be difficult. Unless you are a HUGE squadron with lots of people avail 24/7.

[PHall]

It's always been a problem, but right now it's especially prevalent, that CAP doesn't remotely have the
personnel or capabilities to commit anything to anyone.  It literally doesn't even know who its active
members are, let alone who and how many would actually show up.

Our squadron did a tour and meeting of the local County EMA. We talked of course of all the trained personnel we have, the local airplane and gear. At some point in the meeting he flat out said ... "If I call, you will you show up"?  The room went silent. Didn't want to say "it depends on who can take off from work, etc.

If a Wing gets a call for an ELT search, the calls go out, starting with someone nearby and then across the wing until a plane and aircrew can be found. Often times a crew from many miles away will cover another squadron's area, that didn't have anyone raise their hand.

So a Wing can usually find a crew. But a local Squadron trying to make a commitment to local agencies, can be difficult. Unless you are a HUGE squadron with lots of people avail 24/7.

That's why it's usually Wings who make the commitments and are the one's who sign the MOU's.
Reinventing the wheel is NOT required here. Use the same procedures that were developed for ELT's.

[Pinecone]

It's always been a problem, but right now it's especially prevalent, that CAP doesn't remotely have the
personnel or capabilities to commit anything to anyone.  It literally doesn't even know who its active
members are, let alone who and how many would actually show up.

Our squadron did a tour and meeting of the local County EMA. We talked of course of all the trained personnel we have, the local airplane and gear. At some point in the meeting he flat out said ... "If I call, you will you show up"?  The room went silent. Didn't want to say "it depends on who can take off from work, etc.

If a Wing gets a call for an ELT search, the calls go out, starting with someone nearby and then across the wing until a plane and aircrew can be found. Often times a crew from many miles away will cover another squadron's area, that didn't have anyone raise their hand.

So a Wing can usually find a crew. But a local Squadron trying to make a commitment to local agencies, can be difficult. Unless you are a HUGE squadron with lots of people avail 24/7.

But wouldn't a reasonable answer be, "If we can't, we will call the Wing, and they will get someone here to assist you."

The contact is local, but the response will involve Wing.

[Eclipse]

But wouldn't a reasonable answer be, "If we can't, we will call the Wing, and they will get someone here to assist you."

The contact is local, but the response will involve Wing.

It's a reasonable answer but it fails on the reality.

All missions have to go through the NOC and be approved by at least the Wing, they have to involve
an IC (at a minimum), and rare (at best) is the unit that is self-sufficient for a mission
response.

Could the local unit be the initial POC for the "How do we get CAP help?" conversation. Yes,
in fact that's an often ignored mandate of units (to do outreach ES-wise to local agencies).

However the response from the unit is "You need to call the NOC." (The requesting agency or
customer has to make the calls.)

From there the NOC will, or won't, approve the mission, contact the Wing alerting officer
(who may be on the other side of the state, or not even live in the same wing), that person
accepts (or doesn't) the mission and lights up whatever resources they see fit, which may not
even include members of the local unit.

Such is the reality of CAP.

[Holding Pattern]

It's always been a problem, but right now it's especially prevalent, that CAP doesn't remotely have the
personnel or capabilities to commit anything to anyone.  It literally doesn't even know who its active
members are, let alone who and how many would actually show up.

Our squadron did a tour and meeting of the local County EMA. We talked of course of all the trained personnel we have, the local airplane and gear. At some point in the meeting he flat out said ... "If I call, you will you show up"?  The room went silent. Didn't want to say "it depends on who can take off from work, etc.

The answer to this question:

"Today? No. 6 months from now after we complete a training cycle and get enough people through a training rotation? Probably. A year from now? Yes. Let's set up some short notice exercises for month 9 to test this."

By the way, short notice exercises like those are where you can use those labor rules passed in several states giving CAP the ability to take time off for missions. Once a year you SHOULD have your EMA try picking up the phone and seeing what will happen. They probably have a MEPP candidate/graduate that would be happy to work with you on same.