WA State Police high tech fixed wing planes

[Auxpilot]

We got Archer and can't keep up with all of the missions that we get for that little chunk of ballast

[Flying Pig]

You actually get missions for it?

[Auxpilot]

You actually get missions for it?

Got one going on this afternoon, it's assigned to help hold the GA8 down on the ramp during some heavy winds.

[bosshawk]

Aux: perhaps we can send you the one that we have in CA and then you will have two of them to hold down in strong winds.  Tied together, they might keep both of them down.

[Auxpilot]

Aux: perhaps we can send you the one that we have in CA and then you will have two of them to hold down in strong winds.  Tied together, they might keep both of them down.

Actually I have a "cash for clunkers" deal in the works where I can trade it in for a Brownie camera, an ADF unit and a set of rabbit ears. Stuff that I can really use on a search. :clap:

[NIN]

http://www.wsp.wa.gov/information/docs/video/Reckless_Driving_King_Co.asx

Washington State patrol aircraft.  Watch the imagery and symbology on the display. They can overlay GIS data on the target location to show roadways and addresses.

Now -THATS- cool!

[Larry Mangum]

http://www.wsp.wa.gov/information/docs/video/Reckless_Driving_King_Co.asx

Washington State patrol aircraft.  Watch the imagery and symbology on the display. They can overlay GIS data on the target location to show roadways and addresses.

Now -THATS- cool!

From the imaging, I would think that it was a chopper, judging by the short turn radius.

[NIN]

From the imaging, I would think that it was a chopper, judging by the short turn radius.

According to the Washington State Patrol web page, they operate 5 fixed-wing aircraft, including 2 FLIR equipped C-206s. 
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/sod.htm#aviation

Smokey 3 is touted as an airplane instead of a helicopter in this article: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1532083/KPLU.Local.News/Washington.State.Patrol.Takes.to.the.Air.to.Catch.Drunk.Drivers

Plus the symbology on the display is that of a fixed wing aircraft.

[Flying Pig]

I prefer the Aero Computers mapping system, which is the one I use at work.  It provides a split screen with the cross hairs on the map showing you where your camera is pointing.  It can also parcel the map and show you the addresses your camera is looking at.  Its great for surviellence when you see a car pull in to a driveway.  You can tell your guys, who may be miles away, exactly what the address is and who owns the property.  But WA State Police do not have any helicopters.

http://www.aerocomputers.com/vdo/dvd/viewsync-waypoints.html

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[Airrace]

Grants are a good idea to fund things, just hard to get unless you are a professional grant writer or know someone that can help you.

[tomchurchill]

Flying Pig:

The WSP has purchased two Churchill Navigation ARS mapping systems after previously being an Aerocomputers customer.  Not to turn this into an ad, but if you take a quick look at one of our videos, you'll see why:  ARS can do the old-fashioned side-by-side views, but once you've seen street names & parcels over live video, you'll never go back -- taking your eyes off the suspect to find out where they are at is just too dangerous:

  http://vimeo.com/6662822

Best Wishes,

--Tom Churchill
  CEO, Churchill Navigation
  http://www.churchillnavigation.com/

[Gunner C]

You actually get missions for it?

I'm flying one tomorrow.  They happen all the time.  I wish they'd publicize them to the membership more often.  It's a pretty good mission and right up the system's alley.  The customer is pretty pleased so far.

The problem is two-fold:

1. The pilots try to tell the operators where to go and how to do it.  They don't have the foggiest idea of what we need to do.

2.  The Archer Op and the ground station analyst don't get nearly enough practice in getting the best out of the data.  They either set the thresholds too high or too low.  That's where the "art" lies in the system. 

When the operators are well trained and have had enough ground station time, then it works well.  It's not an end-all, but it's pretty darned impressive when it's hitting on all cylinders.

A huge mistake was only getting one ground station per aircraft.  That means only one operator can practice at a time.  A guy probably needs an hour+ per month on the ground station just to keep sharp on it.  Unfortunately, the licenses for the ground stations don't allow anyone to move the software to anything but the old clunker computers that come with the suite.  There are upgrades coming, but remember - this system is a prototype and upgrades are coming slowly.  The AF moves like a glacier when it comes to big bucks for CAP (Surrogate Predator being an obvious exception - it had immediate wartime application).

[Flying Pig]

Flying Pig:

The WSP has purchased two Churchill Navigation ARS mapping systems after previously being an Aerocomputers customer.  Not to turn this into an ad, but if you take a quick look at one of our videos, you'll see why:  ARS can do the old-fashioned side-by-side views, but once you've seen street names & parcels over live video, you'll never go back -- taking your eyes off the suspect to find out where they are at is just too dangerous:

  http://vimeo.com/6662822

Best Wishes,

--Tom Churchill
  CEO, Churchill Navigation
  http://www.churchillnavigation.com/

Thanks.  I was looking at your product earlier.  Can you PM me the details?  Costs, etc?