In the article below, Ainstein discusses the benefits of using its high-precision US-D1 radar altimeter in drones for forestry management, scouting, and wildfire surveillance and suppression.
Ainstein’s US-D1 radar altimeter was designed to excel in low altitude flights, and enables users to track the distance from the dense vegetation and valleys of a forest or similar terrain.
Because of its effectiveness in providing efficient, reliable, and safe AGL data, it can be operated in complicated situations (such as wildfires) ahead of manned missions for safety and scouting purposes.
As wildfires have been more prevalent year by year, the need to prevent, detect, contain, and extinguish fires has become increasingly important. Due to the extreme temperatures, low visibility, and pressure changes, flying manned aircrafts in these conditions can be complicated and dangerous; the use of unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) or drones is capable of solving many of the current challenges, flying ahead of the manned aircrafts.
Equipped with radar sensors, such as Ainstein’s US-D1 radar altimeter, it is possible to know the precise position of UAV even through smoke, dust, or debris, and be able to approach the issue at the necessary parameters.
Key Benefits of the US-D1 in UAVs/Drones for Wildfire Surveillance & Suppression:
- Ideal for terrain following in uneven areas
- More reliable in various weather conditions than LiDAR/laser altimeters
- Small size and weight
- Precision even through smoke, dust, and other debris in the air
- Plug and play with Ardupilot and PX4
Who the US-D1 is Ideal for:
- Scouting UAVs/Drones
- Firefighting drones
- Forest management aircraft/UAS
Why Use a Radar Altimeter?
- Laser altimeters are less effective over water or unclear atmospheric conditions such as dense smoke
- GPS can’t account for varied terrain in many areas
- FCC compliant
- IP67 waterproof certified
How the US-D1 Works on Your UAV:
The US-D1 is shipped with either a Molex 4POS 2.54MM or JST_GHR-04V-S connector, which easily connects into the serial port of the UAV’s flight controller.
- Mount the radar on the underside of the aircraft frame, where it has a clear field of view. Thanks to its compact size, it’s easily integrated into landing gear or frames.
- Change parameters in Ardupilot or PX4 software according to the set up guides and reboot the flight controller. The sensor is ready for operation on the delivery drone.Â
- Plan an automated flight above the selected forest area.
- Begin the flight with surface tracking enabled and watch the automated UAS maintain accurate AGL altitude to down to the nearest centimeter, ensuring to make adjustments as it encounters different vegetation in its path and across of smoke in case of wildfire.
