# Presentation: 536919

## UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

**Mr. Samuel P. Williamson**
**Federal Coordinator for Meteorology**

***THE ROLE OF THE***
***OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR  FOR METEOROLOGY***

## OFCM Background
Global Earth Observing Systems
Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference
Potential UAS Applications
Summary / Next Steps

**Global Earth Observing Systems**
**Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference**
**Potential UAS Applications**
**Summary / Next Steps**

**Overview**

## OFCM Background

**DOC Administrative Order**

**OFCM formed in Jan 1964**

**1963**

**1964**

**Accountable to Congress and OMB**
**Coordinate agency budgets**
**Report budgets and activities in annual Federal Plan**

- OFCM

**Historical Perspective**

**GAO Study Revitalizes OFCM**

**1979**

**OFCM Background**

**Notes:**
OFCM WAS CREATED DUE TO CONCERN IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND CONGRESS OVER THE PROLIFERATION OF METEOROLOGICAL PROGRAMS IN THE FED GOV’T
THIS CONCERN WAS FIRST EXPRESSED IN THE FORM OF A STUDY REQUESTED BY CONGRESS TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND THEN WITHIN THE WORDING OF PUBLIC LAW 87-843 WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REQUESTED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, INFORMATION ABOUT MET PROGRAMS AND EXPENDITURES
IN RESPONSE TO THESE CONCERNS THE BUREAU OF THE BUDGET, NOW OMB, ISSUED CIRCULAR A-62 WHICH ADDRESSED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE COORDINATION OF FED MET SERVICES.  SUBSEQUENTLY, IN 1964, DOC, IN THEIR CENTRAL ROLE WITHIN A-62, ISSUED THEIR IMPLEMENTATIOIN PLAN AND THE REST IS HISTORY.  OF COURSE THAT DOESN’T MEAN WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IS EXACTLY HOW WE’VE LOOKED SINCE 64.  OFCM HAS WEATHERED (NO PUN INTENDED) SEVERAL REORGANIZATIONS AND IN THE LATE 70’s METEOREOLGICAL ACTIVITES ONCE AGAIN CAME UNDER SCRUTINY AND A GAO REPORT STATED... FED WEATHER PROGRAM MUST HAVE STRONGER CENTRAL DIRECTION.  THE GAO STUDY LED TO THE REVITALIZATION OF THE OFCM AND IN 1980 OFCM  WAS REORGANIZED AS AN INDEPENDENT FUNCTION WITH ITS FULL-TIME STAFF NO LONGER EMBEDDED WITHIN NOAA

## OFCM Background

**Mission**

**To ensure the **_**effective use**_** of federal meteorological resources by **_**leading**_** the **_**systematic coordination**_** of operational weather requirements, services, and supporting research, **_**among the federal agencies**_

**High-level focus on:**
**  ****Needs and requirements**
**  ****Issues and problems **
**  ****Studies, reports, plans, and handbooks**
**  ****Crosscut reviews, assessments, and analyses**

**Notes:**
THE CURRENT OFCM MISSION IS SHOWN HERE. 

PARTICIPATING AGENCIES (SPECIFICALLY THE AIR FORCE, NAVY, AND FAA) ASSIGNED SENIOR-LEVEL REPRESENTATIVES TO HELP FACILITATE INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.

## Aviation Weather 
Climate Analysis, Monitoring and Services
Observing Capabilities
Space Weather
Surface Weather
Cooperative (Applied) Research
Environmental Services

***Climate***** Analysis, *****Monitoring***** and Services**
***Observing***** ****Capabilities**
**Space Weather**
**Surface Weather**
**Cooperative (Applied) Research**
**Environmental Services**

**Urban Meteorology**
**Homeland Security**
**Air & Water Quality**
**Climate**
**Severe Weather**
**Information Technology and Communications**
**Modeling and Prediction**

**OFCM Background**

**Key Focus Areas / Agency Priorities**

**Notes:**
THESE ARE OFCM’S 10 KEY FOCUS AREAS

THEY WERE  DETERMINED THROUGH COORDINATION WITH ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH
AND THEY COVER A VERY WIDE SET OF AGENCY METEOROLOGICAL PRIORITIES  

## Homeland Security
Atmospheric Modeling of Releases from Weapons of Mass Destruction: Response by Federal Agencies in Support of Homeland Security (Aug 2002)
Federal Research and Development Needs and Priorities for Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Modeling (Sep 2004)
Transportation
National Aviation Weather Program Mid-Course Assessment (Aug 2003)
Weather Information for Surface Transportation: National Needs Assessment Report (Dec 2002)
Urban Meteorology
Meeting Weather Needs in the Urban Community (Jan 2004)
Why Urban Meteorology Now? (Sep 2004)

**Homeland Security**
***Atmospheric Modeling of Releases from Weapons of Mass Destruction: Response by Federal Agencies in Support of Homeland Security *****(Aug 2002)**
***Federal Research and Development Needs and Priorities for Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Modeling***** (Sep 2004)**
**Transportation**
***National Aviation Weather Program Mid-Course Assessment *****(Aug 2003)**
***Weather Information for Surface Transportation: National Needs Assessment Report***** (Dec 2002)**
**Urban Meteorology**
***Meeting Weather Needs in the Urban Community***** (Jan 2004)**
***Why Urban Meteorology Now?***** (Sep 2004)**

**OFCM Background**

**Examples of Completed Special Studies & Reports**

## National space weather program assessment
Multi-functional phased array radar
Data assimilation
National wildland fire weather needs assessment
Interagency strategic research plan for tropical cyclones

**National space weather program assessment**
**Multi-functional phased array radar**
**Data assimilation**
**National wildland fire weather needs assessment**
**Interagency strategic research plan for tropical cyclones**

**OFCM Background**

**Examples of Ongoing Special Studies & Reports**

## OFCM Background

**Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (FCMSSR)**

**Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (ICMSSR)**

**National Space Weather Program Council**

**National Aviation Weather Program Council**

**Environmental Services, Operations, and Research Needs**

**Operational Processing Centers**

**Environmental Information Systems and Communications**

**Integrated Observing Systems**

**Climate Analysis, Monitoring and Services**

**Cooperative Research**

**Working Group for Urban Meteorology**

**Federal Coordinator for Meteorology**

**FCMSSR:  SET POLICIES                                                         AND PRIORITIES**

**ICMSSR:  **
**- Implements policy decisions**
**- Makes policy recommendations to FCMSSR**
** ****Assess adequacy of federal programs and guides   **
**  ****implementation of new interagency programs**

**OFCM Background**

**Roles / Responsibilities**

**Notes:**
THE FCMSSR ARE SENIOR POLICY-LEVEL LEADERS  WHO MAKE KEY PROGRAMMATIC DECISIONS.  THE CHAIRMAN IS THE UNDER SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR OCEANS AND ATMOSPHERE.  THE ICMSSR ARE SENIOR MANAGERS APPOINTED BY THEIR AGENCIES TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND GUIDANCE FOR THE STANDING COMMITTEES.  THEY RECOMMEND POLICY ACTIONS TO FCMSSR.  STANDING COMMITTEES GET THE INTERAGENCY GROUND WORK DONE... EITHER DO IT THEMSELVES OR CHARTER SMALLER WORKING GROUPS TO CARRY OUT VERY DETAILED WORK TO MOVE PROJECTS FORWARD.  PROGRAM COUNCILS CAN FORM COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS OR JOINT ACTION GROUPS TO TARGET SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
PRIVATE SECTOR AND ACADEMIC INTERACTION ALSO HAPPENS WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE STRUCTURE THROUGH FORUMS, WORKSHOPS, ETC.

## OFCM Background

**OFCM Background**

**OFCM Partners**

**Notes:**
OFCM PARTNERS THROUGH “INTERAGENCY COORDINATION” WITH ALL THE OFFICES AND AGENCIES SHOWN HERE

## OFCM Background

**OFCM Background**

**OFCM Affiliations**

**National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)**
**	**** ****Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources (CENR)**
**	****Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction (SDR)**
**	****Subcommittee on Air Quality Research**
**	****Interagency Working Group on Earth Observations**

**Notes:**
IN ADDITION TO THE PARTNERS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, OFCM’S WORK WITH THESE GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE, AND SEMI-PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IN SUPPORTING FEDERAL AGENCIES’ METEOROLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

## Why Suborbital
Deployable: target regional / local / ephemeral phenomena 
Retrievable: payload change-out, repair, augmentation, reuse  
Atmosphere-based: combine in-situ and remote-sensing, multi-scale process studies for model validation, satellite cal/val for climate-quality datasets
Why UAS?
Endurance gap between hours-limited aircraft and years-capable spacecraft
Repetitive monitoring / hazardous conditions
Long-range access to remote locations for in-situ observations

**Deployable: target regional / local / ephemeral phenomena **
**Retrievable: payload change-out, repair, augmentation, reuse  **
**Atmosphere-based: combine in-situ and remote-sensing, multi-scale process studies for model validation, satellite cal/val for climate-quality datasets**
**Why UAS?**
**Endurance gap between hours-limited aircraft and years-capable spacecraft**
**Repetitive monitoring / hazardous conditions**
**Long-range access to remote locations for in-situ observations**

**Global Earth Observing Systems**

## The OFCM annually hosts the Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (IHC)
Provide forum for responsible Federal agencies and user communities to
Review Nation's hurricane forecast and warning program
Make recommendations on how to improve the program in the future
Major objective is to plan and prepare for upcoming hurricane season
New procedures, procedural changes, and agreements related to tropical cyclone forecast and warning services
Documented for implementation in the National Hurricane Operations Plan 
60th IHC will be held in Mobile, Alabama: March 20-24, 2006 

**Provide forum for responsible Federal agencies and user communities to**
**Review Nation's hurricane forecast and warning program**
**Make recommendations on how to improve the program in the future**
**Major objective is to plan and prepare for upcoming hurricane season**
**New procedures, procedural changes, and agreements related to tropical cyclone forecast and warning services**
**Documented for implementation in the *****National Hurricane Operations Plan***** **
**60****th**** IHC will be held in Mobile, Alabama: March 20-24, 2006 **

**Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference**

## Action item from the 58th IHC (2004):
Develop an interagency document, “The Nation’s Tropical Cyclone Forecast And Warning Program:  A Vision And Framework For Improved Operational Capability” 
In response to the action item, OFCM formed a joint action group
JAG members met at OFCM in February 2005 and the group conducted a strategic planning session during the 59th IHC
Began developing framework for the tropical cyclone research and development plan
Over the last several weeks, JAG members compiled:
Information from the session conducted at the 59th IHC
Countless other pertinent material
Drafted document, “Interagency Strategic Research Plan for Tropical Cyclones: The Way Ahead”

**Action item from the 58th IHC (2004):**
**Develop an interagency document, “The Nation’s Tropical Cyclone Forecast And Warning Program:  A Vision And Framework For Improved Operational Capability” **
**In response to the action item, OFCM formed a joint action group**
**JAG members met at OFCM in February 2005 and the group conducted a strategic planning session during the 59th IHC**
**Began developing framework for the tropical cyclone research and development plan**
**Over the last several weeks, JAG members compiled:**
**Information from the session conducted at the 59th IHC**
**Countless other pertinent material**
**Drafted document, “Interagency Strategic Research Plan for Tropical Cyclones: The Way Ahead”**

**Interagency Strategic Research Plan for Tropical Cyclones**

**Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference**

**Need to incorporate tropical cyclone UAS requirements into document**

## One of the action items from the 59th IHC was:
Develop a strategic plan for Improved Tropical Cyclone Reconnaissance System (ITCRS) (manned, unmanned, space-based...)   

**Develop a strategic plan for Improved Tropical Cyclone Reconnaissance System (ITCRS) (manned, *****unmanned*****,**** space-based...)   **

**On Sept. 16, 2005, a partnership between NOAA, NASA Goddard’s Wallops Flight Facility, and the Aerosonde Company led to first successful unmanned aircraft surveillance mission of a tropical storm**
**Provided detailed observations of near-surface, high-wind hurricane environment, an area often too dangerous for manned aircraft surveillance**

**Storm Reconnaissance - Tropical Cyclones**

**Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference**

## Potential UAS Applications

**Toth *****et al.***** (2000)**

- (Based on Data From Winters 1998-2002)

- NOAA’s Gulfstream IV aircraft and Air Force Reserve Command’s WC-130s fly missions from Honolulu and Anchorage
- Targeted upper air observations in advance of significant West Coast winter storms

- 60-80% of forecasts improved because of targeted observations
- 12-hour gain in forecast lead time
- RMS forecast errors reduced by 10-20%
- Improvement similar to that achieved in last 20 years of advances in numerical modeling and data acquisition

**UAS Application?**

**Potential UAS Applications**

## Purpose of workshop: engage climate / weather modeling communities to assess applicability of UASs in support of their work
Other current / future UAS applications (non-military):
High-altitude imagery
Border patrol
Drug interdiction
Environmental sensing
Media and traffic reporting
Tactical law enforcement
Maritime surveillance
Stratospheric telecommunications airships
Nuclear accident appraisal
Forest and wildlife inspection

**Purpose of workshop: engage climate / weather modeling communities to assess applicability of UASs in support of their work**
**Other current / future UAS applications (non-military):**
**High-altitude imagery**
**Border patrol**
**Drug interdiction**
**Environmental sensing**
**Media and traffic reporting**
**Tactical law enforcement**
**Maritime surveillance**
**Stratospheric telecommunications airships**
**Nuclear accident appraisal**
**Forest and wildlife inspection**

**Potential UAS Applications**

## Forest and wildlife inspection
NASA tested several APV-3s
Equipped with thermal sensors
U.S. Forest Service plans to use the UASs starting this year to patrol a dozen Western states  

**Forest and wildlife inspection**
**NASA tested several APV-3s**
**Equipped with thermal sensors**
**U.S. Forest Service plans to use the UASs starting this year to patrol a dozen Western states  **

**Potential UAS Applications**

## Use of UASs by federal agencies will continue to grow  
Opportunities for collaboration and leveraging for enhanced environmental data collection
At OFCM:
Continue to work IHC action items
Monitor federal agency UAS activities  
In future, may need to form OFCM Airborne Reconnaissance Working Group  

**Use of UASs by federal agencies will continue to grow  **
**Opportunities for collaboration and leveraging for enhanced environmental data collection**
**At OFCM:**
**Continue to work IHC action items**
**Monitor federal agency UAS activities  **
**In future, may need to form OFCM Airborne Reconnaissance Working Group  **

**Summary / Next Steps**

## QUESTIONS?

**QUESTIONS?**

## BACKUPS

**BACKUPS**

## United States Air Force also pursuing UAS tropical cyclone surveillance capability; conducting experiments in two phases:
Phase I (September 5 – 13, 2005):
Partnering with NASA (Wallops Flight Facility) and Aerosonde Co.
Tested sensor accuracy and aircraft endurance, maneuverability, operating ceiling, and multi-aircraft operations    

- Phase I (September 5 – 13, 2005):
- Partnering with NASA (Wallops Flight Facility) and Aerosonde Co.
- Tested sensor accuracy and aircraft endurance, maneuverability, operating ceiling, and multi-aircraft operations

- Phase II (October 7 – November 22):
- Flew missions from Guam
- Collected meteorological data in tropical cyclone environment
- Air Force Weather Agency incorporated data into MM5
- Run model with / without       UAS data

**Storm Reconnaissance**

**Tropical Cyclones**