US Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Rhode Island, tested a short range Unmanned Aerial System to inspect the construction of new Aids to Navigation structures. Lt. Kieron D. McCarthy carried out the inspections by piloting the UAS from a small boat assigned to the New Haven, Connecticut-based US Coast Guard Cutter Bollard.
Launching the drone from a 16-foot boat, the CEU inspected and approved the steel tower structures that serve as fixed channel markers at Housatonic River, Black Rock, and Duck Island. All of new ATON are located within 30 minutes of New Haven, Connecticut.
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Mr. McCarthy said that using the UAS saved the CEU over 30 hours of work and reduced the risk of having to climb the structures. Namely, the USCG managed to complete all three inspections in six hours.
However, the biggest challenge of operating the UAS from small boat was the confined space. Despite this, the Unmanned Aerial System can be an effective tool for post hurricane damage assessments, as it can map and photograph an area immediately after a storm goes through.
In addition, BM1 Patrick M. Rogers, the executive petty officer and coxswain on the Bollard, drove the small boat during the new ATON inspections. He said that using the drone reduced the time, effort and risk needed to complete the inspections.
Our aids usually take a minimum of two members to do an inspection in order to have a certified climber and rescue climber. The UAS was able to be operated by one person
Moreover, while inspecting ATON lighting and batteries still requires trained climbers, Mr. Rogers said the UAS is ideally suited for verifying new ATON construction. In addition, the Unmanned Aerial System could be a force multiplier for many US Coast Guard missions, from law enforcement and search and research to ATON verification and ice breaking.
Specifically, for ice breaking, USCG could get a 360 degree view of the condition and develop a plan accordingly. What is more, things like ice type and thickness could be recognized from visual stills the UAS could take.
