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Adapting NIST Aerial Drone Tests for Thermal Identification, Inspection and Suppression of Wildfires

Published

Author(s)

Alex Fraley, Ethan Nowery, McCarthy Devine, Adam Jacoff, Paul Oh

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed standard test methods to evaluate the capabilities of aerial drones, ground robots, and aquatic vehicles, as well as the proficiency of their operators. The aerial drone tests measure key capabilities such as maneuverability, visual acuity, and thermal acuity. With a rising demand for aerial drones among first responders, these tests are essential for assessing system performance, mitigating risk, and improving operational effectiveness to ensure the safety of responders and the public. Given the increasing prominence of wildfire threats and the widespread destruction they cause, aerial drones are being adapted to help detect, inspect, and contain them. This paper outlines how NIST-developed aerial drone tests can be adapted to simulate wildfire threats and provide a framework of reproducible tests that measure the system capabilities of aerial drones and the proficiency of operators in mitigating these threats.
Proceedings Title
2025 IEEE 14th Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC 2025)
Conference Dates
January 8-10, 2025
Conference Location
Las Vegas, NV, US
Conference Title
Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference

Keywords

Aerial drones, thermal identification, wildfire suppression, drone testing, unmanned aircraft systems, emergency response, drone standards, firefighting drones, VTOL systems, thermal acuity, visual acuity, wildfire detection, fire suppression, drone swarm, thermal imaging, infrared cameras, drone payloads, Treefire Post apparatus, Thermal Campfire Omni, emergency robotics, drone operators, thermal reconnaissance, fire retardant, wildfire threats, standard test methods, fire suppression tests, incipient wildfires, drone maneuverability, public safety operations, first responders, wildfire mitigation, drone performance metrics, drone inspection, fire detection technology, fire suppressant deployment, wildfire hazards, drone firefighting applications, firefighting technology, UAV standards, infrared acuity, fire safety evaluation, wildfire readiness

Citation

Fraley, A. , Nowery, E. , Devine, M. , Jacoff, A. and Oh, P. (2024), Adapting NIST Aerial Drone Tests for Thermal Identification, Inspection and Suppression of Wildfires, 2025 IEEE 14th Annual Computing and Communication Workshop and Conference (CCWC 2025), Las Vegas, NV, US (Accessed February 11, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact reflib@nist.gov.

Created December 6, 2024, Updated January 21, 2025