Using satellite based data relay and navigation services for small unmanned aircraft in oil, gas and mineral exploration and production activities

Transcription

1 3 rd User / Stakeholder Workshop on UAS 8 th March, 2012 Using satellite based data relay and navigation services for small unmanned aircraft in oil, gas and mineral exploration and production activities Dr Joseph Barnard joseph.barnard@barnardmicrosystems.com Barnard Microsystems Limited Unit 4, Coleridge Road London N8 8ED U.K.

2 The UASatCom IAP Feasibility Study This is a nine month Feasibility Study supported by the European Space Agency in the form of an Integrated Application Promotion ( IAP ) ARTES 20 Project monitored and supported by Dr Stefan Gustafsson at ESA ESTEC that started on 30 th May 2011, involving: Barnard Microsystems Limited Lead U.K. Inmarsat Global Limited Sub-Contractor U.K. AnsuR Technologies AS Sub-Contractor Norway Fugro Airborne Surveys User Canada Sander Geophysics Limited User Canada Royal Dutch Shell User Netherlands investigating the technical, commercial and regulatory feasibility of using broadband satellite based data relay communications on small (< 35 kg take-off weight) unmanned aircraft flying Beyond Line of Sight using satellite based navigation services with the operators at the Ground Control Station having Ethernet open network protocol connectivity to the instruments and computers on the unmanned aircraft engaged in oil, gas and mineral exploration and production activities. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 2

3 The requirements for UA operating in oil and mineral exploration and production Participation in the Society of Exploration Geophysics Annual Conferences in the Houston area of the USA has provided useful background information on the requirements for unmanned aircraft for use in oil, gas and mineral exploration and production activities. Exploration activities include the following geophysical surveys: land based seismic surveys airborne geophysical surveys o o o o o o o o Digital Elevation Mapping Photographic Hyperspectral Geomagnetic Gas Sensing Gravity survey Gravity gradient Spectrographic (Gamma ray) Satellite based data relay and navigation... 3

4 A geophysical survey usually involves the formulation of a geo-rectified mapping Above: a geomagnetic mapping, indicating the underlying iron ore bearing rock structure. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 4

5 The data for a geophysical mapping is derived from an airborne survey Satellite based data relay and navigation... 5

6 In pipeline monitoring, the User is interested in the detection of anomalies Oil and gas production activities include: Extracting and distributing natural gas Extracting, distributing and refining oil Above: timely (within 15 minutes) detection of an oil leak from a pipeline is valuable. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 6

7 Detection of objects and people near a pipeline The User needs to routinely monitor many hundred km of oil pipeline. The User needs to be able to detect and identify people and objects from at least 600 feet from a moving airborne platform. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 7

8 Detection of objects and people near a pipeline The User needs to routinely monitor many hundred km of oil pipeline. The User needs to be able to detect and identify people and objects from at least 600 feet from a moving airborne platform. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 8

9 How the requirements for oil and gas pipeline monitoring are performed today Consider examples of the monitoring of the oil and gas pipeline infrastructure: Monitoring by vehicle in Saudi Arabia Monitoring pipelines on foot in Nigeria In the UASatCom Workshop 2 at Shell Exploration Headquarters in Rijswijk, some of the pipeline monitoring staff from Shell pointed out that the problem with a foot patrol in Nigeria is that the person performing the patrol is susceptible to: bribery very real threats of extreme violence Satellite based data relay and navigation... 9

10 How the requirements for oil and gas pipeline monitoring are performed today Satellite based data relay and navigation... 10

11 Object detection and identification at over 600 feet from a moving aircraft. Canon EOS 5D Mk II camera body 5,616 x 3,744 Pixels = 21 MPixels computer interface and control via USB 2 price = 1,650 Canon EF mm f/2.8l zoom lens viewing angle = 10 x 7 at 200mm 4 stop image stabilisation price = 1,700 Side looking photo from an unmanned aircraft travelling at 30 mph, no image enhancement. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 11

12 Could existing, large, unmanned aircraft be used? Many unmanned aircraft are not be suitable for use in these applications because: they are too heavy, typically over 50 kg, causing extensive crash damage, and / or they are too complex to operate and / or maintain, requiring costly operators, and / or they are too expensive to acquire and / or operate (big logistical footprint), and / or they are not sufficiently safe: many have a single piston engine to start with, and / or they are not sufficiently reliable: their crash rate severely impacts both the business and the safety cases they are subject to prohibitive export controls restrictions that prevent their operation in the countries of interest. We developed the InView unmanned aircraft for use in the following applications: scientific volcanic ash cloud density monitoring commercial oil and mineral exploration work and pipeline monitoring state land and maritime border patrol work. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 12

13 Unmanned aircraft often cost more than manned aircraft... Satellite based data relay and navigation... 13

14 The sensors carried on a relatively small unmanned aircraft can also be expensive For example, an unmanned aircraft flying over Greenland in winter, might be carrying: a Headwall HyperSpec SWIR hyperspectral camera costing $ 95,000 (budgetary price) two Scintrex CS-3SL Cesium beam magnetometers, each costing $ 20,200 one airborne broadband satellite communications terminal costing $ 35,000 (budgetary) Cost of UA + hyperspectral camera + 2x magnetometers + sat comms unit = $ 215,400 Satellite based data relay and navigation... 14

15 The unmanned aircraft need to be able to operate in extreme climatic conditions Severe weather conditions in the Arctic: total darkness (in winter time) temperatures: drop to -40 C spray icing (wing icing) snow and ice Part of the Trans Alaska Pipeline In North Africa and in the Middle East, an unmanned aircraft could encounter: temperatures that reach +50 C fine dust abrasive sand storms. Pipeline in Saudi Arabia Satellite based data relay and navigation... 15

16 The UA need to be able to fly from 20m to 80m Above Ground Level Satellite based data relay and navigation... 16

17 The UA may fly at night, when the electrical and magnetic noise levels are low Quiet period from midnight to noon From a presentation by James Macnae at SEG 2006 Satellite based data relay and navigation... 17

18 Example of a small unmanned aircraft: the 4m wingspan twin engine InView. Two engines for safety. It s no use having quad redundant flight control systems if the UA has one engine Lightweight: 20 kg without fuel and payload Minimised crash damage and simplified flight regulations. Modular construction for ease of transportation, maintenance and upgrade Big wheels for operation from rough terrain Satellite based data relay and navigation... 18

19 Pipeline monitoring. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 19

20 The ability to operate from a rough grass field is an important requirement Above: the InView operates from a rough grass field. reduced operational costs o no airport charges and Air Traffic Control charges o can take-off at any time: efficient flight scheduling o can land at any time: no wasting fuel in a holding pattern no reliance on any local infrastructure, which might be damaged or non-existent, for example, following a disaster such as a flood, a landslide or an earthquake Satellite based data relay and navigation... 20

21 InView unmanned aircraft features at a glance for scientific, commercial and state missions Payload 4 kg comprehensive safety features Endurance 7+ hours modular and easily transportable Max speed 112 kph assembled and tested within an hour Loiter speed 24 kph can operate from a grass field Weight 19.5 kg without fuel capable of very slow flight Wingspan 4 m user definable payloads can be carried Fuel AVGAS 100LL fuel packs operates in manual, Microprocessor based autopilot and PC autopilot flight modes: moving towards more automation to reduce the errors introduced by human involvement. Propulsion 2x SAITO FG-30 engines Total Power = 3.6 kw Satellite based data relay and navigation... 21

22 InView IV-07 1 February 2011 The first Test Flight took place on 1 February In a subsequent Test flight, we verified this aircraft can fly and then land safely on one engine when we experienced an unplanned engine failure. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 22

23 Satellite based data relay network, showing double hop link used in survey work. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 23

24 The satellite data relay network used in geophysical survey work. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 24

25 The InView Ground Control Station, using an Ethernet based connectivity. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 25

26 The satellite data relay network used in pipeline monitoring work. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 26

27 Example of a Ground Control Station suitable for pipeline monitoring work. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 27

28 Most UA with a satellite data communications unit have a large steerable dish. Satellite communications dish on a General Atomics Predator unmanned aircraft. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 28

29 Inmarsat were aware of a small Sat Comms unit carried on the Solar Impulse. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 29

30 The Cobham South Africa SB-200 satellite data communications relay unit. Data rate kbps Class 15 Weight 3.8 kg Cost ~ $35,000 Satellite based data relay and navigation... 30

31 Fitting of the 3.8 kg Cobham SB-200 satellite data terminal in the UA. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 31

32 The InView UA with an additional electric motor for use in pipeline monitoring. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 32

33 Activities to ensure a cost effective pipeline monitoring capability We use the AnsuR ASMIRA software at both the client (UA) and the server (Ground Control Station) sides to manage the video bit rate, and optimise the video and still image quality. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 33

34 The ASMIRA software has enabled us to optimise the double hop video link The AnsuR ASMIRA software has provided a suitable resolution for pipeline monitoring at: 10 fps frame rate 640 x 480 pixel resolution 80 kbps bit rate Satellite based data relay and navigation... 34

35 Work is taking place to use computer vision to automate on-board detection The computers on the unmanned aircraft are achieving a 94% detection rate for vehicles in scenes (of the M11 in the U.K.) from Google Earth. The red boxes encompass an area of interest, including false alarms. The false alarm rate is 35% for 102 cars in 50 photographs. If all positive selection boxes and false alarm boxes are relayed in place of the original photographs, the communications unit would only use 1.782% of the number of bits. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 35

36 Conclusions Much has been learned from the active Users during the Project, and at the three Workshops: Workshop 1 at Inmarsat in London Workshop 2 at Shell Exploration HQ in Rijswijk, the Netherlands Workshop 3 at Sander Geophysics Limited in Ottawa One technical issue that surfaced during our Proof of Concept tests is the need to reduce the interference between the powerful signals from the low gain satellite communications antenna and the other receivers and sensors on any small unmanned aircraft. The Users in the UASatCom Feasibility Study have been enthusiastic in their involvement and contributions, and look forward to a Demonstration Stage and exploitation of the results. The active involvement of Dr Gustafsson and Gonzalo Martin has been of real value to the Project. The use of small unmanned aircraft in oil, gas and mineral exploration and production work looks feasible from a technical and regulatory standpoint, and is commercially attractive. Acknowledgements European Space Agency for Artes 20 IAP UASatCom Feasibility Study support U.K. T.S.B. INMARA Intelligent Machine Reasoning and Action Feasibility Study U.K. T.S.B. STUAC Project to use sensors to monitor the health of Unmanned Aircraft. Satellite based data relay and navigation... 36