Defence Business: UAVs take to the skies over the Darling Downs | ADM November 2012

Many, many years ago, then-Premier of Queensland Peter Beattie saw an opportunity to help grow the future of aerospace in Australia, with a focus in Queensland. And he knew the best way to do this was to engage the young people, to excite their minds, and to let them take us where we need to go.

An older, less-well-patronised high school, not far from the Brisbane Airport, was given a new name and a new focus; Hendra High School became Aviation High School.

So ever since the mid-2000’s, the young aviation-oriented students have been getting a grounding in matters aero-engineering, electronics, computer-controls, physics and maths and construction techniques, and the kinds of outdoor activities that would inspire them. And the easiest way to start was to have them build remotely- controlled model aircraft.

Curiously, the growth of Aviation High was being paralleled by the growth in UAVs, and it wasn’t long before the students realised that if they could build model aircraft, they could likely build more advanced UAVs of sorts. They and others then realised that UAVs and model aircraft with hi-definition cameras and small lifesaving payloads could be engaged in remote-area search and rescues operations. And so the UAV Challenge was born in 2007, based at Kingaroy in Queensland.

Why Kingaroy?

It’s a three-hour straight drive NW from Brisbane, to a regional centre that has a 737 jet-certified runway so people can come from all around Australia if needed, and yet is far enough away from Brisbane ATC so as to not pose any problems. And the Kingaroy Shire Council, under Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, has been a significant supporter ever since.

But more importantly, as well as having a growing UAV industry of its own, Kingaroy is fairly typical of a regional airport in Australia from which search-and-rescue operations are conducted. So the challenge has been ... to find “Outback Joe”.

And again, in early October this year, the teams set out once again to find him. But old Joe’s a cunning old rogue, so what happens if maybe he doesn’t WANT to be found? Finding Joe in an area of 30+sq kms, covering over 60 properties including that of power generators, is no easy task, and it’s not just the young people trying to find him.

Some of the best UAV brains in the business like Insitu Pacific have been involved for years too. So the logistics of this event are substantial, as would be the case if “Joe” were a real person.

This was the first year using new protocols, the UAV Challenge Policy & Procedures Manual, the formal CASA-endorsed guidelines under which the event is operated. And it was the first year that a team from the Search & Rescue portion of the competition managed to launch an unmanned aircraft into the search area range, and have it find the lost bushie ... old Outback Joe himself!

This is only the second time this feat has been achieved. A big congratulations to the Canberra team which achieved this milestone, noting they are a group of hobbyist radio-controlled aircraft enthusiasts, supported by open-source computer scientists. This year, all 13 schools entrants passed scrutineering (five schools involved from Qld, ACT and SA), and so did four search-and-rescue teams, all of which were hobbyists.

Scale

This event is much bigger than it seems. Of over 70 teams that entered the processes for this year’s event some 18 months ago, Canberra UAV was one of only four that actually made it to the start line. The attrition rate is significant. Two of those four teams were international; Open UAS from The Netherlands, and Forward Robotics from Canada.

Forward Robotics became the second team in the history of the Challenge to depart the Kingaroy Aerodrome, enter the search area, and return safely to the aerodrome. Unfortunately for them, a video system problem prevented them locating Outback Joe, and while Canberra UAV located him, a problem with the rescue package deployment system prevented a bottle-drop.

And this year was also the first time that all 13 schools could take part in the Search phase, won by the MUROC Raiders from Muller College. And all 13 school teams also competed in the primary mission of the Airborne Delivery Challenge, won by the MUROCS Hawks team, again from Muller College.

The efforts of the winners and contenders were celebrated by new sponsors Lockheed Martin, ably assisted by South Burnet Regional Mayor Wayne Kratzmann. Indeed, so important is this event as a base for our future aerospace engineers, that sponsors have continued to come forward to help. Many thanks to Insitu Pacific, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, CASA, Mathworks, Aviation Australia, DTO and the Stanwell Corporation.

And thanks also to the Queensland Government and the guidance given by Chris Hess before he left, the South Burnett Regional Council (its new name), the US office of Naval Research (Global), the Asian Office of Aerospace Research & Development, UAS Pacific, CSIRO, QUT, AUVs Australia, Aviation Development Ltd, Raytheon, RAN, Victoria Police Air Wing, the Lions Club and it was noted by a speaker that ADM has been there since the start as the media supporter.

And with such an event come awards. Congratulations to Insitu Airmanship Award winner, Nina Clark, Team Captain of Aviation High Thunderbirds, an award presented to the person who best demonstrates outstanding airmanship qualities, and is involved in all entrant aspects (Search & Rescue and Airborne Delivery).

So until Challenge 2014, keep Joe where we can all find him.