Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

NASA Ikhana Assists SoCal Firefighters

Posted by Zonk on from the all-about-helping-those-in-need-with-robots dept.

ackthpt writes "Ikhana (a NASA drone) is primarily designed for suborbital earth sciences missions, but may be fitted out with a variety of sensors. Wednesday, Ikhana took off from Edwards Air Force Base for a 10 hour mission to observe forest fires in California, scanning the terrain from 23-25,000 feet using a variety of sensors for visible and IR light. Able to remain aloft for up to 30 continuous hours Ikhana serves up information in minutes, a process that takes hours when done by manned aircraft observation. 'The data is processed on the aircraft, up-linked to a satellite and then downloaded to a ground station. From there it's delivered to a computer server at NASA Ames. The imagery is then combined with Google Earth maps. Command center personnel can view the images on their computer screens and then delegate local firefighters accordingly.'"

5 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Awesome by Hadlock · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cut out the middle man (NASA) and you've got basically what they can do in Battlefield 2 from the Commander's view. Another five years and it'll stream straight to the google maps server for this specific function. We've already given google a nasa air strip, it's not long before we'll be giving them our tax dollars to leverage google maps/earth for more purposes beyond recovering crashed aircraft and scouting wildfires.

    --
    moox. for a new generation.
  2. Now? by WalksOnDirt · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It's a little late to get maximum benefit from something like this. If the craft could have been put up Sunday, or even Monday, it would have been much more useful. I hope the delay is due to this being its first use, and that in future events it can be launched quickly.

    --
    a,e,i,o,u and sometimes w and y (at be if of up cwm by)
  3. Re:Why does it look like the Predator-B? by Dr.+Eggman · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Maybe not, but it certainly isn't cheap to.

    --
    Demented But Determined.
  4. NASA waste by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Can we please de-fund NASA and start spending that money on something with real immediate benefits to the folks here on Earth?

    Oh, wait...

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  5. Re:Why does it look like the Predator-B? by hitmark · · Score: 2, Insightful

    yet again a military system gets turned into something that can be used in times of peace.

    i wonder, can this thing deal with bad weather? as in ocean storms and massive icing?

    if so it could potentially be used for search and rescue out at sea, and i would guess that 5-6 of these are cheaper then 5-6 rescue helicopters.

    --
    comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm