Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Thousands of drones are expected to be used to assess property and infrastructure damage in the wake of Hurricane Florence this week in the Carolinas. “There will be thousands of drone pilots out flying for this event for sure,” Airbus Aerial president Jesse Kallman told AIN. Aerial matches satellite and drone data and images with proprietary analytics and software tools for a clientele that includes utilities, insurance companies, and government agencies.&nbsp;

 


Early estimates of the potential property damage in the wake of record rainfall caused by the multi-state storm could be daunting, with insurers estimating that as many as 750,000 homes and 40,000 vehicles could be affected, with losses topping $20 billion. As of Friday morning, some areas in the hurricane’s path had already seen two feet of rain.&nbsp;

 


Even before the storm abates, Aerial is able to estimate preliminary damage using radar satellite imagery that provides real-time damage data with regard to items such as flood levels, Kallman said. Data from these images can be compared with pre-storm images and data such as elevation and water level information. Then, when the clouds clear, images from optical satellites are combined with analytics to generate a full damage report within hours. Imagery from Airbus satellites is provided to government agencies at no charge under international convention. Drones are flown on areas that require a more detailed look.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Drones can be operated over a hurricane damage area, even one covered by a temporary flight restriction (TFR), with prior approval, thanks to a streamlined FAA approval process that only takes a few hours, Kallman said. Obviously, operators need to exercise discretion, he said. “If you want to fly at 200 feet in a residential area where they are not flying medevac operations then it is probably no factor. But if you wanted to fly near where there are life-saving operations, there is no way you should get anywhere near that.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Kallman said Aerial started standing up its team for Hurricane Florence last weekend at its headquarters in Atlanta, brought in more flight operations staff, and began contacting its drone operating partners and its customers.&nbsp;

 


“We started reaching out to our existing customers that use our aerial imaging and software tools—insurance and utility companies—and every hour we’re getting new requests with regard to potential claims or power infrastructure. We’re passing that along to our satellite tasking team. They’re aware of when that satellite will pass over and we can optimize to everyone’s needs,” Kallman said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Aerial does not operate its own drones. Airbus Aerial currently employs a full-time staff of 30 and Kallman said they are mostly software engineers. Because it has them under contract at fixed rates, Aerial typically does not pay storm premiums to its drone operators, although Kallman said that he has heard about some opportunistic pricing by some drone companies looking to take advantage of the hurricane. “People are absolutely price gouging,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


While mega-storms and wildfires for insurance and utility customers constitute some of Airbus Aerial’s more high-profile work, Kallman said the company has also moved into more diverse applications such as monitoring lake levels for hydropower companies and detecting standing water and dirty pools as part of mosquito-abatement programs for city and county governments.

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

Airbus: Thousands of Drones Expected To Fly on Florence

Utilities, Insurance Companies Assess Damage With UAS

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Design study swaps the cockpit for a nose cargo door

Textron, Merlin Unveil Uncrewed SkyCourier Concept

Charles Alcock

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

The U.S. defense group displayed a UAS model at the Air & Space Forces Association conference

Lockheed Martin Will Build Four Vectis Drone Prototypes

U.S. Air Force is seeking a more affordable replacement for MQ-9A Reapers

Swarm Pitches Gamera for New U.S. Drone Requirements

David Donald

The new drone has a target price well below that of the current MQ-9A

GA-ASI Aims Wildfire at Reaper Replacement

Second-generation SiCore battery cells reach 500 Wh/kg

Amprius Batteries Boost Energy for Long-endurance Drones

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Textron, Merlin Unveil Uncrewed SkyCourier Concept

Design study swaps the cockpit for a nose cargo door

Lockheed Martin Will Build Four Vectis Drone Prototypes

The U.S. defense group displayed a UAS model at the Air & Space Forces Association conference

Swarm Pitches Gamera for New U.S. Drone Requirements

U.S. Air Force is seeking a more affordable replacement for MQ-9A Reapers

GA-ASI Aims Wildfire at Reaper Replacement

The new drone has a target price well below that of the current MQ-9A

Amprius Batteries Boost Energy for Long-endurance Drones

Second-generation SiCore battery cells reach 500 Wh/kg

Robinson Unmanned R44 Airtruck Flies Offshore Cargo Demos

Remotely piloted R44 helicopter landed on an offshore-style deck at a Louisiana airport

Saab Fields Interest In LoyalEye Surveillance System

MQ-9B-mounted radar could complement piloted GlobalEye assets

Elroy Air, Bristow Fly Autonomous Freighter in Louisiana

Hybrid-electric Chaparral drone makes first uncrewed eIPP flights

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN