SON NRMAG0002300842.docx

STATEMENT OF NEED

Requiring Office Name: National Severe Storms Laboratory

NR-MAG000-23-00842

1. Background and Purpose Storm damage assessments (impacts/recovery) utilizing UAS-based platforms equipped with specialized sensors can better address issues of accessibility (remote locations or inaccessible areas), capture perishable data, and acquire very high-resolution imagery for a more complete damage assessment, (e.g., soil burn severity; basin response and flash floods/debris flows; distinguishing between tornadic and straight-line winds; assigning EF-scale ratings). Accurate elevation information is needed as part of these assessments to better understand damage impacts and monitor land cover changes associated with extreme events. Structure-from-Motion (SfM) methodologies have been commonly used as a cost-effective alternative to Light and Detection Ranging (LiDAR) to provide elevation information and reconstruct 3D scenes/products based on 2D imagery and triangulating objects from stereo pairs. LiDAR sensors, however, provide accurate and precise 3D information because they use a pulsed laser to measure ranges of objects on the earth’s surface. UAS platforms can be equipped with LiDAR sensors to obtain precise and accurate information needed to detect fine-scale damage impacts (changes).

2. Scope and Objectives The acquisition of a UAS LiDAR sensor is required to meet the objectives of NSSL’s current and planned projects to survey high wind damage immediately following severe storms and tornadoes and wildfire related research (e.g., burn scar severity, debris flow and flash flood basin response). These efforts began with the project titled “Characterizing High Wind Damage in the Southeast US via Unpiloted Aerial Systems (UASs) Technologies” that was funded by the NOAA UAS program office in April 2020. This work will continue through additional funding under NOAA VORTEX-USA program as part of NOAA-related field projects and be extended to include wildfire related research supported by IIJA and other funding mechanisms. A UAS LiDAR sensor and LiDAR processing software are needed to obtain precise and accurate 3D information to better detect fine-scale damage impacts (changes). The LIDAR sensor must be compatible with (mounted in a payload compartment) NSSL’s UAS fixed-wing platform, Quantum Trinity F90+. Supporting software licenses and modules are required for processing and analyzing UAS LiDAR data.

3. Product Specifications Product Specifications for sUAS LiDAR sensor:

UAS sensor: LiDAR Wavelength: 905 nm Precision: 1.8 - 2.5 cm Accuracy: less than 3 cm Scanner field of view: 70 degrees Maximum and Suggested Altitudes: 140 and 100 m AGL Point Density at 100 m: 50-100 points per square meter Shots per second: 240,000 Multi-echo technology: up to 3 echoes per shot Applanix POSPacTM UAV, GNSS, and INS software for PPK Flight time (with LiDAR payload): up to 60 minutes on single battery Must be mounted in a payload compartment compatible with Quantum Trinity F90+

Processing Software Specifications: Qube 240 data processing software (YellowScan Cloud Station) to generate survey-grade LAS Files. Software must include the following modules: Strip adjustment, terrain, Colorization from Orthophoto. Licenses should also be perpetual (not annual).

4. Price Consideration:

Pricing should be for UAS LiDAR sensor (mounted in a payload compartment that is compatible with Trinity F90+) and processing software and supporting modules. Training costs should also be included and cover operating procedures for the UAS LiDAR sensor in-flight and processing LiDAR data post-flight. Inclusion of the above requirements in a package will likely reduce the price over purchasing the components individually.

SHIP TO

NOAA/OAR/National Severe Storms Lab Attn: Linda McGuckin 120 David L Boren Blvd Norman, OK 73072