Capstone Proposal



UAS Platform Development for Crash Scene Investigations

By: Ryan Ferguson and Kyle Sheehan

In aircraft crash investigations, one of the most time consuming parts of the operation is the
search for evidence to be used in accident recreation.  The aim of this project is to build a
large multirotor and integrate a thermal camera and lidar sensor for future projects which can
explore methods of using the platform in aviation crash scene investigations.  Safety
procedures, checklists, and a maintenance manual will be produced as written deliverables
for this project.

Platform building and sensor integration will primarily be the responsibility of Ryan Ferguson
with help from Kyle Sheehan.  Kyle will be responsible for creation of the maintenance
manual and checklists. The safety procedures document which outlines the proper
procedures for emergencies both in flight and on the ground will be a joint effort between
Kyle and Ryan.  All flight tests will be performed as joint efforts between Kyle and Ryan.

Flight tests will need to be performed to tune the aircraft and verify the functionality of the
system.  These will be performed in a controlled environment to reduce the risk of injuries
and damage to property.  Basic tests of the system in data analysis will also be performed to
determine the effectiveness of the system in producing orthomosaics using lidar based
DSMs.

If time allows, further tests may also be performed using aircraft parts and luggage scattered
in a field.  The ability to correctly identify the items from the air and the percentage of items
found will be the two primary factors in determining the effectiveness of this test.  The
locations of these items will be determined using either full motion video or orthomosaic
mapping. The results of these tests will be included in the final project report.




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