Unmanned Autonomous Aviation Systems as a Post-Disaster, Human-Capital Force Multiplier: Sector Delaware Bay’s partnership efforts

Despite an evolving and robust offshore unmanned aviation systems (UAS) program used by Coast Guard cutters in the deep maritime environment, the Coast Guard has struggled with a clear use-case to move into the UAS arena for onshore operations. Discussions between the Defense Logistics Agency and Sector Delaware Bay personnel revealed that port closures and deliveries to the “last three miles” were the most problematic for on-water logistics missions. The agencies decided to conduct a test flight with an unmanned food and water delivery from a land-to-land flight and a land-to-water flight involving a vessel. The test flight was successfully carried out in July of 2019. Future UAS flights will be longer than the short test flight, and far more complex in nature, with the ability to carry out several tasks at once. In this sense, UAS will be a true human-capital force multiplier, freeing up both field and command post personnel. This major increase in the Coast Guard response curve is critical when responding to a major disaster, including an oil spill, as the damage to the economy and environment are quite literally quantified in seconds and minutes.

• Record URL:
  https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO Documents/Proceedings Magazine/Archive/2020/Vol77_No3_Wint20_Proceedings.pdf
• Authors:
  • Wardwell, Todd
• Publication Date: 2020

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 111-115
• Serial:
  • Coast Guard Journal of Safety & Security at Sea, Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council
  • Volume: 77
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: U.S. Coast Guard
  • Serial URL: http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cooperation; Disasters and emergency operations; Drones; Interagency relations; Military vessels; Public private partnerships
• Identifier Terms: United States Coast Guard
• Geographic Terms: Delaware Bay
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Marine Transportation; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01783085
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 27 2021 9:45AM