The Lost Hiker

 The mission: find a missing hiker in Yosemite National Park. 

The UAS (unmanned aerial system): a custom-assembled rotary craft designed for long range flight. 

The result: fire located, wildlife spotted, but hiker still missing. 

Let's get into the details. 

This week's ERAU assignment required us to build and launch a UAS in a simple but interesting simulator. There were three missions available, one of which was to find a missing hiker. I picked that one as it had the clearest objective, and built a UAS suitable for the task. 

For the task, I selected the Gannet helicopter, a fictitious chassis based on real-world models: 

The Gannet is a big bird with a four-stroke gas engine and the ability to carry a relatively heavy payload. I used that payload to equip it with a high-resolution camera, dipole antenna for extra control range, and as much fuel as it could carry. I used the GCS (ground control system) trailer to control the craft, as it had the longest range and most electronic capability. The focus of the mission was longevity and range. I wanted to fly as long as possible and as far as possible in search of the missing hiker. 

Alas, I came up empty. Looking for a lone hiker in that large swath of land was very much like looking for a needle in a haystack. I flew to the site of a fire, thinking the hiker had started it to signal rescuers, but when I got there, I saw nothing except a deer and a bear. On a second run, I searched the river bank, thinking the hiker may have gone there to replenish his water supply, but still nothing. I'll go back a third time, though. I want to finish the mission. 

One thing was clear, however: the Gannet was absolutely up to the task of looking for the hiker. I saved the configuration to use on similar missions later.