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FireSense Missoula Deployment

NASA Langley drone crew Todd Ferrante (left) and Brayden Chamberlain (right) calibrate the internal sensors of the NASA Alta X...
NASA Langley drone crew Todd Ferrante (left) and Brayden Chamberlain (right) calibrate the internal sensors of the NASA Alta X quadcopter before its first test flight on August 27, 2024 in Missoula, Montana, as part of a FireSense campaign. Calibrating these sensors requires flipping and spinning the quadcopter in a set of moves nicknamed “the drone dance.”
This composite image shows the NASA Alta X quadcopter taking off during one of eight flights it performed for the...
This composite image shows the NASA Alta X quadcopter taking off during one of eight flights it performed for the 2024 FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. Mounted on top of the drone is a unique infrastructure designed at NASA Langley to carry a radiosonde and an anemometer – two sensors that measure wind speed and direction – into the sky. On the ground, UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain performs final pre-flight checks.
Dustin Schmitt, NASA Langley Range Safety Officer, gives an opening brief to the drone, weather balloon, and data teams on...
Dustin Schmitt, NASA Langley Range Safety Officer, gives an opening brief to the drone, weather balloon, and data teams on the first launch day of FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Jennifer Fowler, FireSense Project Manager, smiles during the opening brief on the first launch day of FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system...
Jennifer Fowler, FireSense Project Manager, smiles during the opening brief on the first launch day of FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
A rotor from the NASA Alta X quadcopter stretches over the grass at the University of Montana between launches. This...
A rotor from the NASA Alta X quadcopter stretches over the grass at the University of Montana between launches. This uncrewed aerial system (UAS) carried two sensors, a radiosonde and an anemometer, to measure wind speed and direction during the 2024 FireSense UAS technology demonstration.
(From left) Cole Long, Logan Kearney, and Caeley Hodges from the University of Idaho inflate a weather balloon for launch,...
(From left) Cole Long, Logan Kearney, and Caeley Hodges from the University of Idaho inflate a weather balloon for launch, during FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. These balloons use a sensor called a radiosonde to gather data on wind speed and direction.
Logan Kearney and Cole Long, students at the University of Idaho, prepare a weather balloon for launch, during FireSense’s uncrewed...
Logan Kearney and Cole Long, students at the University of Idaho, prepare a weather balloon for launch, during FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. These balloons use a sensor called a radiosonde to gather data on wind speed and direction.
Logan Kearney and Cole Long, students at the University of Idaho, tie a zip tie to the base of a...
Logan Kearney and Cole Long, students at the University of Idaho, tie a zip tie to the base of a weather balloon as part of the preparations for launch, during FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. These balloons use a sensor called a radiosonde to gather data on wind speed and direction.
Caeley Hodges, a student at the University of Idaho, holds a weather balloon as the team waits for flight clearance...
Caeley Hodges, a student at the University of Idaho, holds a weather balloon as the team waits for flight clearance during FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. These balloons use a sensor called a radiosonde to gather data on wind speed and direction.
The NASA team deployed for the August 2024 FireSense field campaign in Missoula, Montana, stands in a field with the...
The NASA team deployed for the August 2024 FireSense field campaign in Missoula, Montana, stands in a field with the NASA Alta X quadcopter. The campaign involved members of the FireSense Project Office, the NASA Langley drone team, logistics support from the Earth Science Project Office, and communications from NASA Ames Earth Science Division. (Not pictured: NASA FireSense Project Manager Jennifer Fowler, also present for the campaign).
Pilot in command Brayden Chamberlain performs pre-flight checks on the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system...
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, performs pre-flight checks on the NASA Alta X uncrewed aerial system (UAS) during NASA FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, uses a remote control transmitter to pilot the NASA Alta X uncrewed aerial system...
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, uses a remote control transmitter to pilot the NASA Alta X uncrewed aerial system (UAS) during NASA FireSense’s UAS technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Jim Sharp (Sharp Engineering) looks on as meteorologist Mike Robinson (MITRE), discusses data visualizations of the recent weather balloon launches....
Jim Sharp (Sharp Engineering) looks on as meteorologist Mike Robinson (MITRE), discusses data visualizations of the recent weather balloon launches. The data was collected from a sensor called a radiosonde, attached to weather balloons and launched into the air by several university field teams. Robinson and the MITRE team created visualisations of the flight paths and wind measurements collected across numerous balloon launches throughout the campaign.
Jonah Hall, data visualizer at MITRE, looks at a wind surface model that forecasts surface winds at a national scale....
Jonah Hall, data visualizer at MITRE, looks at a wind surface model that forecasts surface winds at a national scale. This baseline is an important piece of the MITRE team’s goal to create dynamic data visualizations of the wind data gathered throughout the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Jacob Revesz, uncrewed aerial system (UAS) Ground Station Operator, holds a preflight checklist while looking over the flight plan (green...
Jacob Revesz, uncrewed aerial system (UAS) Ground Station Operator, holds a preflight checklist while looking over the flight plan (green line) for the next launch of the NASA Alta X quadcopter. Revesz is part of the NASA Langley UAS team, which flew multiple aircraft during the 2024 FireSense UAS technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, carries the NASA Alta X quadcopter during pre-flight calibrations ahead of the drone’s first...
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, carries the NASA Alta X quadcopter during pre-flight calibrations ahead of the drone’s first flight for FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, performs final checks on the NASA Alta X quadcopter ahead of the drone’s first...
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, performs final checks on the NASA Alta X quadcopter ahead of the drone’s first flight for FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
A field crew from MITRE, Esri, NASA, the University of Idaho, and Salish Kootenai College watch the NASA Alta X...
A field crew from MITRE, Esri, NASA, the University of Idaho, and Salish Kootenai College watch the NASA Alta X quadcopter rise into the air for its first flight of the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Jacob Revesz, UAS Ground Station Operator, tracks the flight progress of the Alta X quadcopter on its first flight for...
Jacob Revesz, UAS Ground Station Operator, tracks the flight progress of the Alta X quadcopter on its first flight for the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, uses a remote control transmitter to pilot the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the...
Brayden Chamberlain, UAS Pilot in Command, uses a remote control transmitter to pilot the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Jacob Revesz, UAS Ground Station Operator, tracks the flight progress of the Alta X quadcopter while Robert McSwain, FireSense UAS...
Jacob Revesz, UAS Ground Station Operator, tracks the flight progress of the Alta X quadcopter while Robert McSwain, FireSense UAS Lead at NASA Langley, looks on. This was one of eight launches the team performed during the August FireSense UAS Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (NASA Langley) works on the NASA Alta X quadcopter between flights. Mounted on the drone is...
Mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (NASA Langley) works on the NASA Alta X quadcopter between flights. Mounted on the drone is an infrastructure developed at NASA Langley to fly an anemometer (top right) and radiosonde (not pictured) in order to gather data on wind speed and direction.
FireSense Project Manager Jennifer Fowler holds a radiosonde sensor while mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante wires it into the custom infrastructure...
FireSense Project Manager Jennifer Fowler holds a radiosonde sensor while mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante wires it into the custom infrastructure the NASA Langley team developed to fly sensors on the NASA Alta X quadcopter. Radiosondes gather data about wind speed and direction; in this campaign, data from the drone-mounted radiosondes was compared against data from radiosondes attached to weather balloons.
Steven Stratham, a student at Salish Kootenai College, attaches a sensor called a radiosonde to the string of a weather...
Steven Stratham, a student at Salish Kootenai College, attaches a sensor called a radiosonde to the string of a weather balloon during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. The radiosonde will collect data on wind speed and direction and feed it back to the ground station.
Logan Kearney (left) and Cole Long (right), students at the University of Idaho, release a weather balloon outfitted with a...
Logan Kearney (left) and Cole Long (right), students at the University of Idaho, release a weather balloon outfitted with a sensor called a radiosonde during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Steven Stratham (right, light blue shirt) attaches a radiosonde to the string of a weather balloon as teammates Travis Christopher...
Steven Stratham (right, light blue shirt) attaches a radiosonde to the string of a weather balloon as teammates Travis Christopher (left) and Danny Johnson (center) prepare the balloon for launch. This team of three from Salish Kootenai College is one of many college teams across the nation trained to prepare and launch weather balloons under a Space Act Agreement, and were one of two teams that supported the FireSense UAS Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
The NASA Alta X quadcopter sits in a field in Missoula, Montana, outfitted with a structure engineered at Langley Research...
The NASA Alta X quadcopter sits in a field in Missoula, Montana, outfitted with a structure engineered at Langley Research Center to carry a radiosonde (top left) and an anemometer (top right) into the air. The drone and its payload were part of the August 2024 FireSense campaign, which looked at the applicability of using controllable, repeatable airborne measurements to more accurately predict fire and smoke behavior.
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, and Steven Stratham prepare a weather balloon for launch; Stratham holds a radiosonde sensor...
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, and Steven Stratham prepare a weather balloon for launch; Stratham holds a radiosonde sensor that will dangle under the balloon and gather data on wind speed and direction. This team from Salish Kootenai College is one of two teams that supported the FireSense UAS Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, Meredith Heckler, and Steven Stratham prepare a weather balloon for launch. This team from...
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, Meredith Heckler, and Steven Stratham prepare a weather balloon for launch. This team from Salish Kootenai College is one of two teams that supported the FireSense UAS Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, Meredith Heckler, and Steven Stratham pose with a weather balloon. This team from Salish...
(From left) Travis Christopher, Danny Johnson, Meredith Heckler, and Steven Stratham pose with a weather balloon. This team from Salish Kootenai College is one of two teams that supported the FireSense UAS Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
Smoke from the nearby Miller Peak Fire drifts by the air control tower at Missoula Airport on August 29, 2024....
Smoke from the nearby Miller Peak Fire drifts by the air control tower at Missoula Montana Airport on August 29, 2024. Miller Peak was one of several fires burning in and around Missoula that month, creating a smoke-impacted environment which, combined with the mountainous terrain, makes traditional forecasting methods difficult: a problem the FireSense team is working to solve.
An early data visualization from the Esri team shows the flight paths of weather balloons launched on the first day...
An early data visualization from the Esri team shows the flight path of different weather balloon launches from the first day of the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. The paths are color coded by wind speed, from purple (low wind) to bright yellow (high wind).
An early data visualization from the Esri team shows the flight path of different weather balloon launches from the first...
An early data visualization from the Esri team shows the flight path of different weather balloon launches from the first day of the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. The dark purple overlapping squares represent the flight path of the NASA Alta X quadcopter, which does not fly as high as a weather balloon.
The pre-flight checklist for the NASA Langley drone team details the many checks the team performs before launching an uncrewed...
The pre-flight checklist for the NASA Langley drone team details the many checks the team performs before launching an uncrewed aerial system (UAS, more commonly called a drone) into the air.
Weather balloon teams from University of Idaho and Salish Kootenai College prepare a weather balloon for launch on the second...
Weather balloon teams from University of Idaho and Salish Kootenai College prepare a weather balloon for launch on the second day of the FireSense campaign in Missoula, Montana.
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain works to diagnose a calibration issue with the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the...
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain works to diagnose a calibration issue with the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain works to diagnose a calibration issue with the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the...
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain works to diagnose a calibration issue with the NASA Alta X quadcopter during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) Technology Demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain (left) and mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (right) perform final checks on the NASA Alta...
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain (left) and mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (right) perform final checks on the NASA Alta X quadcopter before a launch, during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.
(From left) Caeley Hodges, Logan Kearney, and Cole Long, from the University of Idaho, tie off an weather balloon in...
(From left) Caeley Hodges, Logan Kearney, and Cole Long, from the University of Idaho, tie off an weather balloon in preparation for launch during FireSense’s uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana. These balloons use a sensor called a radiosonde to gather data on wind speed and direction.
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain (left) and mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (right) carry the NASA Alta X quadcopter into...
UAS Pilot in Command Brayden Chamberlain (left) and mechanical engineer Todd Ferrante (right) carry the NASA Alta X quadcopter into the field for a launch, during the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) technology demonstration in Missoula, Montana.