Emergency Services Training Aerial Photography

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Emergency Services Training Aerial Photography
Gwinnett County Composite Squadron GA-112
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Introduction

• This presentation provides a standard approach to
  Aerial Photography
  
• A safe method of capturing photos of the
  requested targets
  
• A means of record keeping
• And a rapid delivery method of the product

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Missions

• Search Rescue
• Disaster Relief
• Homeland Security
• Counter Narcotics
• Training for all the above

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Agencies That May Call

• Civil Air Patrol
• Department of Defense
• FEMA
• GEMA
• Homeland Security
• Law Enforcement
• Local Emergency Services Departments
• And others that have a Memorandum of
  Understanding with the CAP

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Scenario

• A tasking agency calls and request aerial photos
• To accomplish this, the aircrew should be
  familiar with basic computer files and their
  structure
  
• Be familiar with digital photography
• Create a standard document providing useful
  information pertaining to the photos, and
  delivered with the photos
  
• Have access to a computer, the internet and WMIRS
  so the the documents, and the target photos can
  be emailed or uploaded

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Mission Briefings

• Normal briefing and de-briefing on a CAPF 104
• The aircrew should find a private area and brief
  themselves on the safety of the flight, and the
  expectations of each crew member

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Mission Planning

• Know your target
• Know how to approach your target
• Plan the angle of your pass
• Know how to log each pass
• Interpret what you see
• Communicate what you see

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Mission Planning Tips

• Youll most likely be asked to photograph a
  target with a street address and no navigation
  information
  
• The popular GPSs available for your car can be
  used to find the Lat / Lon of the target
  
• Google Earth is also a wonderful tool for mission
  planning and provides Lat / Lon

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Training Benefits for the Pilot

• To develop the skills necessary to provide a safe
  and stable platform needed for aerial
  photography
  
• Low airspeed and low altitude necessary for the
  Photo Pass (as per 60-1)
  
• Record Keeping

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Training Benefits for the Observer

• To develop the skills necessary in identifying
  the target and assisting the pilot in setting up
  the photo pass
  
• Record Keeping

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Training Benefits for the Scanner

• To understand and master basic photography skills
  and techniques
  
• Opportunity to learn your equipment and its
  capabilities
  
• Understanding the Photo Pass
• Record Keeping

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Aircrew Responsibilities
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Mission Pilot

• Operates the aircraft as per CAPF 60-1
• Normal Mission Pilot Duties

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Mission Observer

• Normal Mission Observer Duties
• Assist Scanner with Equipment and Photo Log

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Mission Scanner

• Normal Mission Scanner Duties
• Responsible for the photography equipment
• Operates the camera
• Responsible for photo log

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Scanner Observer Team

• It takes TWO to operate the camera and maintain
  the photo log
  
• A team effort between the Observer and Scanner is
  necessary
  
• These duties should be part of the private
  pre-flight briefing
  
• Insure Communications is Established inside the
  aircraft

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Equipment
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Digital Camera

• Using a personal camera is recommended
• It should be a modern digital camera with
  standard rechargeable batteries, or over the
  counter batteries
  
• High in Pixels and Zoom is recommended
• The Camera should have the ability to take rapid
  pictures
  
• If using the Nikon D100 camera in the aircraft,
  the owner's manual can be found on the internet
  and on the Squadrons website (Long Download)
  

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Memory

• Memory card compatible with available laptop
  computer
  
• 2 Gigs Recommended
• Extra memory cards
• Clear all memory cards before flight.
• Check to insure they work before flight
• Practice replacing memory cards in flight

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Batteries

• Fresh Batteries
• Check battery charge (Before Flight)
• Extra batteries on hand
• Practice replacing batteries in flight

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Misc. Equipment

• Plexiglas cleaner approved for the aircraft
  windows
  
• Clipboard for record keeping
• Good camera case

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The Photo Pass
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Photo Pass

• Four types of passes
• Approaching Target
• Vertical Overhead
• High Pass Above 45 degrees from target
• Low Pass Below 45 degrees from target
• For standardization, a pass from the north, east,
  south and west, and at the lowest possible
  altitudes as per CAPF 60-1 is recommended

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Photo Pass
Vertical
High Pass
Low Pass
45 deg.
Target
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Actual Mission

• Ten (10) passes on each target may be needed on a
  real mission
  
• One (1) approaching the target
• One (1) from directly above
• Four (4) High North, East, South, West
• Four (4) Low North, East, South, West

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Training Mission

• Ten (10) passes on each target is not needed on a
  training mission
  
• One (1) approaching the target
• One (1) from directly above
• One (1) High (Option) North, East, South or
  West
  
• One (1) Low (Option) North, East, South or West

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Photographic Techniques
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Using the Camera

• Be absolutely sure the camera works before
  boarding the aircraft
  
• Activate the time stamp on the camera
• Clean your lens and viewfinder
• Set image size to highest resolution

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Using the Camera

• Set camera to Scene Mode
• Turn off or tape over the Auto Flash
• Open window if possible
• Frame and compose photo properly

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Using the Camera

• Level camera with the horizon
• Over use of digital zooming will degrade the
  quality of a photo
  
• If camera is capable, take multiple photos on
  each pass
  
• Observer will add entries to the photo log after
  each pass

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Record Keeping Emailing Photos
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Record Keeping

• A successful mission is dependent on the
  documentation of each photo, and its delivery to
  the tasking agency
  
• Each series of photos, or photo passes should be
  documented immediately after taken
  
• A blank photo should be taken to separate the
  photos of each target, or the photos of each pass

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Record Keeping

• A team effort between the Observer and Scanner is
  needed
  
• A working photo log in both a PDF and MS Word
  format will be provided on the Squadrons website
  
• Example Photo Log

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Record Keeping

• On landing, the photos on the memory disc should
  be transferred to a computer
  
• Each photo should be renamed to the following
  format
  
• targetname-date-time-pic.jpeg
• All information on the in-flight photo log should
  be transferred to the working MS Word photo log
  obtained from the squadron website

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Photo Log

• Once completed, the working log should be
  converted to a PDF format
  
• This can be done with a free software program
  called CutePDF
  
• This software can be found at www.cutepdf.com or
  on the squadron website
  
• Example PDF Photo Log

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Sending Photos to WMIRS

• Insure someone available has access to WMIRS
  before each flight
  
• A practice folder should be set up in WMIRS to
  accept the photos
  
• Each crewmember, and anyone standing around
  should practice uploading photos to WMIRS after
  the flight

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Attaching Email Photos

• High resolution photos are very large files
• Sending several photos together will increase the
  size of the email
  
• Most servers that receive emails will not accept
  large emails
  
• Resizing is necessary

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Attaching Email Photos

• Resizing photo files can be accomplished with a
  free Microsoft program called Image Resizer
  
• It can be found at http//www.microsoft.com/window
  sxp/Downloads/powertoys/Xppowertoys.mspx
  
• It can also be found on the Squadrons website

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Attaching Email Photos

• Using this program involves highlighting either
  one, or all the selected photos in the computers
  file structure and right clicking them
  
• A window will appear asking for the size of the
  reduction
  
• Select the smallest size and enter
• The original photos will remain and a copy of
  smaller photos will be added

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Attaching Email Photos

• The original high resolution photos have more
  clarity than the smaller resolution photos.
  
• They should be kept in the event the tasking
  agency request more clarity
  
• The smaller pictures should be renamed to the
  mission description and attached to the email
  

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Emailing Photos

• The PDF photo log, and the selected mission
  photos can now be attached to an email format and
  sent to the tasking agency
  
• A signature format should be prepared to describe
  the attachments in the email

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Practice Suggestions

• Practice taking and documenting photos from the
  back seat of a moving automobile
  
• Transferring photos from the camera to a laptop
  computer
  
• Become familiar with resizing, renaming, and
  grouping photo files, and preparing them for
  emailing

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Example photos of Tornado Damage
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Tornado Damage
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Tornado Damage
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Close-Up or Zoom

• Coordinating the zoom feature of the camera and
  the distance to the target takes lots of practice

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Close-up
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Close-up
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Close-up
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CAPF - Photo Log

• No formal CAP photo log could be found
• Use of the provided photo log is recommended

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Mandatory Radio Calls, CAP

• Radio check
• Take-off time
• In operations area
• Out of operations area
• Landing time
• 30 min Ops normal check

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Discussion