The Instrument's module for collection of multi-spectral super-resolution imagery (i.e. under 1 cm/pixel) and environmental data is an autonomous, lighter than air, a smart balloon which can hover on a tether or drift on planned low altitude courses to a broad array of vantage points not accessible by other platforms and without affecting the environment being monitored. Because of the balloons' low cost, hundreds can be produced for the price of one aircraft or drone. Our Control Algorithms allow precise dynamic trajectories with knowledge of wind and mechanical trajectory and landing correction controlled via commands like "land into my hands" or "land there".

Because the Instrument's balloon modules can remain aloft for longer periods without mechanical propulsion, an array of units can simultaneously collect the full spectrum of imagery and sample air quality at the same time, without disturbing the sample by propulsion turbulence. The imagery and data are geo-referenced and will be accurately mapped on TerraFly within seconds of the collection.

The Instrument's balloon module can carry up to 12 sensors at a time, including: temperature, humidity, CO2 and other gas sensors, pressure, radiation, pyranometer (visible, IR and UV radiation) and PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) sensors. The Instrument's balloons are lighter than air and do not use propellers. They can stay for extended periods of time, and are easily moveable, either by hand, or drifting with the wind. In either case, they do not disturb the surrounding air, making them the ideal for air quality sensing, which will have paramount effect on climate change studies.

The Instrument's recorded tracks will facilitate broad area pattern analysis of surface air, useful for planning drift patterns for balloons.

The ability to visualize instantaneously the area over which imagery and data is being collected, as well as to dynamically adjust the collection parameters, with live transmission of the geo-referenced data to the Instrument's server farm will transform data collection capabilities in extreme environments.

The balloon module of the Instrument will transform pre- and post- disaster management. For instance, in hurricane preparedness, the super-resolution imagery of imagery will allow auto-detection of loose roof tiles and other unsafe components. After a disaster, the Instrument's balloon units can launch where planes cannot take off, where drones cannot find fuel and remain aloft to search for survivors and assess damage.

The lightRadio, a Rubik's cube-sized device made by Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) that takes all of the components of a cell phone tower and compresses them down into a 2.3-inch block, can be carried by an array of the Instrument's balloons, enabling research on where, how and under what circumstances these relays can serve in place of cell phone towers. This research of FIU and ALTA Pix Inc [http://www.altadrifter.com], a Verizon partner, will involve members of the cell phone industry.

The Instrument will support the FIU effort under the just announced $11.4M USDOT TIGER award (http://cake.fiu.edu/TIGER2013) led by these co-PIs to develop a sustainable community of UniversityCity and to alleviate traffic congestion.  The utilization of the Instrument in application leading to Florida road decongestion is referenced in the letters from the executive leadership of Florida Department of Transportation Secretary, South Florida Regional Planning Council, Miami-Dade County, Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, and City of South Miami. Advanced aerial imaging is a non-invasive and inexpensive traffic-sensory method which can be much more efficient than ground-level cameras or car detectors. The MRI Instrument will store and perform feature identification on O(10 minute)-frequency high-resolution balloon aerial images.

The Instrument's ability to change the imagery collection angle and for fast unit deployment will enable research in Archaeology as it allows to detect shadow traces of unevenness in the ground surface suggesting the presence of subsurface structure [Ortiz, J.; Evans, D.] and enables the carrying out of survey flights at different times of the day, and particularly at dawn and dusk, when raking light provides ideal conditions to pick up surface shadows.

References Cited

[RFA] Research of FIU and ALTA Pix Inc http://www.altadrifter.com

[TLR+13] lightRadio research using TerraFly and ALTA super-resolution aerial imagery. http://teralta.org/lightRadio

[UTP+13] UniversityCity TIGER Proposal and Award Documents http://cake.fiu.edu/TIGER2013

[OJ+13] J. Ortiz, et al. "Three‐dimensional Modelling of Archaeological Sites Using Close‐range Automatic Correlation Photogrammetry and Low‐altitude Imagery." Archaeological Prospection 20.3 (2013): 205-217.

[EDM13] D. Evans and E. Moylan. "Pixels, Ponds and People: Mapping Archaeological Landscapes in Cambodia Using Historical Aerial and Satellite Imagery." Archaeology from Historical Aerial and Satellite Archives. Springer New York, 2013. 291-313.