LaRoche Aviation Services’ Post

We’ve just returned from one of our favorite kinds of excursions, in which Sikorsky’s firefighting team provides the fire🔥, Sikorsky Innovations provides the optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter 🚁 and we provide the Rain 🌧️, in the form of a wildfire mission autonomy stack. Rain builds technology to adapt autonomous aircraft with the intelligence to understand and extinguish wildfires in their initial stage, providing new tools to firefighters who are working on fires of increasing frequency and severity due to climate change. We were out flying again, this time to validate work we’ve done on our wind deviation model (accounting for wind conditions and measuring the results). A new GPS device on the ground to enabled accuracy of measurements of the test results down to the 2cm level. During the demos we got great results in terms of fire perception and autonomous suppression. On all of the drops, Rain's software localized the fire, hitting the target with water from the Bambi Bucket. You can read more about it, and look at some of the data we gathered, on our website. https://lnkd.in/g968s9-C #firetech #wildfire

The future of aerial response will require the best tools and expertise ✈️🔧. Find out how Flying Lion, Inc. (FLI) Lion serves those who serve by helping public safety agencies build and maintain UAS programs 🤝🚓 in this clip from Dawn of Autonomy: https://lnkd.in/gkMw2uSh

When helicopters operate in sandstorms, they create a halo of sparks 🚁 When helicopters operate in sandstorms, they can produce a striking visual phenomenon: a glowing halo of sparks surrounding their rotor blades. This ethereal display, often referred to as “St. Elmo’s fire,” results from the interplay of static electricity and airborne sand particles. While visually captivating, this phenomenon is more than just an aesthetic curiosity. It can interfere with onboard electronics and communications systems, posing operational challenges for pilots. Helicopters designed for desert environments often incorporate specialized materials and protective measures to minimize the effects of such conditions. #IADN

⚠️ Shared Skies, Shared Risks: The Potomac Collision ⚠️ The tragic collision between a CRJ-700 and a helicopter near Washington, D.C. has raised questions about situational awareness and communication. Despite air traffic controllers warning the helicopter crew to pass behind the jet, the collision still occurred. Reports suggest the crew may have mistaken another plane ahead of the jet, as their intended target. 🔍 What Went Wrong? 🔴 Communication is Key: Air traffic controllers gave clear instructions, but ensuring pilots understand and confirm the correct actions is just as critical. 🔴 Data and Tracking Limitations: Granular ADS-B data for #AA5342 (American Airline) and Mode S data for PAT25 (Sikorsky H-60 ) show why the helicopter wasn’t visible on public trackers like Flightradar24—it lacked sufficient data for MLAT calculations. 🔴 Visual Identification Matters: In busy airspace, visually tracking the right aircraft is vital. This incident shows how easy it is to lose focus in a complex environment.

New report highlights just how bad the problem of GPS spoofing is for commercial airliners, and how challenging it is to mitigate the threat (in part because they’ve become so reliant on just GPS!)

The recent wildland fire in San Bernardino has forced thousands from their homes, while firefighters battle the blaze from both the ground and air.   Early detection and containment of wildland fires are crucial to minimizing damage. With aircraft equipped with Ciconia’s Coordination & Collision Avoidance System (C&CAS), multiple helicopters, fixed-wing planes, and drones can safely operate in large numbers during the critical initial attack phase. The C&CAS ensures that no collisions occur, allowing a coordinated and efficient response.   Unfortunately, if the initial attack fails, both the damage and costs skyrocket. To be effective, numerous aircraft must be deployed immediately. However, the lack of time to set up local air traffic management systems means only a limited number of aircraft are typically utilized in this crucial phase, due to concerns over midair collisions.   Ciconia’s C&CAS changes the game, enabling rapid, large-scale aerial responses that can make all the difference in containing wildland fires early. https://lnkd.in/dP7dviqc

Today, we take a huge step forward in the world of DFR. Elk Grove Police Department just became the first of many Flock agencies to receive an FAA waiver to fly their entire jurisdiction BVLOS, without a VO, at 400 feet. Now, with Flock Aerodome, agencies don’t have to settle for 200 feet. Our VP of Aviation, Rahul Sidhu, wrote this article (with visual examples) to show just how much more effective flying at 400 feet is versus 200 feet. https://lnkd.in/gEn7KV98 TLDR; 1. You can see four times as much, and are much more likely to find what you’re looking for. 2. The sound from the drone is 25% less intense at 400 feet, making it far less likely to get community complaints. 3. You have the tactical advantage of staying hidden when you want it. Companies that try to convince you to fly low are only doing it because their systems can’t fly high.

Because of the Tragic Helicopter Crash in DC, Many Are INCORRECTLY Labeling as Near-Misses Collisions That ALMOST Happen. For the Truth, WATCH BELOW

Very useful and important guidance here from the CAA #aviationsafety #aviationtraining #flightsafety #pilots

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