HALEYVILLE - The agreement reached between the City of Haleyville and Arctic Shark-- which will soon conduct a drone data collection program through the U.S. Department of Energy--for the use of the Posey Field airport, will hopefully draw some much-needed publicity to the airport, officials said.
“It will help us get on the map with the services we can provide at the Haleyville Airport,” emphasized City Engineer Calvin Cassady, who explained the unique opportunity for the city’s airport to members of the city council recently.
Cassady informed the council the program known as Arctic Shark, conducted through the U.S. Department of Energy, will be flying a large drone with a wing span measuring 20 feet, over areas of the Bankhead National Forest between February 28-March 28, collecting specific data that could be of benefit to weather forecasters, city officials stated.
“They are measuring solar radiation that is coming off the forest,” Cassady said.
The resolution, which was read by Council Member Brian Berry, before approval, stated the project was to support earth and environmental science with the Department of Energy.
“The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program currently provides the users with a network of heavy instrumental long-term...observation sights and mobile observation facilities,” Berry read from the resolution.
Votes for both immediate consideration and execution of the agreement were unanimous from the council, including Berry, Dr. Ray Boshell, Blue Russell, Drew Thrasher, Boo Brooks and Mayor Ken Sunseri.
“It seems that the Department of Energy has placed some monitors or some sensors out in the forest. As the drone flies over, it sends a signal up to the drone. There are all kinds of information measured from that,” Cassady informed.
The drone, is approximately 20 feet in length and, like all drones, is an unmanned aircraft, according to Cassady. “It’s a small airplane,” he noted. “They have a chase plane that is going to follow it.”
Arctic Shark will require about 1,200 feet of a 50x100 hangar that was renovated by the city last year, Cassady stated.
“The Arctic Shark group came at the end of (the renovations). They are going to benefit from the renovation,” he added.
Arctic Shark will not only use 1,200 square feet of the renovated airport hangar to house both the drone and the chase plan, but plans are in motion to bring a mobile 480 square foot unit to the airport as office space for the approximate 10-15 personnel from Washington state, that will be using the airport, Cassady further explained.
According to terms of the agreement, Arctic Shark will pay the City of Haleyville around $24,790 for use of the airport for the 30-day operation period, including rental of the mobile office unit, as well as housing the aircraft, Cassady said.
Last year, Arctic Shark based their research operations out of the Cullman airport, but needed an airport with less traffic in order for the program to have more freedom to operate, Cassady explained.
“The $24,000 goes toward the office trailer that has to be brought in,” Cassady explained. “The city is renting the office trailer. We are also renting them hangar space and also the use of the airport because they are going to set up some observation spots also.
“It’s breaking even,” Cassady continued, “the money will go back into the general fund, I would assume, to cover all the costs.”
Project unique for airport, mayor stated
“It’s a unique experience for Posey Field,” stressed Sunseri. “It will be a real benefit to our area.
“All of this information is scientific information. We will send it back to the different schools that are involved and they will come up with different questions the scientists have,” Sunseri added.
“This could be a revolving thing that could happen numerous times over the year,” the mayor further explained.
Residents should not be suspicious
of drone
City officials urge the public not to be suspicious of the drone or the chase plane, in light of national publicity regarding drones in different states.
“When someone hears (it) and looks up, they are going to think it’s an airplane,” Cassady said. “There is really no difference between it being a drone and a small airplane.”
The drone, Cassady explained, will have the same flight restrictions as a smaller aircraft, not being allowed to fly any lower than 1,000 feet.
According to Federal Aviation Authority guidelines, small aircraft generally need to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle, with a 2,000 -foot radius when flying over congested areas, and 500 feet above the ground in non-congested areas.
“(On) their flight path to the forest, there are going to be very few houses they are flying over,” Cassady noted. “They are not going to come over the City of Haleyville. They are going to fly back toward the rural area, back to the national forest.
“The only thing people are going to see is, in my opinion, a routine, meaning they are going to hear that about the same time every day and see it fly over toward the national forest, then come back,” Cassady stated.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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