Do not pick a UAV altitude; split Task 2 standoff from Task 3 UAV; cantonment is constrained¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Record ID | DECISION-0003 |
| Type | decision |
| Title | Do not pick a UAV altitude; split Task 2 standoff from Task 3 UAV; cantonment is constrained |
| Status | proposed |
| Updated | 2026-09-09 |
Decision¶
Proposed:
- The full proposal will not state a single operating altitude (including 400 ft, 1.5 m, or 5 m) as the selected survey height.
- Task 2 remains controlled elevated / gantry standoff at Edison. Task 3 remains UAV motion and integration, entered only if Task 2 shows usable signal at heights that could be flown.
- Dense cantonment is a constrained or secondary UAV environment (people, buildings, Part 107 over-people rules, Hartshorn urban-poor-fit). Primary UAV-relevant sensing geometry, if any, is open corridor / range / parking-lot-scale long-linear EMI, with terrestrial GPR/EMI retained for congested areas.
- Endpoint inference (two valves, straight line) is a routing prior, not a substitute for material sensing.
Basis¶
- FINDING-0003
Alternatives Considered¶
Alternative A¶
Claim a universal low-altitude UAV survey of cantonments and ranges.
Alternative B¶
Drop UAV from the proposal and stay terrestrial.
Why This Decision¶
A and B over-claim or under-use the phased design. The literature supports measuring the height trade, not picking the number now.
Proposal Impact¶
Technical Approach (Tasks 2–3), Technical Risks, Demonstration Plan, Go/No-Go, response to ESTCP questions.
Technical Impact¶
Standoff table stays PROJECT-MEASURED. GPR UAV is not assumed equivalent to cart GPR.
Cost / Schedule Impact¶
Q02 must cost terrestrial first and cannot assume a UAV rate until Task 2 heights exist.
Risks Introduced¶
Reviewers may still want a number. Mitigation: give literature ranges by modality and say Task 2 will measure.
Open Items¶
Accept or reject this decision. Camp Roberts/JIFX ACP is now sourced (EVID-0020, EVID-0021): no cantonment overflight; sensing height still not specified. Other candidate installations remain unsourced.