Notes from March 2 meeting:

• Update on technology development
  • Distentangling phairwell from virtual cockpit. Helping Scott spin up on a VC-independent 3D display. Note that the display itself was developed completely independently of VC (and, indeed, the new version of VC borrowed some ideas from phairwell). We just want to make the display completely independent of the communications packets with telemetry, GPS, etc. that come from VC.
    • Spencer Note: We aren't using VC for anything right now — telemetry, packets, etc. all come straight from the commbox into Phairwell.
  • Open-Sourcing project code?
    • What License? Probably just BSD for maximum openness
    • We probably have to be careful about releasing code related to our friendly neighborhood UAV company. Will talk with them before releasing anything to make sure we're not releasing anything proprietary and see how much they're willing to reveal.
    • Need to be careful about other IP. Assignment to all: put together a list of tools/software we use and any attached licensing restrictions.
  • Refurbishing the current UAV. Assignment: Mike will call Procerus. (Following up: it looks like they have a maintenance program. Will get a more detailed quote.)
  • Autopilots, kits, and usage models for a quadrotor. Decided to just order one and start playing with it. Assignment: Mike and Josh will put together order list and give to Bryan to order through purchasing.
  • Ron's work on technology for a manned aircraft. (Deferred until next meeting)

• IC interface ideas
  • Will backpacker magazine be doing an article on Lanny's model? If not, can we post a print-ad in the magazine asking for tracklogs from off-trail? Could we use the magazine's community pages to request tracklogs? Ongoing: put together website for uploading.
  • Mike Jones has been working with forestry and micro-ecology experts to model how wind influences forest growth. They are developing cellular automata models that could be useful as vegetation models of various conditions. Could we use these models to inform how vegetation influences the movement of missing persons? Could we provide some aerial imagery that supports their work? Could we use a quadrotor to gather data from various angles that then informs their models? Could their models be generalized to work on vegetation found in the high desert plains or chapparal found in California? (Mike will join us for next meeting on March 16)

• Community Outreach FAQ. I've created a new page of questions and comments that I have received from the general WiSAR community. I'd like us to post responses to these questions.