Cyber-physical systems to counter CBRN threats – sensing payload capabilities in aerial platforms for real-time monitoring and analysis

Abstract

In the new and transformative era, our surrounding environments are increasingly connected through exponential growth of cyber-physical systems (CPS) and interactive intelligent technologies. One such example includes technological innovations in Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Platforms, also known as drones, for applications such as surveillance, real-time monitoring, emergency augmentation for actionable response, security and enabler of connected communities to bring about new levels of opportunity and growth, safety and security, health and wellness, thus improving the overall quality of life. Based on our previous experiences, we present a modality of smart and connected sensors platforms that have a great potential to provide enhanced situational awareness for safety and security. The objective of this investigation is to develop a mobile Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Platform (UASP) capable of monitoring in real-time, capturing, synthesizing and analyzing the information and allowing communication with ground-based systems for actionable response. Several commercial off the shelf (COTS) instruments such as hyperspectral imagers, Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Biometrics Facial Recognitions systems are discussed along with some innovative platforms that are still in experimental stages and can potentially serve as payload to the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sensor platforms. The new system under development has an airborne component to capture relevant information from a Domain of Interest (DoI). This paper summarizes the capabilities of UASP along with several potential applications and potential risk scenarios of such smart and connected by internet of everything (IOET) systems.