For Immediate Release

FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Logging more than 18 hours of flight time in six separate flights, the Geophysical Institute’s unmanned aircraft system completed its first scheduled campaign of the year in the Stewart Creek Impact Area near Eielson Air Force Base June 21 to 24, 2007. During the flights, the UAS collected 30 color images per second of about 43 square miles of terrain. Soon, the images will be pieced together and analyzed by the U.S. Army Alaska Garrison to map wildfire fuels growing in the Stewart Creek Impact Area.

CONTACT: Amy Hartley, GI information officer, 907-474-5823, amy [dot] hartley [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu

Fairbanks, Alaska— Three 40-pound unmanned aircraft from Poker Flat Research Range will support Alaska Shield — a statewide exercise on April 26 through May 2, 2010 — that will test Alaska’s ability to respond to a major disaster. Although the aircrafts’ specific mission will remain unknown until the exercise begins, PFRR staff is prepared to launch and fly the aircraft in the Anchorage area.