| NID | ACTIVITY_NAME | DESCRIPTION | ref |
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| 1 | FIREPLANE | | ref |
| 1.1 | Infrared (IR) Fire Mapping | Identify and integrate an Infrared (IR) fire mapping system. Such equipment is already available and has been tested. However, it must be selected from the candidates and interfaced to the RAIN System C3I software. [including specifying error tolerances]. | ref |
| 1.2 | Fireflight Planning | Develop flight planning software for transport aircraft in the aerial firefighting mission [to be modified for the RAIN System application]. Existing airline flight planning software should form a beginning for this category. | ref |
| 1.3 | Fireplane Interface Development | Develop the Fireplane 'Interface' defined in The System Design Report (SDR): This comprises the equipment onboard the fireplane that manages the delivery system, from loading to carrying and finally launching. Several configurations of this interface will first be considered during design trades: external and internal carry, wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. After selection the project will include detailed design, prototyping and testing (probably a commercial-quality mockup) | ref |
| 1.4 | Fireplane Mods | Modify the Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) fireplane aircraft to receive the Interface hardware, as required. Includes door modifications, possible storage racks, establishment of 'hard-points/bolt-on' points for interface equipment installation, etc. | ref |
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| 2 | DELIVERY SYSTEM (DS) | | ref |
| 2.1 | Aerodynamic Design/test | Design of external aerodynamic features including control surfaces | ref |
| 2.2 | Airframe development: design, prototype fab and non-flighttesting. | Components include airframe structure, fluid handling equipment including the ejection nozzle, control surfaces and actuator mechanical mounts and linkages. Actuators are excluded. | ref |
| 2.3 | Control law synthesis | Extensive use of the simulation, developed as a separate project, will be made to synthesize appropriate flight control algorithms. The algorithms will be expressed as mathematical formulae, tables, etc. and will also be structured as an executable computer code image. Redundancy will not be considered in this project. | ref |
| 2.4 | Redundant control system hardware and software design | This project will select actuators, sensors, computers and related flight control hardware and integrate a quad-redundant flight control system using given control laws, such that the system is fail operational/fail abort. The Vehicle Management System (VMS) will be designed in this task, except for the actual control laws. This project will seek to take advantages of existing systems similar in requirement to this, such as the Navy/marine F/A-18 quad-redundant flight control system. | ref |
| 2.5 | Propulsion System | Includes selecting powerplant, propeller (if applicable), designing the installation/environmental/control hardware required, and testing. | ref |
| 2.6 | Recovery System | Involves trade studies considering candidate systems for safe landing, recovery, transport and recertification/reuse of the delivery units. Also design, analysis, mockup and testing of recovery system hardware and, if applicable, software. | ref |
| 2.7 | Vehicle Systems Integration | Includes interfaces design (mechanical/electrical/electronic/environmental), simulation, laboratory and flight testing. | ref |
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| 3 | SIMULATION | Two simulations are to be developed as separate projects, but will function in an integrated mode: | ref |
| 3.1 | Wildfire Simulation | Simulation of fire behavior has been developing for many years. Such a simulation is essential to plan actual flights and verify their performance, as part of the overall Delivery System Flight Simulation discussed below. More can be found regarding this project here. | ref |
| 3.2 | Delivery System Flight Simulation | This simulation is a detailed model of the delivery system and the environment (winds, terrain, fire type, etc.) where simulated attacks on fires can be made to determine system performance as a result of its many design parameters. This simulation can also be used for demonstration purposes (with graphic displays) and for synthesizing heuristic types of simplified models for use in System Simulation. More on this facility here. The simulation will be supported by other critical analytic tools, including the delivery system modeler and firefight planner (see more on these using the links). | ref |
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| 4 | C3I SOFTWARE | The RAIN System C3I software combines all available information including commands from authorities and plans the delivery system flight to the fire and then on to its recovery site. This software integrates the capabilities developed under several other projects into this central planning and combining facility. This software system is described in more detail in the technical presentation on this site. | ref |
| 4.1 | Mapping Databases and Software | This activity researches the availability of existing terrain and structure databases and access software and selects the most suitable for the C3I function. Included are the necessary modifications to existing software required to interface it with the rest of the C3I system. | ref |
| 4.2 | Firefighting strategy and tactic codification | Moved to FPPdescription.ods. | ref |
| 4.3 | The Authorities Interface | This project identifies facilities and protocols used by various firefighting authorities (e.g., the U.S. Forest Service, state agencies such as California's CalFire, etc.) throughout the western U.S. and defines the appropriate hardware and software interfaces among them and the RAIN System C3I software system. This project includes contacting individuals and organizations knowledgeable of and responsible for existing and planned systems and developing compatible RAIN C3I interfaces accordingly. | ref |
| 4.4 | Delivery System Mission Planner | This project develops and simulator-tests the software that defines the delivery mission including trajectory definition and operation of all onboard systems from launch to recovery site landing. The software uses all available information including fire maps (location and velocity), terrain and structure databases (including locations of roads and power-lines), C3I information received from authorities, wind measurements and forecasts, the codified firefighting strategy and tactics module (developed by another project), etc. to compute the mission plan. The planner will probably integrate both the wildfire and the delivery system flight simulations developed under separate projects. | ref |
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| 5 | OVERALL RAIN SYSTEM INTEGRATION | Projects under this subsection combine the deliverables from all other projects into a complete system and tests it using simulation. | ref |
| 5.1 | Systems Engineering and interface Definition/Control | To be performed by the Program Office. Included in this project are detailed cost and performance analysis, operations synthesis and analysis (starting with fireplane planning vis-a-vis conditions associated with a fire and ending with delivery system recovery) and Interface Control among all components of the RAIN System via creation and maintenance of a set of Interface Control Documents (ICDs). The ICDs insure compatibility of hardware interfaces and, data and control flow interfaces among the many components of the overall system. | ref |
| 5.2 | Comparative Performance and Cost Analysis | This project researches to gather needed data, performs analyses as required and combines all into comparative cost and performance analysis addressing existing aerial firefighting systems and the new RAIN system. Cost and performance data for the RAIN System will largely come from other projects. Apples-to-apples comparative data will be gathered for other (airborne) firefighting systems and analyses and simulations performed as needed to asses their performance and cost in a compatible way. | ref |
| 5.3 | System Logistics Planning and Analysis | This separate task considers the overall logistics of the system including material support for new and recovered/refurbished systems. Addresses transportation systems needed, inventories, warehousing and any other issues relating to overall system operations. May rely on other components of the project, particularly systems engineering, design of the recovery system, etc. | ref |
| 5.4 | System Demonstration, Integration and Testing Through Modeling | Models of the delivery system can be used to demonstrate the system at various levels and later for actual use as engineering development platform(s). Appropriate use of models can reduce integrated- and flight-testing significantly. The model program can be structured in 4 phases, the last three being consistent with the SBIR paradigm: The phases envisioned are: 0) Early demonstration using off-the-shelf technology in approximately standard ways; 1) Advanced demonstration with manual control; 2) Prototype testing of flying model testbed with autonomous control, and 3) Support of advanced System Integrated Testing using the model flying platform. | ref |
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| 6 | PORTABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS | | ref |
| 6.1 | Air Traffic Control | Design and development of an Air Traffic Control (ATC) system including procedures for detecting possible air traffic conflicts in a zone where RAIN System Delivery Vehicles (Dvs) might be launched or are operating. Incorporate possible dropable/portable ATC radar or other detection equipment to surveil area for unauthorized or authorized aircraft creating a hazard for midair collision. Investigate Fireplane-mounted radars, possibly from military applications, for down-looking surveillance. | ref |
| 6.2 | Weather Measurement | Possible dropable/portable weather station for wind and possibly other measurements relating to the environment near a fire area. | ref |
| 6.3 | Alternative Navigation | Development of alternative navigation (to GPS) means including possible dropable/portable navigation aid facilities such as Loran, Tacan, Omega or other kinds of beacons. Investigation of use of present navigation facilities such as the FAA VOR system. | ref |
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| 7 | MANAGEMENT (PO) | | ref |
| 7.1 | Senior Management | Management consulting firms will be sought that can provide personnel that met our criteria for components of the Program Office (PO), Field Offices (FOs) and the Central Office (CO), as addressed in the the separate page recommending details for the PO. | ref |
| 7.2 | Master Planning Software | The recommended culture for this development program includes rigorous project planning by each member activity, with each of these plans being regularly integrated into a master plan by the PO. Special software that can receive the constituent plans (transmitted in a standard file format), integrate them, 'level' resources and produce a master plan is a required tool for use by CO personnel. More on this critical facility here. | ref |
| 7.3 | System Simulation Workbench (SSW) | Overall System Simulation for the RAIN System is needed to demonstrate its cost and performance vs key system parameters that must be iterated and then defined during the design processes. Such a simulator will require cost/performance parametric models for each system component. The models must then be combined into an overall simulation by a software tool that is called the SSW herein. The SSW with component models installed, will stimulate the overall model, iteratively vary its key parameters and report overall system cost and performance as the trade studies are conducted. Output will be used to generate requirements specifications for the system which will impact design, manufacturing, distribution and operational planning, business planning and many other aspects of the overall RAIN System program. The 'make/buy' decision for the SSW will depend on the search for an available tool that meets these criteria. The sought tool should be unique to partially support justification of sole-source procurement for PO services by the customer. More can be found here. | ref |
| 7.4 | Philanthropic Interface | Explore relationships with existing nonprofit organizations for possible affiliation or cooperation in connection with possible philanthropic interest in the RAIN System development. | ref |
| 7.5 | International Promotion | Correspond with (including possible travel to) nations other than the U.S. In search of financial support for RAIN System development funds since many other nations suffer from wildfires and will benefit from the RAIN technology being available to them. | ref |
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| 8 | EARLY DETECTION SYSTEM | | ref |
| 8.1 | Search And Integration | Early detection systems for wildfires are being used in the world; in Russia and in Canada are two known locations. This subproject will research the status of such systems and look into the feasibility of integrating such a system into the RAIN System and/or interfacing with such an operational system. | ref |