Dauphin Island to host drone demo

MOBILE, Ala. -- Dauphin Island’s airport will be used by the Navy for a project to demonstrate the use of drones to survey littoral areas. The Mobile County Commission in mid-March approved a memorandum of understanding with the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory of Mississippi State University, which is working with the Naval Meteorological and Oceanographic Command at Stennis Space Center, Miss., on the project. The demonstration will use an Outlaw SeaHunter equipped with LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system to measure water depth in coastal areas that are too shallow for survey vessels. The demonstration will be held from mid-May to early June. (Source: al.com, 03/30/17) Manned aircraft equipped with LIDAR are currently used to survey coastal areas.