The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center welcomed Dr. Jamey Jacob as keynote speaker for the January 29, 2021 MMAC Tech Talks on Zoom Webinar. Dr. Jacob presented the fascinating developmental technology "WINDMAP: Wind Intelligent Navigation Data and Models for Aviation Planning". WINDMAP addresses emerging needs in real-time weather forecasting to improve the safety of low altitude aircraft operations through the integration of real-time observations from autonomous systems with numerical weather prediction and flight management and safety systems. Through inclusion of diverse disciplines, this project will provide manned and unmanned aircraft improved situational awareness to enhance safety and efficiency, particularly for unmanned traffic management, urban air mobility, and airport operations.
Safe flight of new entrants to the U.S. national airspace system including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and urban air mobility (UAM) will require a high level of automation leading to autonomy. New eVTOL (electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) autonomous aircraft must dynamically respond to varying external conditions such as weather, unforeseen obstacles, and traffic congestion in urban environments. In addition to the challenges of traffic congestion and obstacles, critical technology gaps exist for modeling, detecting, and accommodating the dynamic local weather environment and for precision navigation through uncertain weather conditions. WINDMAP is composed of a highly interdisciplinary team involving expertise from engineering (aerospace, computer, mechanical, and robotics), sensors, atmospheric physics, aviation weather, and numerical modeling to directly address these technical challenges.
Dr. Jacob’s presentation was well-received by the 168 people who joined the MMAC Tech Talk. The audience submitted a wide-range of questions for Dr. Jacob to answer, including questions on topics such as unmanned aerial system (UAS) integration with existing weather prediction systems, collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and how MMAC might become involved in the WINDMAP program. One of the attendees commented, "The Tech Talk content was relevant to today’s technologies and aeronautical challenges. I appreciate the collaboration with academia." Another audience member stated, "I enjoyed the research focus of the presentation. I think the Tech Talks offer a great platform for raising awareness about critical FAA/aviation topics." "Dr. Jamey Jacob is an excellent speaker and educator. Thank you!"
Jamey Jacob is the Director of the Oklahoma State University (OSU) Unmanned Systems Research Institute (USRI), is a John Hendrix Chair and Professor of Aerospace Engineering in the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Oklahoma State University. His current efforts are focused on observation and measurement applications of unmanned aircraft and their enhanced operation in the national airspace for commercial and industrial applications. He led the $6M National Science Foundation (NSF) CLOUD-MAP program focused on developing unmanned aircraft for meteorology and atmospheric physics. He is currently lead on a $5 million National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project to use drones to aid in future aviation weather prediction and reporting for advanced aerial mobility platforms, including drones and urban air taxis. He received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 and his M.S and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1992 and 1995, respectively. He was a National Research Council Summer Faculty Fellow in the Air Force Research Laboratory and received the SAE Ralph Teetor Award, the Lockheed Martin Teaching Award, and the OSU Regents Distinguished Teaching Award, among other teaching and mentoring awards. He is a native Oklahoman and dedicates much of his efforts to K-12 education, STEM workforce development, and increasing diversity in engineering and science.
The Aeronautical Center is pleased to present quarterly technical briefings, called ’MMAC Tech Talks’. These Tech Talks showcase a variety of industry experts sharing their insights, experiences and discoveries as they relate to the aviation and business industries. The Tech Talks offer a glimpse of where technology stands today, highlighting current trends in aviation and business, and how these trends impact the way we live. They also explore problem-solving strategies using innovation and collaboration through cost effective measures. The quarterly MMAC Tech Talks facilitate the sharing of technological solutions for the ever-changing needs of the Aeronautical Center, and the world.
