麻豆影院

Dr. Drone聽

Brian Argrow, the new chair of CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences department, talks Mars, drones, integrity and why he always books a window seat.

If you could visit any planet in our solar system, which would you pick?

Mars, of course. When I see images from the surface, they often remind me of places I鈥檝e visited in the American Southwest, and I have so many memories from reading sci-fi books such as Ray Bradbury鈥檚 The Martian Chronicles. It would be fascinating to see just how accurate my youthful imagination was.

You鈥檙e an expert in unmanned aircraft systems (drones). Do you think they鈥檒l become part of everyday life in America?

If you consider the battlefield, tactical and strategic missions of the U.S. military for the past 20 years or so, drones have already been an indispensable part of the lives of many Americans 鈥� but only recently in America. The introduction of the FAA鈥檚 鈥淧art 107鈥� regulation last year finally gave a relatively straightforward path for legitimate drone uses for flights in the U.S. below 400-ft. altitude and away from airports.

I use 鈥渓egitimate鈥� to separate those who intend to observe the current regulations from the 鈥渞ogues鈥� who have no intention to abide by the regulations.

NASA also is focused on developing an air-traffic management system in anticipation of the continued proliferation of small drones.

How soon and for what uses?

Small drones have become ubiquitous enough to barely be noticeable. You might have seen News Channel 4 in Denver advertising their 鈥淒rone 4,鈥� which is just a little DJI Phantom-4 quadrotor.

A partial list of CU鈥檚 recent drone applications and missions includes atmospheric measurements and profiling, an aerial photogrammetry survey of Chimney Rock National Monument, delivery of real-time pre-storm weather data to the National Weather Service and intercepting supercell thunderstorms in the Great Plains.

A multitude of civilian applications includes search and rescue; powerline, railroad, bridge and river inspection; estuary surveys; large aquatic mammal counts; anti-poaching; and blood and plasma delivery.

What aerospace endeavor that you鈥檙e aware of seems to offer the聽greatest promise for humankind?

As much as I see drones changing the world, I suppose if I had to say what holds the greatest promise to humanity, it would have to be spacecraft with the potential to spread humankind to other planets. Of course, Mars is the first target.

CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 aerospace program ranks among America鈥檚 best. How would you like to see it change or grow?

Once, innovation was primarily within specific, well-defined disciplines. Today鈥檚 innovation is mostly at their intersections.

For example, today鈥檚 drone technologies are emerging from aeronautics, robotics, intelligent systems and spacecraft (GPS) technologies, with increasingly autonomous technologies starting to emerge in spacecraft, air traffic control and ground-based systems, such as cars.

Our aerospace program continues to grow because of our diversity in disciplines and research, our willingness to collaborate and innovate at intersections and our desire to be leaders in all aspects of engineering education.

What qualities make for a first-rate aerospace engineer?

Curiosity and integrity. Curiosity drives the imaginations at the foundation of engineering design. Integrity because, if we are to entrust our lives to the technologies of aerospace engineers, we must first have trust in the people that are the engineers.

What first drew you to aerospace engineering?

My first love was astronomy, as far back as I can remember. The Gemini and Apollo programs absolutely captured my imagination. I was 8, about to be 9, for the first moon landing. I was similarly fascinated by the NASA X-plane program, especially the X-15. If it had anything to do with astronomy, and if it involved craft that flew fast or high 鈥� preferably fast and high 鈥� then it had my undivided attention.

When you travel by air: Aisle or window, and how do you pass the time?

Window seat. When I first started traveling as a professor, I thought it was important for me to have an aisle seat, since I was fancying myself as a businessman. It only took a few trips and I was back in the window seat where I belonged 鈥� where I had a clear view of the wings and engines, and great views of things on the ground. Even though I spend most of my time working on my computer, I still look out and down often.

Condensed and edited by Eric Gershon

Photo by Glenn Asakawa