A photo taken by a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) confirms a golden eagle nest on Dugway Proving Ground is inactive. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

A project team member controls a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) to get close to a golden eagle nest to determine if the nest was active. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

A small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) is shown in flight at Dugway Proving Ground. The sUAS is one of three platforms utilized during a two-year study to locate golden eagle nests on the installation. The study was conducted to determine which platform worked best. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

Pilots control a Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during a project at Dugway Proving Ground to observe golden eagle nests. The project compared three observation methods to determine which one offered the most benefits: an on-the-ground observer, a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) and the Gray Eagle, a military UAS. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

Project team members prepare to launch a small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) to observe golden eagle nests on Dugway Proving Ground. The nests were observed for two years using three platforms to determine the strengths and weaknesses of each method. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

A Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was the military-grade UAS used in the two-year project at Dugway Proving Ground to observe golden eagle nests. The project compared three observation methods to determine which one offered the most benefits. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

This photo of a baby golden eagle was taken by a nearby remote camera. Remote cameras were placed at nesting locations to compare against the three observation methods that were evaluated during the two-year project. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

This photo showing golden eagle parents with their baby was taken by a nearby remote camera. Remote cameras were placed at nesting locations to compare against the three observation methods that were evaluated during the two-year project. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

This photo showing a golden eagle feeding its baby was taken by a nearby remote camera. Remote cameras were placed at nesting locations to compare against the three observation methods that were evaluated during the two-year project. Dugway Proving Ground photo.

A Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was the military-grade UAS used in the two-year project at Dugway Proving Ground to observe golden eagle nests. The project compared three observation methods to determine which one offered the most benefits. Dugway Proving Ground stock photo.

DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, UTAH – a project utilizing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to monitor golden eagle nests at Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) has won national recognition. The project was named the 2020 Resource Conservation and Resiliency Project of the Year by the Department of Defense’s Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). The announcement was made last week during the program’s annual symposium.

Dugway Proving Ground is home to multiple breeding pairs of golden eagles, which are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Because of these regulations, military testing and training activities can be restricted if they risk disturbing active eagle nests. Therefore, it is vital for Dugway Proving Ground, and similar military testing and training ranges, to fully understand the location and status of eagle nests.

For the project, Dugway Proving Ground monitored its eagle nests utilizing and comparing three methods: an on-the-ground human observer, a military UAS and a small UAS (sUAS) platform. Researchers found the sUAS to be an extremely useful tool, able to quickly identify nests and take photographs to help determine the age of the eagles, which is an important criteria when deciding whether mission operations can safely continue. The results of the two-year study will be made available through a final technical report and a guidebook for range managers that will focus on the use of sUAS.

The project team included the DPG Natural Resource Office, Select Engineering Services, HawkWatch International, Army Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center, and the Army Threat Systems Management Office.

Dugway Proving Ground is responsible for testing and evaluating nearly all chemical and biological defense capabilities while conserving its natural resources. Dugway Proving Ground is demonstrating the two missions are compatible.

The ESTCP Program, established in 1995, promotes the transfer of innovative technologies that have successfully established proof of concept to field or production use. ESTCP demonstrations collect cost and performance data to overcome the barriers to employ an innovative technology because of concerns regarding technical or programmatic risk.