Breaking New Ground: U.S. Air Force Tests Drone LIDAR for Airfield Safety at McChord Airfield
Breaking New Ground: U.S. Air Force Tests Drone LIDAR for Airfield Safety at McChord Airfield
In a groundbreaking effort to enhance airfield safety and precision mapping, the U.S. Air Force recently completed a comprehensive LIDAR survey using drone technology at McChord Airfield, located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), Washington. The 627th Civil Engineer Squadron (627 CES), in collaboration with Stitch3D and a team of advanced technologists, deployed aerial LIDAR to map obstructions—specifically focusing on tree encroachments into critical airspace. This initiative marks a major step forward in leveraging drones for improved geospatial intelligence and operational readiness.
A Vision for the Future: The Case for Drone-Based LIDAR
Like many commercial and military airfields, McChord requires a full airfield obstruction survey every five years. However, traditional methods have often fallen short in delivering accurate, interoperable, and shareable obstruction data—especially when it comes to tree height measurements.
Previous physical site surveys relied on estimated tree heights, leading to inconsistencies between Air Force and Army stakeholders at JBLM who are responsible for maintaining flight safety. In 2022, the JBLM Department of Public Works provided fixed-wing LIDAR data to the McChord Airfield Management team. While helpful, that dataset lacked cross-agency interoperability and led to classification discrepancies.
To further complicate matters, the region’s dominant Douglas Fir trees—comprising 90% of the surrounding forest—can grow 3 to 6 feet per year, generating hundreds of new obstructions annually. Under Washington State environmental regulations, the military can only remove trees that have been precisely identified as violations. Each offending tree must be pinpointed and measured before forestry teams can act.
The 627 CES drone LIDAR project aimed to evaluate whether drone-enabled surveys could deliver a more accurate, flexible, and timely solution for identifying tree obstructions on an active airfield.
The Tech Behind the Mission
From March 14–17, 2025, several advanced technology vendors came together to support the mission:
Stitch3D – A cloud-native software company specializing in 3D web visualization and geospatial data management.
Inertial Labs – A leader in high-precision navigation systems and creator of the RESEPI sensor, which integrates LIDAR with inertial measurement tools to produce accurate 3D maps.
Freefly Systems – A Washington-based drone manufacturer whose Blue UAS-certified Freefly Astro drone was used for the mission.
Basemap Consulting – A geospatial solutions firm focused on LIDAR processing, drone mapping, and GIS analysis.
Together, these companies partnered with Air Force units including the 62nd Operations Support Squadron (62 OSS) and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) to carry out the survey.
Mission Execution: Navigating Challenges in the Field
Surveying McChord Airfield required tackling both technical and environmental challenges. The team focused on two high-priority runway approach zones: a 685-acre area to the south and a 268-acre area to the north.
Clearing Regulatory Hurdles
Before any flights could begin, the 627 CES team secured a Cyber Exception to Policy (ETP) waiver for drone operations, ensured FCC compliance, and obtained both military and civilian airspace clearance—a process that took nearly four months.
Day 1: Weathering the Storm
On March 15, 2025, severe weather—with heavy rain and gusts reaching 35 mph—restricted flight operations to a narrow two-hour window. Despite the conditions, the team successfully established ground control points and completed a data-gathering flight over the northern zone, capturing critical LIDAR data of nearby trees.
Day 2: Longer Flight, Greater Complexity
Improved weather on March 16 allowed for a five-hour mission over the southern approach. The team encountered technical challenges including battery limitations and signal interference due to the dense, tall tree canopy. The Freefly Astro drone flew at 65 meters (213 feet) above ground level, requiring frequent battery swaps and flights from three different observation points. To mitigate delays, the team adjusted flight speeds, repositioned pilots, and prepped multiple batteries for hot-swapping.
Post-Processing and Analysis
Once data collection was complete, the raw LIDAR point cloud underwent extensive post-processing to remove noise from moisture in the air and on the ground. Inertial Labs’ PCMasterPro software was used to improve georeferencing accuracy through RTK and PPK corrections. Stitch3D’s cloud platform then denoised and classified the ground surface, allowing Air Force stakeholders to access high-resolution 3D models of the airfield terrain and vegetation.
Key Takeaways: Why Drone LIDAR Works
Despite weather and technical hurdles, the team captured nearly 1,000 acres of survey-grade geospatial data. The mission revealed multiple advantages of drone-based LIDAR over conventional methods:
Improved Accuracy and Frequency – Unlike fixed-wing surveys, drone LIDAR can fly lower and slower, delivering denser point clouds and more precise obstruction data. Drones also enable more frequent updates with fewer logistical hurdles.
Seamless Data Sharing – Stitch3D’s cloud-native system allowed for real-time access and collaboration across multiple military units, reducing inconsistencies in obstruction classification.
Cost and Operational Efficiency – Ground-based surveys are labor-intensive and impractical for large wooded areas. Fixed-wing surveys, while effective, are costly and hard to coordinate. Drone LIDAR offers a balanced solution combining accuracy, flexibility, and affordability.
Looking Ahead: A New Era in Airfield Geospatial Intelligence
The successful completion of the McChord Airfield drone LIDAR survey signals a major shift in military geospatial operations. By integrating sUAS-based LIDAR with web-based data sharing, the Air Force is pioneering a more efficient, precise, and responsive approach to airfield safety and obstruction management.
As drone capabilities continue to evolve, their role in national defense, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring will expand rapidly. The McChord Airfield project stands as a powerful case study for the future of drone-enabled geospatial intelligence—one that’s smarter, faster, and more adaptable than ever.
Stitch3D is a cloud-native web platform that enables efficient and seamless web sharing and visualization of large-scale geospatial datasets. Their platform enables users to manage, analyze, and share large-scale 3D files—such as LIDAR and photogrammetry point clouds—directly through a web browser, eliminating the need for specialized software or hardware and improving data accessibility across the survey and engineering industries.
About Inertial Labs
Inertial Labs develops advanced navigation and positioning technologies, including IMUs, INSs, and AHRSs for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. Their solutions support high-growth areas like autonomous vehicles and alternative navigation. In early 2025, Inertial Labs was acquired by Viavi Solutions to expand its market reach and capabilities in precision navigation and sensing technologies.
About Freefly Systems
Freefly Systems specializes in advanced camera stabilization and aerial cinematography equipment. The Alta X and Astro drones were approved by the U.S. Department of Defense under the Blue sUAS 2.0 program, highlighting Freefly Systems’ reliability for both commercial and government applications.
About Basemap Consulting
Basemap Consulting specializes in delivering high-precision geospatial solutions for sectors such as engineering, surveying, construction, and environmental management. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including drone-based LIDAR mapping, photogrammetry, terrestrial scanning, and customized GIS deliverables, all tailored to meet specific project requirements.
About Clark Yuan
Clark is a former U.S. Army intelligence and innovation officer and the Founder and CEO of Stitch3D. He served overseas in Afghanistan and South Korea, where he worked closely with geospatial and imagery intelligence.
CONTACTS
For Stitch3D Inc. | Clark Yuan clark.yuan@stitch3d.io
For Inertial Labs | info@inertiallabs.com
For Freefly Systems | Matt Isenbarger matt@freeflysystems.com
For Basemap Consulting | Daniel Windham daniel@basemapconsulting.com
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