Landing-Zone and Drop-Zone Criteria

Abstract

The criteria for landing zones (LZs) and drop zones (DZs), also known as austere entry surfaces, are extensive and varied. They range from very specific guidance on required geometry to more general guidance on required bearing strength of unprepared surfaces, such as soil or ice, and the smoothness of those surfaces. Current practice for siting LZs and DZs includes site surveys by trained personnel, often in hostile environments. Additionally, with the continued advancement of image analysis, it may be possible to identify potential LZ and DZ sites remotely and thus to reduce the need to expose personnel to dangerous conditions. This review intends to summarize existing Federal, Department of Defense, and other criteria for unsurfaced, unimproved LZs and DZs. The purpose of the summary is to consolidate criteria so that the criteria may be considered in the process of developing and refining methods to remotely locate and assess potential LZs and DZs by using satellite imagery.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1036303

Entities

People

  • Sally A. Shoop
  • Wendy L. Wieder

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Civil Engineering
  • Commercial Aircraft
  • Department Of Defense
  • Engineers
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Landing Gear
  • Military Science
  • Navigational Aids
  • Remote Sensing
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Proposed Air Force Base Actions.
  • Pavement Materials Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Space