These are the acquisitions from the NOAA UAS workshop held in Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 15, 2014. The workshop serves as a think tank for the representatives of the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) River Forecast Centers (RFCs) to discuss use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in RFC missions and to update the RFC requirements for UASs. The seminar attendees also discussed how UAS technology has advanced since February 2012 and heard presentations on how other NOAA entities have exploited UASs. The workshop was the second workshop of this type. The first Workshop for Optimal Unmanned Aircraft Systems River Observing Strategy was held at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) facility in Boulder, Colorado, Feb. 22-23, 2012.

The workshop reaffirmed the fact that Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) can provide great value to the mission of NOAA’s NWS/RFCs. UASs add value to many of their observational needs. UASs are efficient, effective, economical, and environmental friendly. They are cost and performance effective. They are another tool that can be used which provides unique capabilities and values for many requirements.