Richard McCreight and NEOS
Richard McCreight founded NEOS, Ltd. in 1995 after pioneering the development of four Near-Earth Observation System (NEOS) light aircraft for several NASA research projects. Richard transformed NEOS into a fully integrated multispectral imaging system with low start-up and operating costs, while still meeting NASA’s exacting scientific requirements. NEOS evolved into an integrated approach to environmental measurement and monitoring, using the latest remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technology to meet mission objectives.
In 1998, Richard deployed NEOS from Howard AFB in the Republic of Panama under contract from the U.S. Southern Command to provide detailed imagery and vegetation maps of military ranges for the Panama Canal UXO Project. GIS-integration of NEOS imagery and maps with digital elevation data provided the location and ground accessibility of UXO sites. On May 15th, 1999, Richard briefed Southern Command and State Department officials and presented his findings at the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
In addition to delivering affordable, high-resolution digital imagery of environmental impacts for federal and state agencies, NEOS, Ltd. has also documented countless national disasters including wildfires, earthquakes, tornadoes and flooding. In 2010, NEOS was used to remotely sense the Deep Water Horizon Gulf oil disaster for the National Science Foundation and the White House. NEOS, Ltd. has been contracted by governments worldwide for projects such as the flooding of the canals in Venice, Italy, and cyclone damage on the island nation of Vanuatu.
NEOS, Ltd. has collaborated with San Diego State University on the development of change detection for wide-area surveillance of people and vehicles on the US/Mexico border for a project funded by the Department of Homeland Security. In almost three decades of conducting aerial survey missions ranging from sub-arctic to tropical conditions, NEOS has delivered a 100% completion rate and customer satisfaction record.
Richard is a recognized scientist with over 18 scientific and technical publications. He is the winner of the USAF Commander's Challenge for "Affordable, Persistent, Wide Area Surveillance" in Socorro, New Mexico, in 2009. NEOS has been featured on CNN, National Geographic, and the Discovery Wings programs.
Richard is a commercial pilot with over 8000 flight hours supporting NASA, US Department of Defense, US Department of Energy, US Department of Justice, US Forest Service and National Science Foundation projects. Richard also serves on the Tactical Fire Remote Sensing Advisory Committee for NASA and the US Forest Service.
Richard has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master of Science degree in Forest Physiology and Ecology from Oregon State University.
