Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030 - Federation of ...

UAS ROADMAP 2005
In Phase I, an experimental unmanned vehicle-based robot with a RSTA package and a Javelin missile
were demonstrated. The culminating demonstration was completed in FY2002 with the successful launch
of 19 Light Anti-armor Weapon (LAW) rockets and one Javelin missile. Phase II of the demonstration
occurred in FY2003, successfully firing three Javelin missiles, three Hellfire missiles, and over 500 7.62
mm rounds from the M240 machine gun. Phase III involved firing a Mk-19 Grenade Launcher from a
HMMWV-based robot while it was teleoperated (shoot on the move). Coordinates of the target, provided
by a small unmanned aircraft were fed into the system, which then calculated the firing solution and
engaged the target. The Phase III experiment occurred in September 2004.
UA-UGV Cooperative Development
Background: The UA-UGV cooperative development program is a USAF robotics R&D effort to
develop and extend technologies to enhance UA/UGV capabilities through cooperative behaviors. This
initiative captures the lessons learned in the 2003 STORK demonstration and seeks to advance the
combined potential of UA and UGVs interoperating together in a common network to increase mission
effectiveness. Planned development includes: (1) a JAUS/NATO STANAGS-compliant UA, (2)
enhanced teleoperation and autonomy of low-cost rotary-wing UA, (3) an aerial communications relay to
extend the radio range of UGVs, (4) insertion of aerial imagery into UGVs for map/model building and
situational awareness, (5) precision UGV marsupial emplacement/recovery using a rotary-wing UA, (6)
terrain modeling for UGV path planning – adapting existing technology to JAUS-compatibility, and (7)
visual recognition for obstacle avoidance/intruder detection. A range of JAUS compliant UA/UGV
platforms are envisioned. A summary of two potential platforms follows:
Characteristics of Possible Platforms:
R-Max UA ARTS UGV
Size 12’ x 2’ x 3.5’ Size 9.5’ x 5.5’ x 6.5’
Main Rotor Diameter 10 ft Weight 8100 lb
Tail Rotor Diameter 21 in Ground Clearance 14 in
Performance of Possible Platforms:
Maximum Payload 68 lb Maximum Payload 3500 lb
Flight Duration 60 mins Endurance 6-8 hrs
Line of Sight Distance 492 ft Maximum Speed 8 mph
Track Ground Pressure ~2 PSI
Line of Sight Distance 1.5 miles
UGV-UA Cooperative Development at SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego
The UGV-UA cooperative development efforts at SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego (SSC-SD) are
designed to take advantage of the 20 years of experience in ground and air unmanned systems, and the
current SSC SD products including Multi-robot Operator Control Unit (MOCU) and MDARS-E.
Development is taking place in several areas.
The first area is the development of an Autonomous UAV Mission System (AUMS) for Vertical Takeoff
and Landing UA. The goal of the system is to allow a UA to be launched, recovered, and refueled by a
host or stand-alone platform in order to provide force extension through autonomous aerial response. The
recovery capability will be an integration of vision technologies from Carnegie Mellon University and the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory as well as GPS technology from Geodetics, Inc. The system will operate with
different manned and unmanned vehicles and will use the JAUS protocol and the SSC-SD MOCU
command and control interface. AUMS may be modified for use by multiple ground and air platforms.
Some of the near-term UA missions include reconnaissance, RF communications relays, overhead visual
GPS augmentation, surveillance, psychological operations, and mine detection. Future uses include target
designation and payload dispersal (i.e., submunitions, ThrowBots, sensors). Other benefits are seen in the
APPENDIX J – UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLES
Page J-9