Raven UAV demonstrates 30-hour persistent surveillance

April 2, 2009 AeroVironment's Raven UAV system has been used to demonstrate the viability of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as a low-cost surveillance alternative in a continuous 30-hour persistent surveillance test flight. Conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Army Product Manager for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS), the demonstration involved unbroken surveillance of a target site using one standard production Raven RQ-11B baseline system (three aircraft and two ground control stations) operated by two-person crews working in eight-hour shifts.

The hand-launchable UAV's autonomous guidance capability was used in the demonstration in which 27 sorties were flown with no system failures or mission aborts (the Raven runs on Lithoum-Ion batteries with a 90 minute battery lifespan). Information gathering included a live video feed from the operation.

According to Dean Barten, product director for Army SUAS, “This demonstration indicates that the Raven small UAS is capable of performing tasks normally assigned to limited, high demand, and higher echelon reconnaissance assets in a highly cost-effective manner. The Raven small UAS was employed and performed as it does everyday in combat operations - reliably, without fanfare, in support of the soldiers in the fight.” Because the 4.2-pound Raven fits in a rucksack, the system has some obvious operational advantages, and its usefulness as a continuous surveillance tool could extend well beyond the military into areas like border control, law enforcement and communications.

Raven UAS Is Persistent @ Roberts Demo

The U.S. Army Product Manager for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) and AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ: AVAV) recently conducted a continuous 30-hour demonstration of persistent surveillance of a point target using AV’s RQ-11B Raven® small unmanned aircraft system. 

The demonstration at Camp Roberts, California, followed an inquiry from Pentagon officials regarding the potential for AV’sRaven small UAS to perform low-cost, tactically relevant persistent surveillance. The continuous 30-hour duration represents a prolonged tactical level surveillance mission similar to what would typically be performed at the battalion or lower level. Using one standard production Raven baseline system, which consists of three aircraft and two ground control stations, the demonstration provided continuous surveillance using only two-person crews operating in eight-hour shifts. Employing the autonomous guidance capability incorporated into the Raven small UAS, operators rotated the aircraft over a surveyed point target, a residential building on the base, maintaining unbroken surveillance throughout the demonstration, and reported activity at the target site. In addition to recording the imagery, the demonstration team streamed a live video feed from the operation via webcast throughout the event. 

According to Dean Barten, product director for Army SUAS, “This demonstration indicates that the Raven small UAS is capable of performing tasks normally assigned to limited, high demand, and higher echelon reconnaissance assets in a highly cost-effective manner. The Raven small UAS was employed and performed as it does everyday in combat operations — reliably, without fanfare, in support of the soldiers in the fight.” Barten said that in a testament to the Raven system’s reliability, over the course of the 30-hour demonstration, 27 sorties were flown with no system failures or mission aborts. The system operated flawlessly, despite the presence of high winds, air turbulence and rain, all while operating out of an unimproved area. 

In order to maintain continuous surveillance, the Raven system operators rotated the aircraft over the target: one aircraft operating on an alternate control channel would relieve the orbiting aircraft prior to the latter’s rotation back to the launch/ recovery site. The Raven system’s daytime color electro-optical camera and nighttime infrared camera payloads were employed to ensure continuous situational awareness. The Raven system’s operations were conducted in varying weather conditions, including rain and temperatures ranging from low 70’s to mid 40’s (Fahrenheit). The Raven systems used by the Army include three air vehicles, day and night sensors, two ground control stations, a laptop computer with mission planning and recording software and accompanying spares and a battery charger. The 4.2-pound Raven aircraft is powered by lithium-ion batteries. In addition to its Raven system, AV’s small UAS product family includes Puma AE™ and Wasp™, which are also hand-launched and controlled by AV’s hand-held ground control station. 

Super Charging The Puma UAV

Protonex Technology Corp. has landed a new contract with the U.S. Department of Defense that could be worth as much as $3.3 million. 

Under terms of the deal, Protonex (LSE: AIM: PTX and PTXU) will develop a pre-production fuel cell power system for powering small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). that will extend flight time and mission endurance. The contract includes a $2.2 million base award with a $1.1 million option, according to the company. The project will also draw from previous Protonex projects, particularly the UAV systems the company has developed for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the Naval Research Laboratory, and California-based vehicle maker AeroVironment Inc. Specifically, under terms of the new DOD contract, Protonex will customize one of its fuel cell power platforms and integrate it into AeroVironment’s Puma-AE UAV. The resulting UAV is expected to enable new long-duration missions, not previously feasible with hand-launched UAVs powered by advanced batteries, officials said. Last fall, AeroVironment’s Puma UAV, using a Protonex fuel cell system, broke its previous flight records and flew continuously for over nine hours — three to four times the endurance capability of its current rechargeable batteries. 

TACMAC UAV

TACMAV

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) / USA

The Tactical Mini UAV (TACMAV) system is operating with special operations forces, and is currently evaluated by the US Army for deployment with lower echelon units deployed in Iraq. TACMAV system includes three aerial vehicles, modular payloads, and ground control unit and communications equipment. The MAV has a cruising speed of 80 kph. The 50 cm long miniature drone has a wing span of 53 cm. It uses flexible wings which can be folded around its fuselage, allowing the entire UAV to be stored in a 56 cm long, 13 cm diameter tube carried soldier's backpack. When pulled out of the tube, the folded wings automatically snap into place. TACMAV uses a payload pod containing two color CCD cameras and a video transmitter, weighing only 40 gram. The total payload capacity of the TACMAV is 80 gram. The user can select forward or side looking camera. 15 frame "snapshots" can be used to recorded target of interest. The battery operated vehicle has an endurance of 30-50 minutes, using rechargeable lithium polymer cells. Higher capacity cells can extend the mission twofold. The GCU is running standard Air Force Portable Flight Planning System (PFPS) interface for mission planning, supporting pre-flight planning, in-flight updates and manual control.

Unmanned spy plane to patrol Michigan-Ontario border

In a further crackdown on the northern border, federal authorities are planning to use a drone-like, unmanned aircraft to police the United States-Canada boundary between Michigan and Ontario.

The $10.5 million Predator aircraft, which flies at 19,000 fleet, carries no weapons, but it has an awesome camera that can spot a person crossing the border from 25 miles away, said Juan Munoz-Torres, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“It’s a great platform,” Munoz-Torres said. “It’s very, very effective.”

There is no date for the aircraft to start its patrols. Munoz-Torres said the aircraft likely would be based in the Alpena area.

Customs and Border Protection has six unmanned aircraft. Four fly out of the southwest. One is out of service. The only one on the northern border began flights out of Grand Forks, N.D., in February. It patrols the prairie region.

Much of the public knows these aircraft as drones, like the ones the U.S. uses to hunt down Taliban militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan. But officials emphasized drones technically are unmanned aircraft used for military purposes.

The plans for an aircraft above the Great Lakes is part of a beefing up of surveillance along the 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border, long known for its low level of security.

On Tuesday, officials said the U.S. Border Patrol is installing 11 video surveillance towers in metro Detroit. Agent Kurstan Rosberg said today those towers will be located mainly along the St. Clair River. None will be south of the extreme northern portion of Lake St. Clair.

In recent days, the North Dakota Predator has been helping fight the Red River flooding by sending back images that allow officials to gauge the river’s movement and assess damage.

The deployment of Predators to the northern border seems to have caught the attention of Canadians more than Americans.

Addressing “Canadians anxious about the thickening of our border with the United States” in the Toronto-based National Post, Raymond de Souza wrote:

“My home on Wolfe Island, Ontario, is less than 10 miles from the New York border. A Predator B drone on the south bank of the St. Lawrence River would have me under constant surveillance. I would regard that as an invasion of my civil liberties.”

Contact BILL McGRAW at bmcgraw@freepress.com.

U.S. Raven UAV Team Demonstrates 30-Hour Surveillance

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UNITED STATES - 2 APRIL 2009

MONROVIA, Calif. --- The U.S. Army Product Manager for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SUAS) and AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) recently conducted a continuous 30-hour demonstration of persistent surveillance of a point target using AV’s RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft system. 

The demonstration at Camp Roberts, Calif. followed an inquiry from Pentagon officials regarding the potential for AV’s Raven small UAS to perform low-cost, tactically relevant persistent surveillance. 

The continuous 30-hour duration represents a prolonged tactical level surveillance mission similar to what would typically be performed at the battalion or lower level. Using one standard production Raven baseline system, which consists of three aircraft and two ground control stations, the demonstration provided continuous surveillance using only two-person crews operating in eight-hour shifts. Employing the autonomous guidance capability incorporated into the Raven small UAS, operators rotated the aircraft over a surveyed point target, a residential building on the base, maintaining unbroken surveillance throughout the demonstration, and reported activity at the target site. In addition to recording the imagery, the demonstration team streamed a live video feed from the operation via webcast throughout the event. 

According to Dean Barten, product director for Army SUAS, “This demonstration indicates that the Raven small UAS is capable of performing tasks normally assigned to limited, high demand, and higher echelon reconnaissance assets in a highly cost-effective manner. The Raven small UAS was employed and performed as it does every day in combat operations - reliably, without fanfare, in support of the soldiers in the fight.” 

Barten said that in a testament to the Raven system’s reliability, over the course of the 30-hour demonstration, 27 sorties were flown with no system failures or mission aborts. The system operated flawlessly, despite the presence of high winds, air turbulence and rain, all while operating out of an unimproved area. 

“Soldiers have in their rucksacks an immediately accessible, long-term surveillance unmanned aircraft system to give them extended bird’s eye views of a target so they don’t have to wait for larger unmanned aircraft systems that are in high demand,” said John Grabowsky, executive vice president and general manager of AV’s UAS segment. “The battle-proven Raven system could also support many important non-military applications for extended intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, such as border control, law enforcement, and communications and reconnaissance following a major storm.” 

In order to maintain continuous surveillance, the Raven system operators rotated the aircraft over the target: one aircraft operating on an alternate control channel would relieve the orbiting aircraft prior to the latter’s rotation back to the launch/ recovery site. The Raven system’s daytime color electro-optical camera and nighttime infrared camera payloads were employed to ensure continuous situational awareness. The Raven system’s operations were conducted in varying weather conditions, including rain and temperatures ranging from low 70’s to mid 40’s (Fahrenheit). 

The Raven systems used by the Army include three air vehicles, day and night sensors, two ground control stations, a laptop computer with mission planning and recording software and accompanying spares and a battery charger. The 4.2-pound Raven aircraft is powered by lithium-ion batteries. 

In addition to its Raven system, AV’s small UAS product family includes Puma AE™ and Wasp™, which are also hand-launched and controlled by AV’s hand-held ground control station. 

Each aircraft in AV’s family of small UAS is interoperable and tailored to address a variety of operational user needs. AV’s UAS logistics operation supports systems deployed worldwide to ensure a consistently high level of operational readiness. AV has delivered thousands of small unmanned aircraft to date. International purchasers of Raven systems include Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain.


UAS: Raven
The Raven B system, an enhanced version of the battle proven Raven A system, is a lightweight solution designed for rapid deployment and high mobility for both military and commercial applications, requiring low-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance intelligence. 

The most advanced small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) deployed with the U.S. Armed Forces, the Raven can be operated manually or programmed for autonomous operation, utilizing the system's advanced avionics and precise GPS navigation. 

With a wingspan of 4.5 feet and a weight of 4.2 pounds, the hand-launched Raven provides aerial observation, day or night, at line-of-sight ranges up to 10 kilometers. The Raven delivers real-time color or infrared imagery to the ground control and remote viewing stations. 



UAS: Puma AE
Puma AE (All Environment) is a small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) designed for land based and maritime operations. Capable of landing in the water or on land the Puma AE empowers the operator with an operational flexibility never before available in the Small UAS Class. 

The Puma AE is rugged for reliability, man portable for ease of mobility, and requires no auxiliary equipment for launch or recovery operations. The system is quiet to avoid detection and operates autonomously, providing persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and Targeting data (ISRT). 

Puma AE carries both an electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) camera on a lightweight mechanical gimbaled payload allowing the operator to keep "eyes on target." The air vehicle's modular design allows for alternative payload development to meet the needs of specific military or civilian applications. 

The UAV is operated from AeroVironment's (AV) battle proven Ground Control Station (GCS) with a communications range of 15 km and flight endurance of 2 hours. AV's common GCS provides Puma AE users compatibility with the Raven and Wasp UAS platforms. 



UAS: Wasp III 
The Wasp Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is a small, portable, reliable, and rugged unmanned aerial platform designed for front-line day/night reconnaissance and surveillance. Wasp is the result of a multi-year joint development effort between AV and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). 

With a wingspan of 72 cm and a weight of 430 grams, the Wasp is AV's smallest UAS. Wasp can be manually operated or programmed for GPS-based autonomous navigation. 

To ensure system interoperability, Wasp uses the same advanced technology found in other AV small UAS systems, such as Raven RQ11-B, Swift and Puma, and is controllable through a common Ground Control Station. 



Stratospheric Persistent UAS: Global Observer (current project)
Global Observer is being developed to establish a new category of UAS, the first operational configuration able to provide stratospheric global persistence with no latitude restrictions. Global Observer's unique combination of both extreme flight duration and stratospheric operating altitude is designed to deliver advantages in cost, capacity, coverage, flexibility, and reliability that make it a compelling complement to existing satellite, aerial and terrestrial assets. 

Missions: Communications Relay & Remote Sensing 
Features: Stratospheric Global Persistence (all latitude) 
Endurance/Range: Up to 1 week

Payload: Up to 400 lbs. for GO-1 & 1,000 lbs for GO-2 
Operating Altitude: 65,000 feet 
Propulsion System: Liquid hydrogen powered

Global Observer is designed to address an urgent national security need for a persistent stratospheric platform and provides a means to satisfy numerous high value civil and commercial applications. Mission applications include communications relay & remote sensing payloads for military or commercial customers, as follows:

*Persistent, global, stratospheric loitering capability for defense and homeland security missions.
*Low-cost, rapidly deployable telecommunications infrastructure and GPS augmentation.
*Hurricane/storm tracking, weather monitoring, wildfire detection, and sustained support for relief operations. 
*Aerial imaging/mapping, for commercial and environmental monitoring, agriculture crop management and harvesting optimization. 
*Multiple communication and remote sensing applications have already been demonstrated from this operating position, including high definition broadcast (HDTV) video, and third generation (3G) mobile voice, video and data using an off-the-shelf mobile handset.



Source: AeroVironment, Inc.

Thailand's UAV Cybereye 2

UAV's in Thailand

Some photos of the Cybereye 2 sold to the Royal Thai Air force have filtered back to us.

The aircraft have had a succession of flights, and training exercises. Performance has been improved from the initial prototype, increasing the top speed to 160kph and while reducing the stall speed. By first hand accounts the new design composite wings have made the big difference to the aircraft.

UAVs, From the Sea

More UAV news, which we see increasingly taking the place of manned aircraft, fromStrategypage:

UAVs are becoming more popular for maritime patrol. Three years ago, using UAVs purchased from Israel, India formed its first UAV maritime reconnaissance squadron. The unit has eight Searcher II UAVs and four Herons. The Searcher II san stay aloft for 16 hours at a time. The Heron is similar to the U.S. Predator, and can stay up for fifty hours at a time. The radar and vidcam sensors enable the UAVs to provide unprecedented coverage on short notice. Israel is also using a version of the Heron for maritime reconnaissance…

UAVs used for maritime search are much cheaper, can stay in the air longer and can even carry weapons (one or two Hellfire missiles). The operators are ashore, and can work in shifts to monitor the sensors. In any event, the sensors are increasingly using pattern recognition software, to catch things that a human observer might miss.

The US is currently struggling to replace its antiquated P-3 Orion patrol plane, so this might be a serious contender. Manned alternatives like the P-8 Poseidon are rising drastically in price and complication, which make us wonder if the technicality of traditional platforms have pushed them to obsolescence.

Robotic Reconnaissance On The High Seas

April 1, 2009: UAVs are becoming more popular for maritime patrol. Three years ago, using UAVs purchased from Israel, India formed its first UAV maritime reconnaissance squadron. The unit has eight Searcher II UAVs and four Herons. The Searcher II san stay aloft for 16 hours at a time. The Heron is similar to the U.S. Predator, and can stay up for fifty hours at a time. The radar and vidcam sensors enable the UAVs to provide unprecedented coverage on short notice. Israel is also using a version of the Heron for maritime reconnaissance.

Israel, which also uses UAVs for maritime recon, is particularly eager for these UAVs to succeed at this role, for that would open up a huge market for Israeli made UAVs and sensors. Israel has been the leader in UAV technology for over two decades, and has been supplying India with UAVs to the Indian navy for six years now.

The U.S. Predator is now available equipped for maritime reconnaissance. This includes a sea search radar and electronics that can read the transponders (broadcasting speed, direction and identity) that all ships over 300 tons (gross). These navalized Predators can be switched between land and naval sensor gear in a few hours. The U.S. plans to use Predator UAVs to patrol coastal waters and the Caribbean. The U.S. is also equipping the ten times more expensive Global Hawk for maritime reconnaissance. While Predator or Heron are good for coastal recon, Global Hawk can cross the Atlantic or Pacific, and is thus able to sweep large swaths of the high seas.

UAVs used for maritime search are much cheaper, can stay in the air longer and can even carry weapons (one or two Hellfire missiles). The operators are ashore, and can work in shifts to monitor the sensors. In any event, the sensors are increasingly using pattern recognition software, to catch things that a human observer might miss.

Top Eye View awarded GSA schedule contract

NORCROSS, Ga., March 31 (UPI) -- Top Eye View Inc. has been awarded a U.S. General Services Administration schedule contract for its unmanned aerial vehicle technologies.

U.S. company Top Eye View, a developer of real-time video-streaming blimp observation platforms and other UAV technologies, has been awarded a GSA schedule contract.

With the GSA boost, Top Eye View can better market its UAV systems for use in applications supporting border security. Officials said the company recently demonstrated its blimp UAV in Texas, providing a 360-degree aerial view up to 8 square miles for security authorities.

"Top Eye View's solutions enable security professionals to monitor large geographical areas with one pair of eyes," Tamir Sagie, Top Eye View chief executive, said in a statement.

"Our platforms deliver numerous advantages related to public safety and security while significantly increasing efficiency and use of environmentally friendly resources."