Unmanned aerial systems came a long way since they were first
introduced. The first UAS were merely small remotely controlled vehicles, which
were simple, carried minimal payloads, and were often disposed of after
completing their missions. Modern UAS incorporate sophisticated designs, use
advanced navigation equipment, employ the latest technologies for control,
command, and communications. They carry advanced modular payloads, have onboard
data processing capabilities, and disseminate data directly to the users. They
can stay aloft for extended periods of time and feature stealthy signatures. However,
all of these technological advancements were acquired through the lengthy
process of research, trials, and mistakes encountered during the early stages
of UAS development. For the purpose for this research, the author has selected
two UAS platforms, designed for similar missions of military reconnaissance.
First vehicle- the SD-1 falconer represents an early UAS design. The second UAS,
the Spy’Ranger is an example of a contemporary UAS design.
Northrop /Radioplane SD-1/RP-71/MQM-57 Falconer
The Falconer was built in 1955 by Radioplane company, which later
became knowns as Northrop
(Western museum of flight, n.d.). The Falconer UAS evolved from target
drones. This 13 feet long vehicle had a wingspan of 11 feet and weighed 430
pound (Figure 1).
Figure 1. The RP-71 Falconer UAS. Adapted from “Northrop
SD-1/MQM-57 Falconer,” by A. Parsch, 2007. Copyright by via Ordway/Wakeford,
n.d.
It was capable of speeds up to 185 miles per hour, operating at
top altitude of 15000 feet. It was equipped with McCulloch O-100-1 72 horse
power piston engine. This UAS had 40- minute mission endurance and range of 100
miles (Parsch, 2007). The
Falconer primary mission was battlefield reconnaissance. It was equipped with a
still picture camera. An optional TV camera was also available. For night
missions, the Falconer used flares to illuminate the survey area.
Flight control was accomplished with an autopilot, which also had
a radio-control backup. The Falconer was launched via rocket-assisted takeoff
launcher and used a parachute recovery system for landing (RPAV, n.d.).
The Falconer continued to be used by the military until the
mid-1970s. A total of 1500 Falconers were built by Northrop. The next UAS was
built to carry out the same missions as the Falconer, however, it uses the
latest technological advancements to give the vehicle superior capabilities in
military applications.
Spy’Ranger UAS
This mini- UAS was developed by Europe's leading UAS developer-
Thales. The Spy’Ranger is a relatively small platform, which weighs only 55
pounds. It is constructed mainly out of carbon-fiber material, which gives the vehicle’s
airframe strength and durability (Figure 2).
Figure 2. The Spy’Ranger UAS. Adapted
from “Spy’Ranger, the fruit of collaboration between an SME and a prime,” by C.
Mackenzie, 2016. Copyright 2016 by N. Gain.
The UAS can be disassembled for transportation and assembled
on-site in less than 10 minutes
(Mackenzie, 2016). Similar to the Falconer, this UAS was specifically
designed to perform reconnaissance missions. This mini-UAS features an electro-optical/
infrared (EO/IR) sensor, housed on the gimbal, which gives a greater view of
the survey area and allows the operator to focus the camera and sensor
equipment on target during vehicle maneuvering. The Spy’Ranger is also capable
of real-time target acquisition with a high-definition imaging sensor and a
laser pointer. The Spy’Ranger is able to downlink the collected sensor information
in real time, which is critical on the battlefield. The Falconer was lacking
this important capibilty. The Spy’Ranger features a range of up to 18- miles and
has 2.5-hour endurance (Thales,
2016).
The vehicle is launched with
a lightweight launch system, which is similar to the Falconer UAS. It can be
setup in minimal time and can allows take-off in any direction. It only
requires a small areas to launch and is capable of all weather operations. The Spy’Ranger has an
electric propulsion system, which gives the vehicle extra stealth capability. The
Spy’Ranger can perform precise landings even in constrained areas. With help of
specially designed software, the Spy’Ranger can calculate the best approach and
landing taking into account wind and obstacle information. It features a landing
cushion constructed from a Foam-Kevlar hybrid, which protects the vehicles
during landings and helps absorb the shock (Thales, n.d.). The precise
landing capability makes it easier to recover upon mission completion. The Falconer,
on the other hand, could be difficult to locate after landing. The recovery
parachute was greatly affected by the wind and in some cases, the Falconer was
damaged while being dragged by the recovery parachute after touch-down or lost
completely.
Another feature, which was not use in the early years of UAS is
datalink protection. The Spy-Ranger uses a secure encrypted datalink, which
prevent jamming and intrusion by an enemy.
As we can see, both of the described UAS were designed for
reconnaissance. They feature similar size and weight characteristics. A similar
catapult launch systems were used for both platforms. However, the materials
used for airframe construction are more advanced in the Spy’Ranger UAS,
comparing to the metal airframe of Falconer. New stealth characteristics are
also taken into account with the use of an electric propulsion system on the
Spy’Ranger. The real-time communication and datalink capability of the Spy’Ranger
is crucial for today’s military applications. Datalink security is another
priority for modern UAS operations, which was not a consideration in the early
UAS designs.
UAS has been operating since World War II in the role of Surveillance
and reconnaissance. They provide commanders with critical information on the
battlefield. However, as we can see from two of these examples, the UAS
technology has evolved significantly since the early years of UAS conception.
References
Remotely piloted aerial
vehicles. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/rpav_radioplane6.html
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