UNMANNED SYSTEMS UPDATE
22 Dec 14. Drone Sensors Sniff Out IEDs. One of the gravest dangers to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade has been improvised explosive devices. Two-thirds of all casualties in Iraq have been caused by the crudely made bombs, Pentagon data show. The story is largely the same in Afghanistan, where IED attacks accounted for 61 percent of all reported casualties through the end of last month. That works out to nearly 3,200 deaths and more than 34,000 injuries. But technology developed by a University of Toledo graduate has helped the military reduce that risk during the last couple years. By using complex sensors attached to small drones, troops can quickly survey the battlefield from the air and avoid or neutralize roadside bombs. Mr. Tran, a civilian government employee, said the surveillance drones have identified thousands of bombs and saved countless lives since they were first deployed over Afghanistan on Sept. 11, 2012. In their first year of operation, not a single serviceman was killed by an IED in the sector in which the drones were operating. With a wingspan of 12 feet and weighing only 40 pounds, the drone can be operated by two or three people. It’s also relatively simple to use. Where many drones are flown by offsite trained Air Force pilots, Mr. Tran said these drones can be operated locally in the field. But it’s the complex sensors and monitoring technology that allow the drones to root out bombs and other threats. Mr. Tran said some of the capabilities existed in larger aircraft, but his team was able to miniaturize them, make them very accurate, and make them very cost-effective. How exactly does it work? That’s a question that can’t be answered. “Those are the details that I can’t divulge. If we talk about what the sensor does and what it’s designed to do, it gets put out in the open, and it’s not going to be as effective anymore,” Mr. Tran said. At the Air Force Research Laboratory, Mr. Tran works hand-in-hand with other engineers — some military, some not — to quickly develop ways to address the needs of today’s warfighters. He likens it to the fictional labs in spy flicks. “Sometimes we feel like we’re James Bond’s Q,” Mr. Tran said. “We’re in the lab with all the new toys. You tell us what your problem is, and we’ll see if we can find a toy that will help you out.” In the case of his current drone project, troops needed better ways to seek out dangerous IEDs, particularly. The quick success drew the attention of troops around the country, particularly special forces units who continue working to train local security forces. “During those missions where they’re going out and teaching them how to maintain that security, find bad guys, protect themselves, and protect the villages, they put themselves in harm’s way,” Mr. Tran said. He worked with a number of people within the U.S. special forces to add some new capabilities. Now those drones are being widely used. Mr. Tran said recently a special forces member came back from a mission and gave one of his colleagues a high-five. One of the drones had sniffed out snipers who likely wouldn’t have been found until it was too late. The drone likely saved his or one of his men’s life. (Source: UAS VISION/Toledo Blade)
23 Dec 14. The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully flew the MQ-8C Fire Scout system for the first time off the guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), Dec. 16, off the Virginia coast. After more than a year of land-based testing at Point Mugu, California, the MQ-8C Fire Scout grew its sea legs, making 22 takeoffs and 22 precision landings while being controlled from the ship’s ground control station. “The MQ-8C Fire Scout’s flights from the USS Dunham represent a significant Navy milestone. This is the first sea-based flight of the MQ-8C and the first time an unmanned helicopter has operated from a destroyer,” said Capt. Jeff Dodge, Fire Scout program manager at Nav