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11 Dec 19. Argentina develops rotary-wing UAS for naval operations. Argentine company INVAP is working with the national helicopter manufacturer Cicaré on the development of the Rotary-winged Unmanned Aerial System (RUAS), Jane’s learned from an industry source on 9 December. The RUAS, which is to be geared towards maritime operations, will be an autonomous, compact, and tactical medium-range shipborne system that can operate in severe weather conditions: the aircraft’s materials and components are protected against corrosion, rain, and strong winds. Powered by two piston-engines, the RUAS weighs 80 kg with a modular payload system; has a top speed of 95 km/h; and an endurance of six hours. The platform is billed as providing an ‘over-the-horizon’ surveillance capability for surface vessels. (Source: Jane’s)
11 Dec 19. MiG Confirms Unmanned Wingman Project for MiG-35. Russia’s leading aircraft manufacturer has said it is developing a new type of an aircraft complex based on high-speed drones that can be used in concert with advanced MiG-35 lightweight fighter jets and other warplanes.
Russia’s MiG Aircraft Corporation, which marks its 80th anniversary on Sunday, said that it has been working on a brand new type of unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that can be embedded with Russia’s most advanced MiG-35 fighter jets and other military aircraft.
The design of the new aircraft complex was inspired by high-speed armed drones. The UCAV is expected to have “high combat potential” and be “used within a single system with MiG-35s as well as other aircraft complexes,” the corporation said.
The Russian military began receiving MiG-35 jets to replace older-generation MiG-29 planes this summer. The first batch of the multi-role fighter aircraft, which passed its first trials in 2017, was delivered to the Russian Air Force in June.
The company confirmed that several MiG-35 jets have been stationed with the Russian military, noting that it is now working to upgrade its MiG-31 fighter, the world’s fastest serving aircraft with a speed of 3,000 kph.
The state-of-the-art MiG-35 plane boasts a strike radius of 1,000km (620 miles), and is able to pinpoint and track up to 30 airborne targets at a distance of up to 160 km (100 miles). When at high altitude, it can reach a speed of over 2,100kph. The MiG corporation’s new flagship can be armed to the teeth, able to carry over six tons of all types of Russian-made guided missiles and bombs. (Source: UAS VISION/RT)
10 Dec 19. UAV Turbines, Inc. Expands Its Microturbine Capabilities to Electrically Powered UAVs. UAV Turbines, Inc. (UAVT), a pioneer of microturbine technology, announced today that it successfully demonstrated its Monarch Hybrid Range Extender (HREX), a microturbine powered generator technology that extends the range of electrically powered medium-sized unmanned aircraft (UAVs). The HREX developmental system can extend the endurance of a wide variety of electrically powered UAVs now in development, while simultaneously providing the proven reliability of a gas turbine system.
Kirk Warshaw, CEO of UAV Turbines, explains: “It is well-documented that the range of battery-powered electrical air vehicles is sharply restricted by the relatively low power density of currently available batteries. Simply adding more batteries will result in the aircraft becoming too heavy to fly with a practical payload. The solution is a hybrid system that will power the aircraft in flight with battery power providing a boost during critical stages such as take-off, hover, and landing. These capabilities are critical for meaningful real-world missions, like a payload weighing more than 10 pounds that needs to be delivered more than 5 miles away. UAVT’s Monarch microturbine HREX technology provides this important new capability.”
In UAV Turbines’ HREX system, the engine extracts energy from the fuel and uses it to power the propulsion motor directly, with any excess electric power used to top off the battery charge. This greatly increases range before the weight of the added fuel becomes uneconomical. There are many tradeoffs in optimizing power for any specific system; for example, some energy is lost in the extraction process, but as the fuel is consumed, the net weight of the aircraft drops. It is this flexibility that enables engine optimizations not otherwise possible with a single power source.
“If you’re flying more than about half an hour, you probably need a range extender,” added Fred Frigerio, Senior VP of Engineering at UAV Turbines. “The first step to extending flight is to add a small, efficient turbogenerator to the power mix. Let each power component do what it does best; batteries can release power at a very high rate so they are great for the burst of power needed during take-off, hover, and landing, while the turbine performs best when providing steady power for longer durations of operation. Importantly, the energy density of liquid fuel, for example jet fuel, is vastly greater than that of available batteries. A common rule of thumb is that liquid fuel contains at least 50x as much energy per weight as batteries. The battery is your sprinter, full of explosive power, while the turbogenerator is your marathoner, lean and efficient. The absolute gain in flight distance will be dependent upon numerous factors, but there is no doubt that there is a significant need for a reliable range extender application.”
To demonstrate HREX, UAVT has set up a system in its laboratory test cell using the same Monarch 5 turboprop engine that recently powered a Group 3 Tigershark aircraft. Converted to a turboshaft engine, it powers an off-the-shelf generator. The electrical output of the generator is used via a motor controller to power an electrical motor driving a propeller, as it would in an electrical propulsion airplane. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Dec 19. Japan Coast Guard to Replace Chinese Drones. The Japan Coast Guard plans to stop using and procuring Chinese-made drones in fiscal 2020 due to concerns over information security, Nikkei has learned. It will be the second case in which Chinese products are barred from consideration by Japanese government procurement programs. Equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies is also banned from consideration for government use.
The Japan Coast Guard is currently using a few dozen Chinese-made drones to conduct rescue and surveillance activities. The drones are reasonably priced and perform well but will be replaced by non-Chinese models.
The coast guard is tasked with search and rescue operations at sea, monitoring suspicious vessels such as NorthKorean fishing boats and safeguarding the waters around the Senkaku Islands, Okinawa Prefecture. China also claims these islands, which it calls Diaoyu.
The maritime agency plans to include costs for replacing its Chinese drones in its budget for fiscal 2020, which starts April 1
The U.S. Defense Department has banned the purchase and use of Chinese-made drones. China’s DJI, the world’s biggest drone maker, is the chief target.
“We know that a lot of the information is sent back to China from those [drones],” Ellen Lord, undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, said in August. They are “not something that we can use.”
But the U.S. appears to have continued to buy Chinese-made drones in cases of “urgent need.” The U.S. Air Force and Navy have also purchased Chinese-made drones even after they were banned.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in May warned U.S. companies of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones. The notice, titled “Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” warned that U.S. officials have “strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access.”
In response to reports of the latest alert, the company issued a statement saying, “At DJI, safety is at the core of everything we do, and the security of our technology has been independently verified by the U.S. government and leading U.S. businesses.”
Out of consideration of Washington’s position, Tokyo is strengthening its economic security regulations and systems. The Japan Coast Guard’s move is part of these efforts.
Japan in 2018 decided to exclude Huawei-made products from government procurement programs.
Last month, Japan enacted a revision to the foreign exchange law that has stronger restrictions on foreign investments in Japanese companies, an effort to prevent malicious acquisitions.
In April, the government will formally launch a team within the National Security Secretariat to act as the command center for foreign and security policies; it will specialize in economic affairs.
The U.S. is alarmed by China, which advocates “military-civilian integration” and is using advanced private-sector technologies to beef up its military capabilities.
The NSS command center team is meant to keep in step with U.S. foreign and security policies.
Japan’s agriculture and delivery industries have been experimenting with drones as they search for ways to cope with the nation’s deepening labor shortage. According to a think tank of Tokyo-based Impress Corporation, the domestic drone market is expected to expand by 56% to 145bn yen ($1.33bn) in the current fiscal year through March and reach 507.3bn yen in fiscal 2024. (Source: UAS VISION/ Nikkei Asian Review)
10 Dec 19. Congress slows the US Navy’s roll toward a robot-ship future. The U.S. Navy’s newfound zeal for unmanned surface vessels has been met by skepticism in Congress. Congress’ long-delayed National Defense Authorization Act came back from negotiations among lawmakers with limits on the Navy’s plan for unmanned surface vessels, with authorizers halving the obtainable number of large unmanned surface vehicles, or LUSV, the service requested.
The service asked for two of the LUSVs, with plans to buy eight more over the five-year projection known as the Future Years Defense Program, or FYDP. The NDAA also allows the Navy to buy two medium unmanned surface vessels, which the Navy envisions as autonomous sensor platforms for functions such as anti-submarine warfare.
The drive toward integrating unmanned surface vehicles in the force, which Navy officials suggested could make up a significant portion of the future fleet’s force structure, was kicked off in earnest with the rollout of the 2020 budget. Senior Navy officials have talked about the LUSV as a kind of external missile magazine that can autonomously navigate to and integrate with the force, then shoot its missiles and return for reload, keeping the big manned surface combatants in the fight and fielded longer.
But the Defense Department likely drew unwanted attention to the program by using investments in this kind of unmanned technology as part of the justification for canceling the refueling of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, meaning the ship would’ve been decommissioned with half its intended 50-year hull life remaining, according to a source familiar with the authorizers’ thinking on the issue.
“The linkage with the Truman refueling shined a spotlight on the USVs,” the source said. “It’s important to remember that in 2019 there were zero LUSVs in the budget. Then in 2020 there were 10 at a cost of $3bn over the FYDP. That kind of ramp-up will attract attention in any budget.
“In view of uncertain LUSV concepts of operations, requirements, technical maturity — including many [first-of-a-kind capabilities] — the contrast between a proven aircraft carrier and its air wing and unproven unmanned surface vessels is stark.”
The idea of using the Truman savings to invest in unmanned technology was encouraged by the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office inside the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and it was supported by both former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and later by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.
The plan died in a wave of bipartisan skepticism and was ultimately put to bed by a tweet from the president, which was followed by the resignation of CAPE director Bob Daigle.
Congressional skepticism toward investments in unmanned tech appears unlikely to dissipate with a new budget cycle.
Slow and steady
Navy leaders have maintained that they need a critical mass of the unmanned surface vessels to make rapid progress on things such as concepts of operations and integrating new technologies. The LUSV is intended to be adapted from a commercial design using relatively mature autonomous technology, things that the Defense Department has worked with for some time now.
But leaders have acknowledged congressional skepticism in public comments. In October, the Navy’s top requirements officer told an audience at the Expeditionary Warfare Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that the platform will be difficult to develop.
“I don’t want to be Pollyannaish about this: It’s going to be hard work,” said Vice Adm. Jim Kilby, the deputy chief of naval operations for war-fighting requirements and capabilities. “And when we brief this, we go right to the upper right hand corner of the difficulty spectrum.
“So we have been working with the acquisition community to roll out a test and competence program so we can get something to the war fighter that they’re confident they can use.”
What Congress wants to see is more gradual development and proof of concept before it commits more funding, Kilby told reporters after his remarks.
“What I think they are interested in is ‘Block I will have the following capabilities and we’re going to test them in the following manner, and you can see the results of that test,’ ” Kilby said. “Then we are going to move on to Block II and Block III. They’re interested in us having a ramp-up and build confidence, achieve those capabilities and they can follow that.
“Let’s talk about that first instantiation: Maybe that’s going from point A to point B, follow [the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea], not hit anything, follow the rules of the road. Well, that serves a number of purposes from a deception standpoint. And if those platforms can do that, then maybe I can add capability as I prove out that concept.”
Kilby pointed to the Surface Development Squadron, saying that its tasking is to develop an experimentation regime that can help the Navy hone in on both the requirements and the concept of operations for the new drone ships. The Navy recently transferred control of the Sea Hunter drone ship to the Surface Development Squadron.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to inspire confidence in Congress that we know what we’re doing, and we are executing to plan,” Kilby said. (Source: Defense News)
10 Dec 19. Today General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) begins a series of demonstration flights using its MQ-9 Guardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The flights, being hosted by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and staged out of Larissa Air Base in Greece, showcase the maritime surveillance capabilities of the MQ-9, as well as the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid (DAA) system.
“We appreciate the HAF’s support with our customer demonstrations,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “GA-ASI is highlighting the maritime surveillance and civil airspace integration capabilities of our unmanned aircraft for our European customers. Our long-endurance RPA (25-40 hours per sortie, depending on configuration) will be on display and provide insight into the importance of maritime patrol, as well as showcase our DAA avionics system that will support our goal of flying RPA in civil airspace.”
The flight series is being performed for an audience of European country representatives.
“The HAF looks forward to seeing the results of this demonstration. In addition to defense capabilities, these aircraft provide maritime patrol and EEZ monitoring, border surveillance, support for search and rescue efforts, and over-watch of forest fire response efforts,” said an HAF official.
GA-ASI’s DAA system consists of an air-to-air radar integrated with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). The system’s traffic surveillance and collision avoidance radar provides important safety features for the flight of a large Unmanned Aircraft Systems in controlled airspace.
The MQ-9 will also demonstrate a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) mode, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, and High-Definition/Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras. This sensor suite enables real-time detection and identification of surface vessels over thousands of square nautical miles. The featured Raytheon SeaVue surface-search radar provides continuous tracking of maritime targets and correlation of AIS transmitters with radar tracks.
GA-ASI is also partnering with SES, a leading satellite communications (SATCOM) operator and managed services provider, with over 70 satellites in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES will provide the GEO satellite connectivity that enables the MQ-9 to operate securely with a high capacity datalink, enabling real-time transmission of sensor data from the aircraft, and extending its effective operational range far beyond that of “line-of-sight” datalinks.
“With our global satellite fleet, SES has been supporting the critical needs of GA-ASI and their government customers who have operated these aircraft for close to two decades,” said Nicole Robinson, Senior Vice President, Global Government at SES Networks. “We are proud to support this demonstration effort for the Hellenic Air Force as part of our long-standing relationship with General Atomics.”
10 Dec 19. Swiss receive first Hermes 900 UAS, temporarily grounded due to certification delay. Switzerland has received in-country the first of six Elbit Systems Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), the government announced on 9 December.
The Israeli-built medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS, serial D-II, was shown to reporters at the Emmen air base from which it will perform border surveillance and disaster relief. As noted by national media, a six-month delay in certifying the use of the Hermes 900 HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) in Swiss airspace means that, while the first aircraft is now in-country, helicopters will perform the UAS’s role for the time being. Elbit Systems was awarded an approximately USD200m contract by the Swiss government for the procurement of its Hermes 900 UASs in November 2015. The contract, which was placed by the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport (VBS-DDPS), covered the UASs and a ground control station. (Source: Jane’s)
09 Dec 19. Workhorse Sells SureFly. Workhorse Group Inc. an American technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective electric-mobility solutions to the transportation sector, announced that it has completed two separate business transactions with Moog Inc. (“Moog”), a worldwide designer, manufacturer, and integrator of precision control components and systems, involving Workhorse’s SureFly assets and its HorseFly operating unit, respectively.
As part of the first completed transaction, Workhorse sold the assets of its SureFly electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and related hybrid electric power system technology.
In the second completed transaction, Workhouse and Moog entered into a Joint Venture (JV) related to Workhorse’s HorseFly “last mile delivery” Aerial System. Under the terms of the agreement, Workhorse and Moog will each own 50% of the equity interests in the newly formed entity.
Workhorse will contribute various assets related to HorseFly, and Moog will contribute complementary assets, intellectual property (IP) and technology. The purpose of the JV is centered around the sharing and advancement of technology and IP related to the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
“Building strong relationships through partnerships and transactions with world-class operators like Moog has always been a key area of focus for our company,” said Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes. “In selling SureFly, we have been able to monetize a secondary asset, which will provide us with additional working capital for our core business, which is the manufacturing of electric last-mile delivery vehicles. Through our HorseFly JV, we’re looking forward to taking another existing Workhorse technology and leveraging the experience and resources of an established enterprise to tackle new markets and create outcomes there are greater than just the sum of the parts.”
The agreements were both finalized on October 1, 2019, with the closings taking place on November 27, 2019. For additional details regarding the transactions, please reference the Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 2019. (Source: UAS VISION)
09 Dec 19. Colombia and Spain to Develop MALE UAV. Airbus from Spain and CIAC (Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana) from Colombia work together to develop a new generation of drone under the program name of SiRTAP (Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones) based on the Atlante MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) UAV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle). In February 2019, Ministries of Defense of Colombia and Spain formalized the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to carry out the joint project for the development, design and production of high-performance tactical UAV systems under the program name of SIRTAP.
The goal of SIRTAP program is to have a new drone system that can entered in service with the Armed Forces of Colombia and Spain in 2023, taking into account that the new development is based on the ATLANTE UAV, designed in Spain by ADS, that could respond to the operational needs of the Colombian and Spanish Armed Forces in terms of performances and tactical use.
With this new drone, Colombia and Spain will have a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS) able to perform strategic and tactical missions as well as Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. According to the first technical information released by CIAC, the drone should have a 750 kg MTOW (Max. takeoff weight) and a payload of 120kg. It has a length of 5.47m and can fly at a maximum speed of 200km/h.
According to our first analysis, the SIRTAP incorporates a high wing design. The cylindrical shaped fuselage is attached with straight wings. The tail section integrates V-tail design to reduce the drag and decrease its radar signature. It is powered by a single-engine located at the rear of the fuselage. According to Colombian Air Force officer, a total of 45 drones will be produced including the manufacturing of 12 drones in Colombia. (Source: UAS VISION/Army Recognition)
05 Dec 19. Facilitating MALE RPAS integration in non-segregated European airspace. NLR is performing a multi-year study in partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems UK (GA-UK), to develop the procedures needed to safely and efficiently integrate Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) into European Airspace and to ultimately develop a data-driven Concept of Operation (CONOP) to be shared with the European regulatory community. For the purposes of this research, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian MALE RPAS, designed and manufactured by GA-ASI, is used as an example case study. NLR is now working on the second phase of this project that is to take place from November 2019 to end 2020.
Large-scale simulation of airspace integration procedures
The first phase of this project culminated in May 2019 during which a large-scale simulation exercise was performed at the Amsterdam campus of NLR. The exercise considered operations from Rotterdam The Hague Airport, a civil airport in the Netherlands. The goal of this exercise was to test the first version of the MALE RPAS airspace integration procedures, and involved experienced civil Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), as well as licensed airliner and RPAS pilots. To enable this study, NLR has developed the MALE RPAS Real-Time Simulation Facility (MRRF). The MRRF consists of two components: the NLR ATM Research Simulator (NARSIM), which simulates air traffic and provides working positions for ATCOs and aircraft pilots; and the NLR Multi UAS Supervision Testbed (MUST), which functions as the RPAS simulator and the pilot ground control station.
“In the first study we iteratively developed the procedures needed to operate MALE RPAS in Europe based on empirical evidence gathered from a series of real-time simulation exercises”, said Dr. ir. Emmanuel Sunil, R&D engineer and project manager at Royal NLR. “During the simulations performed in May, we subjected ATCOs to many contingency procedures ranging from engine failure to loss of C2 Link between the pilot and the RPAS. The results indicate that the new procedures that we are developing will make it possible for MALE RPAS to fly safely and efficiently in civil European airspace along with other manned air traffic.”
Keeping a safe distance
The second phase of the study will further develop the MALE RPAS airspace integration procedures by considering operations with Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II). DAA and TCAS make it possible for the RPAS pilot to remain well clear of both cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft, as well as avoid collisions should the other layers of conflict management fail. In this study, a MRRF upgrade will incorporate the GA-ASI Conflict Prediction and Display System (CPDS) that integrates DAA and TCAS functionality, designed to meet the published [SB1] RTCA requirements for these technologies. Testing of the developed procedures will take place at a second simulation exercise in the latter half of 2020, and the corresponding results made available to the public by the end of 2020. (Source: ASD Network)
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11 Dec 19. Argentina develops rotary-wing UAS for naval operations. Argentine company INVAP is working with the national helicopter manufacturer Cicaré on the development of the Rotary-winged Unmanned Aerial System (RUAS), Jane’s learned from an industry source on 9 December. The RUAS, which is to be geared towards maritime operations, will be an autonomous, compact, and tactical medium-range shipborne system that can operate in severe weather conditions: the aircraft’s materials and components are protected against corrosion, rain, and strong winds. Powered by two piston-engines, the RUAS weighs 80 kg with a modular payload system; has a top speed of 95 km/h; and an endurance of six hours. The platform is billed as providing an ‘over-the-horizon’ surveillance capability for surface vessels. (Source: Jane’s)
11 Dec 19. MiG Confirms Unmanned Wingman Project for MiG-35. Russia’s leading aircraft manufacturer has said it is developing a new type of an aircraft complex based on high-speed drones that can be used in concert with advanced MiG-35 lightweight fighter jets and other warplanes.
Russia’s MiG Aircraft Corporation, which marks its 80th anniversary on Sunday, said that it has been working on a brand new type of unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that can be embedded with Russia’s most advanced MiG-35 fighter jets and other military aircraft.
The design of the new aircraft complex was inspired by high-speed armed drones. The UCAV is expected to have “high combat potential” and be “used within a single system with MiG-35s as well as other aircraft complexes,” the corporation said.
The Russian military began receiving MiG-35 jets to replace older-generation MiG-29 planes this summer. The first batch of the multi-role fighter aircraft, which passed its first trials in 2017, was delivered to the Russian Air Force in June.
The company confirmed that several MiG-35 jets have been stationed with the Russian military, noting that it is now working to upgrade its MiG-31 fighter, the world’s fastest serving aircraft with a speed of 3,000 kph.
The state-of-the-art MiG-35 plane boasts a strike radius of 1,000km (620 miles), and is able to pinpoint and track up to 30 airborne targets at a distance of up to 160 km (100 miles). When at high altitude, it can reach a speed of over 2,100kph. The MiG corporation’s new flagship can be armed to the teeth, able to carry over six tons of all types of Russian-made guided missiles and bombs. (Source: UAS VISION/RT)
10 Dec 19. UAV Turbines, Inc. Expands Its Microturbine Capabilities to Electrically Powered UAVs.
UAV Turbines, Inc. (UAVT), a pioneer of microturbine technology, announced today that it successfully demonstrated its Monarch Hybrid Range Extender (HREX), a microturbine powered generator technology that extends the range of electrically powered medium-sized unmanned aircraft (UAVs). The HREX developmental system can extend the endurance of a wide variety of electrically powered UAVs now in development, while simultaneously providing the proven reliability of a gas turbine system.
Kirk Warshaw, CEO of UAV Turbines, explains: “It is well-documented that the range of battery-powered electrical air vehicles is sharply restricted by the relatively low power density of currently available batteries. Simply adding more batteries will result in the aircraft becoming too heavy to fly with a practical payload. The solution is a hybrid system that will power the aircraft in flight with battery power providing a boost during critical stages such as take-off, hover, and landing. These capabilities are critical for meaningful real-world missions, like a payload weighing more than 10 pounds that needs to be delivered more than 5 miles away. UAVT’s Monarch microturbine HREX technology provides this important new capability.”
In UAV Turbines’ HREX system, the engine extracts energy from the fuel and uses it to power the propulsion motor directly, with any excess electric power used to top off the battery charge. This greatly increases range before the weight of the added fuel becomes uneconomical. There are many tradeoffs in optimizing power for any specific system; for example, some energy is lost in the extraction process, but as the fuel is consumed, the net weight of the aircraft drops. It is this flexibility that enables engine optimizations not otherwise possible with a single power source.
“If you’re flying more than about half an hour, you probably need a range extender,” added Fred Frigerio, Senior VP of Engineering at UAV Turbines. “The first step to extending flight is to add a small, efficient turbogenerator to the power mix. Let each power component do what it does best; batteries can release power at a very high rate so they are great for the burst of power needed during take-off, hover, and landing, while the turbine performs best when providing steady power for longer durations of operation. Importantly, the energy density of liquid fuel, for example jet fuel, is vastly greater than that of available batteries. A common rule of thumb is that liquid fuel contains at least 50x as much energy per weight as batteries. The battery is your sprinter, full of explosive power, while the turbogenerator is your marathoner, lean and efficient. The absolute gain in flight distance will be dependent upon numerous factors, but there is no doubt that there is a significant need for a reliable range extender application.”
To demonstrate HREX, UAVT has set up a system in its laboratory test cell using the same Monarch 5 turboprop engine that recently powered a Group 3 Tigershark aircraft. Converted to a turboshaft engine, it powers an off-the-shelf generator. The electrical output of the generator is used via a motor controller to power an electrical motor driving a propeller, as it would in an electrical propulsion airplane. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Dec 19. Japan Coast Guard to Replace Chinese Drones. The Japan Coast Guard plans to stop using and procuring Chinese-made drones in fiscal 2020 due to concerns over information security, Nikkei has learned. It will be the second case in which Chinese products are barred from consideration by Japanese government procurement programs. Equipment from China’s Huawei Technologies is also banned from consideration for government use.
The Japan Coast Guard is currently using a few dozen Chinese-made drones to conduct rescue and surveillance activities. The drones are reasonably priced and perform well but will be replaced by non-Chinese models.
The coast guard is tasked with search and rescue operations at sea, monitoring suspicious vessels such as NorthKorean fishing boats and safeguarding the waters around the Senkaku Islands, Okinawa Prefecture. China also claims these islands, which it calls Diaoyu.
The maritime agency plans to include costs for replacing its Chinese drones in its budget for fiscal 2020, which starts April 1
The U.S. Defense Department has banned the purchase and use of Chinese-made drones. China’s DJI, the world’s biggest drone maker, is the chief target.
“We know that a lot of the information is sent back to China from those [drones],” Ellen Lord, undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, said in August. They are “not something that we can use.”
But the U.S. appears to have continued to buy Chinese-made drones in cases of “urgent need.” The U.S. Air Force and Navy have also purchased Chinese-made drones even after they were banned.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in May warned U.S. companies of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones. The notice, titled “Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” warned that U.S. officials have “strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access.”
In response to reports of the latest alert, the company issued a statement saying, “At DJI, safety is at the core of everything we do, and the security of our technology has been independently verified by the U.S. government and leading U.S. businesses.”
Out of consideration of Washington’s position, Tokyo is strengthening its economic security regulations and systems. The Japan Coast Guard’s move is part of these efforts.
Japan in 2018 decided to exclude Huawei-made products from government procurement programs.
Last month, Japan enacted a revision to the foreign exchange law that has stronger restrictions on foreign investments in Japanese companies, an effort to prevent malicious acquisitions.
In April, the government will formally launch a team within the National Security Secretariat to act as the command center for foreign and security policies; it will specialize in economic affairs.
The U.S. is alarmed by China, which advocates “military-civilian integration” and is using advanced private-sector technologies to beef up its military capabilities.
The NSS command center team is meant to keep in step with U.S. foreign and security policies.
Japan’s agriculture and delivery industries have been experimenting with drones as they search for ways to cope with the nation’s deepening labor shortage. According to a think tank of Tokyo-based Impress Corporation, the domestic drone market is expected to expand by 56% to 145bn yen ($1.33bn) in the current fiscal year through March and reach 507.3bn yen in fiscal 2024. (Source: UAS VISION/ Nikkei Asian Review)
10 Dec 19. Congress slows the US Navy’s roll toward a robot-ship future. The U.S. Navy’s newfound zeal for unmanned surface vessels has been met by skepticism in Congress. Congress’ long-delayed National Defense Authorization Act came back from negotiations among lawmakers with limits on the Navy’s plan for unmanned surface vessels, with authorizers halving the obtainable number of large unmanned surface vehicles, or LUSV, the service requested.
The service asked for two of the LUSVs, with plans to buy eight more over the five-year projection known as the Future Years Defense Program, or FYDP. The NDAA also allows the Navy to buy two medium unmanned surface vessels, which the Navy envisions as autonomous sensor platforms for functions such as anti-submarine warfare.
The drive toward integrating unmanned surface vehicles in the force, which Navy officials suggested could make up a significant portion of the future fleet’s force structure, was kicked off in earnest with the rollout of the 2020 budget. Senior Navy officials have talked about the LUSV as a kind of external missile magazine that can autonomously navigate to and integrate with the force, then shoot its missiles and return for reload, keeping the big manned surface combatants in the fight and fielded longer.
But the Defense Department likely drew unwanted attention to the program by using investments in this kind of unmanned technology as part of the justification for canceling the refueling of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, meaning the ship would’ve been decommissioned with half its intended 50-year hull life remaining, according to a source familiar with the authorizers’ thinking on the issue.
“The linkage with the Truman refueling shined a spotlight on the USVs,” the source said. “It’s important to remember that in 2019 there were zero LUSVs in the budget. Then in 2020 there were 10 at a cost of $3bn over the FYDP. That kind of ramp-up will attract attention in any budget.
“In view of uncertain LUSV concepts of operations, requirements, technical maturity — including many [first-of-a-kind capabilities] — the contrast between a proven aircraft carrier and its air wing and unproven unmanned surface vessels is stark.”
The idea of using the Truman savings to invest in unmanned technology was encouraged by the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office inside the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and it was supported by both former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and later by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.
The plan died in a wave of bipartisan skepticism and was ultimately put to bed by a tweet from the president, which was followed by the resignation of CAPE director Bob Daigle.
Congressional skepticism toward investments in unmanned tech appears unlikely to dissipate with a new budget cycle.
Slow and steady
Navy leaders have maintained that they need a critical mass of the unmanned surface vessels to make rapid progress on things such as concepts of operations and integrating new technologies. The LUSV is intended to be adapted from a commercial design using relatively mature autonomous technology, things that the Defense Department has worked with for some time now.
But leaders have acknowledged congressional skepticism in public comments. In October, the Navy’s top requirements officer told an audience at the Expeditionary Warfare Conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that the platform will be difficult to develop.
“I don’t want to be Pollyannaish about this: It’s going to be hard work,” said Vice Adm. Jim Kilby, the deputy chief of naval operations for war-fighting requirements and capabilities. “And when we brief this, we go right to the upper right hand corner of the difficulty spectrum.
“So we have been working with the acquisition community to roll out a test and competence program so we can get something to the war fighter that they’re confident they can use.”
What Congress wants to see is more gradual development and proof of concept before it commits more funding, Kilby told reporters after his remarks.
“What I think they are interested in is ‘Block I will have the following capabilities and we’re going to test them in the following manner, and you can see the results of that test,’ ” Kilby said. “Then we are going to move on to Block II and Block III. They’re interested in us having a ramp-up and build confidence, achieve those capabilities and they can follow that.
“Let’s talk about that first instantiation: Maybe that’s going from point A to point B, follow [the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea], not hit anything, follow the rules of the road. Well, that serves a number of purposes from a deception standpoint. And if those platforms can do that, then maybe I can add capability as I prove out that concept.”
Kilby pointed to the Surface Development Squadron, saying that its tasking is to develop an experimentation regime that can help the Navy hone in on both the requirements and the concept of operations for the new drone ships. The Navy recently transferred control of the Sea Hunter drone ship to the Surface Development Squadron.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to inspire confidence in Congress that we know what we’re doing, and we are executing to plan,” Kilby said. (Source: Defense News)
10 Dec 19. Today General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) begins a series of demonstration flights using its MQ-9 Guardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The flights, being hosted by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) and staged out of Larissa Air Base in Greece, showcase the maritime surveillance capabilities of the MQ-9, as well as the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid (DAA) system.
“We appreciate the HAF’s support with our customer demonstrations,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “GA-ASI is highlighting the maritime surveillance and civil airspace integration capabilities of our unmanned aircraft for our European customers. Our long-endurance RPA (25-40 hours per sortie, depending on configuration) will be on display and provide insight into the importance of maritime patrol, as well as showcase our DAA avionics system that will support our goal of flying RPA in civil airspace.”
The flight series is being performed for an audience of European country representatives.
“The HAF looks forward to seeing the results of this demonstration. In addition to defense capabilities, these aircraft provide maritime patrol and EEZ monitoring, border surveillance, support for search and rescue efforts, and over-watch of forest fire response efforts,” said an HAF official.
GA-ASI’s DAA system consists of an air-to-air radar integrated with Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). The system’s traffic surveillance and collision avoidance radar provides important safety features for the flight of a large Unmanned Aircraft Systems in controlled airspace.
The MQ-9 will also demonstrate a multi-mode maritime surface-search radar with Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) mode, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver, and High-Definition/Full-Motion Video sensor equipped with optical and infrared cameras. This sensor suite enables real-time detection and identification of surface vessels over thousands of square nautical miles. The featured Raytheon SeaVue surface-search radar provides continuous tracking of maritime targets and correlation of AIS transmitters with radar tracks.
GA-ASI is also partnering with SES, a leading satellite communications (SATCOM) operator and managed services provider, with over 70 satellites in Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES will provide the GEO satellite connectivity that enables the MQ-9 to operate securely with a high capacity datalink, enabling real-time transmission of sensor data from the aircraft, and extending its effective operational range far beyond that of “line-of-sight” datalinks.
“With our global satellite fleet, SES has been supporting the critical needs of GA-ASI and their government customers who have operated these aircraft for close to two decades,” said Nicole Robinson, Senior Vice President, Global Government at SES Networks. “We are proud to support this demonstration effort for the Hellenic Air Force as part of our long-standing relationship with General Atomics.”
10 Dec 19. Swiss receive first Hermes 900 UAS, temporarily grounded due to certification delay. Switzerland has received in-country the first of six Elbit Systems Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), the government announced on 9 December.
The Israeli-built medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS, serial D-II, was shown to reporters at the Emmen air base from which it will perform border surveillance and disaster relief. As noted by national media, a six-month delay in certifying the use of the Hermes 900 HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) in Swiss airspace means that, while the first aircraft is now in-country, helicopters will perform the UAS’s role for the time being. Elbit Systems was awarded an approximately USD200m contract by the Swiss government for the procurement of its Hermes 900 UASs in November 2015. The contract, which was placed by the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport (VBS-DDPS), covered the UASs and a ground control station. (Source: Jane’s)
09 Dec 19. Workhorse Sells SureFly. Workhorse Group Inc. an American technology company focused on providing sustainable and cost-effective electric-mobility solutions to the transportation sector, announced that it has completed two separate business transactions with Moog Inc. (“Moog”), a worldwide designer, manufacturer, and integrator of precision control components and systems, involving Workhorse’s SureFly assets and its HorseFly operating unit, respectively.
As part of the first completed transaction, Workhorse sold the assets of its SureFly electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and related hybrid electric power system technology.
In the second completed transaction, Workhouse and Moog entered into a Joint Venture (JV) related to Workhorse’s HorseFly “last mile delivery” Aerial System. Under the terms of the agreement, Workhorse and Moog will each own 50% of the equity interests in the newly formed entity.
Workhorse will contribute various assets related to HorseFly, and Moog will contribute complementary assets, intellectual property (IP) and technology. The purpose of the JV is centered around the sharing and advancement of technology and IP related to the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
“Building strong relationships through partnerships and transactions with world-class operators like Moog has always been a key area of focus for our company,” said Workhorse CEO Duane Hughes. “In selling SureFly, we have been able to monetize a secondary asset, which will provide us with additional working capital for our core business, which is the manufacturing of electric last-mile delivery vehicles. Through our HorseFly JV, we’re looking forward to taking another existing Workhorse technology and leveraging the experience and resources of an established enterprise to tackle new markets and create outcomes there are greater than just the sum of the parts.”
The agreements were both finalized on October 1, 2019, with the closings taking place on November 27, 2019. For additional details regarding the transactions, please reference the Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 2019. (Source: UAS VISION)
09 Dec 19. Colombia and Spain to Develop MALE UAV. Airbus from Spain and CIAC (Corporación de la Industria Aeronáutica Colombiana) from Colombia work together to develop a new generation of drone under the program name of SiRTAP (Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones) based on the Atlante MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) UAV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle). In February 2019, Ministries of Defense of Colombia and Spain formalized the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to carry out the joint project for the development, design and production of high-performance tactical UAV systems under the program name of SIRTAP.
The goal of SIRTAP program is to have a new drone system that can entered in service with the Armed Forces of Colombia and Spain in 2023, taking into account that the new development is based on the ATLANTE UAV, designed in Spain by ADS, that could respond to the operational needs of the Colombian and Spanish Armed Forces in terms of performances and tactical use.
With this new drone, Colombia and Spain will have a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system (UAS) able to perform strategic and tactical missions as well as Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. According to the first technical information released by CIAC, the drone should have a 750 kg MTOW (Max. takeoff weight) and a payload of 120kg. It has a length of 5.47m and can fly at a maximum speed of 200km/h.
According to our first analysis, the SIRTAP incorporates a high wing design. The cylindrical shaped fuselage is attached with straight wings. The tail section integrates V-tail design to reduce the drag and decrease its radar signature. It is powered by a single-engine located at the rear of the fuselage. According to Colombian Air Force officer, a total of 45 drones will be produced including the manufacturing of 12 drones in Colombia. (Source: UAS VISION/Army Recognition)
05 Dec 19. Facilitating MALE RPAS integration in non-segregated European airspace. NLR is performing a multi-year study in partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems UK (GA-UK), to develop the procedures needed to safely and efficiently integrate Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) into European Airspace and to ultimately develop a data-driven Concept of Operation (CONOP) to be shared with the European regulatory community. For the purposes of this research, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian MALE RPAS, designed and manufactured by GA-ASI, is used as an example case study. NLR is now working on the second phase of this project that is to take place from November 2019 to end 2020.
Large-scale simulation of airspace integration procedures
The first phase of this project culminated in May 2019 during which a large-scale simulation exercise was performed at the Amsterdam campus of NLR. The exercise considered operations from Rotterdam The Hague Airport, a civil airport in the Netherlands. The goal of this exercise was to test the first version of the MALE RPAS airspace integration procedures, and involved experienced civil Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), as well as licensed airliner and RPAS pilots. To enable this study, NLR has developed the MALE RPAS Real-Time Simulation Facility (MRRF). The MRRF consists of two components: the NLR ATM Research Simulator (NARSIM), which simulates air traffic and provides working positions for ATCOs and aircraft pilots; and the NLR Multi UAS Supervision Testbed (MUST), which functions as the RPAS simulator and the pilot ground control station.
“In the first study we iteratively developed the procedures needed to operate MALE RPAS in Europe based on empirical evidence gathered from a series of real-time simulation exercises”, said Dr. ir. Emmanuel Sunil, R&D engineer and project manager at Royal NLR. “During the simulations performed in May, we subjected ATCOs to many contingency procedures ranging from engine failure to loss of C2 Link between the pilot and the RPAS. The results indicate that the new procedures that we are developing will make it possible for MALE RPAS to fly safely and efficiently in civil European airspace along with other manned air traffic.”
Keeping a safe distance
The second phase of the study will further develop the MALE RPAS airspace integration procedures by considering operations with Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II). DAA and TCAS make it possible for the RPAS pilot to remain well clear of both cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft, as well as avoid collisions should the other layers of conflict management fail. In this study, a MRRF upgrade will incorporate the GA-ASI Conflict Prediction and Display System (CPDS) that integrates DAA and TCAS functionality, designed to meet the published [SB1] RTCA requirements for these technologies. Testing of the developed procedures will take place at a second simulation exercise in the latter half of 2020, and the corresponding results made available to the public by the end of 2020. (Source: ASD Network)
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