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26 Apr 24. US Army heads into competitive flight demos for future tactical drone.
The U.S. Army is moving its Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System competition into a flight demonstration phase with two teams, Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems.
In the fall, the Army tapped the two companies from a group of five; now it has formally awarded contracts to both to move into the final two phases of competition.
“FTUAS provides transformational capabilities including VTOL for runway independence, On-The-Move command and control, Soldier led field level maintenance, and enables rapid capability insertions, further allowing the system to keep pace with technology,” according to an April 25 service announcement.
The service has completed a rapid prototyping program that included a preliminary and critical design review with the two competitors and will now focus on both the flight demonstration and subsequent phase, where the teams will deliver “production representative prototypes” for testing and operational demonstrations.
Soldiers will have a chance during demonstrations to test the prototypes’ capabilities, the announcement notes, including vertical takeoff and landing, reduced acoustic signature and rapid setup. The phase also includes Modular Open System Architecture verification efforts.
Later on, the prototypes will be tested in varying environmental conditions and the service will assess the drones’ ability to operate in places where the electromagnetic spectrum is challenged. Prototypes will also be evaluated for transportability.
The entire effort will culminate in a production readiness review, the statement notes.
While Army senior leaders have pushed to move quickly to field tactical UAS to replace the Shadow UAS, the program has long been in the works.
The Army began considering requirements for a replacement for its Textron-made Shadow drone in 2018; by 2019, it had narrowed the pool of competitors to a Martin UAV-Northrop Grumman team, Textron Systems, L3Harris Technologies and Arcturus UAV. Aerovironment purchased Arcturus in 2021, while Shield AI bought Martin UAV in the same year.
The service evaluated the four drone offerings over a year with operational units, culminating in a spring 2021 rodeo at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Army awarded Aerovironment an $8 million contract in August 2022 to provide the Jump 20 UAS as an interim FTUAS capability for a single brigade.
Now, the Army plans to field FTUAS to the first unit equipped in 2026, Maj. Gen. Wally Rugen, director of Army aviation in the G-3/5/7, said in an April 25 speech at the Army Aviation Association of America’s annual summit here.
And while the Army announced earlier this year it officially plans to quickly retire Shadow, “there’s no amount of money that will accelerate [FTUAS] left,” Rugen said, referring to a faster fielding schedule.
“What we in the building are doing is putting more units into the fielding process, and that’s our version of acceleration,” Rugen added, while emphasizing that with the Shadow replacement “the demand is going to be off the charts … the demand by divisions to have that tactical UAS capability in their formations at squadron echelon.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
25 Apr 24. Iraqi Army Aviation Command identifies itself as CH-5 UAV operator. Iraqi Army Aviation Command (IAAC) has confirmed it has ordered, if not already received, Chinese-made CH-5 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The command’s stand at the International Defense Exhibition in Iraq (IQDEX) held in Baghdad from 20 to 23 April was decorated with posters that showed all the aircraft it has in service, which included the CH-5 next to the CH-4 UAV operated by its 100 Squadron. Earlier reports that Iraq had acquired CH-5s were based on a photograph that circulated on social media in September 2023 showing a man holding a certificate in front of a projected image that identified the event as the “closing ceremony for CH-5 training” above Iraqi and Chinese flags. A second photograph purportedly of the certificate showed it was for the successful completion of the CH-5 theoretical, practical, and flight training courses. While the graduate’s name was obscured, it had stamps from the Iraqi military attaché office in China as well as the Chinese companies Poly Technologies and CH UAV Science and Technology Company. (Source: Janes)
24 Apr 24. Russian exporter showcases UAVs while country undergoes materiel demands. Rosboronexport will showcase uncrewed aerial vehicles in St Petersburg, even as the Russia imports vast quantities of drones from Iran. Rosoboronexport is showcasing a variety of UAVs at the XII International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in St Petersburg, Russia, from 23 to 25 April. The event is being attended by high-level delegations from the Russian Federation’s partners.
Russia’s industrial means have proven more resilient across the course of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine than observers had originally anticipated, but the nation has been importing large numbers of Iranian drones to meet its battlefield needs.
Largely drawing on Iranian exports of Shahed drones, the demand from Russia has generally been for lower-cost single-use attack drones, contrasting with the range of systems the Russian state export intermediary is demonstrating, save for a single loitering munition, the KUB-E.
Among the UAVs to be seen in St Petersburg, Rosoboronexport is showing Kronstadt’s Orion-E reconnaissance/strike system, Orlan-10E and Orlan-30 reconnaissance UAVs, and the Skat S-350 UAV.
The showcase will also include counter-UAV capabilities with systems such as the RB-504P-E, the SKVP airspace control system, and designs from the Vector Research Institute (a part of Rostec State Corporation). These include the Radiomonitoring communication channel monitoring station and the Serp-VS6 (Sickle) ECM system, designed to disable small UAVs.
Rosoboronexport claims that the UAV countermeasures have been successfully used during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, citing evidence from flight recorded data and feedback from operators.
“Rosoboronexport offers its partners the most advanced Russian equipment to protect civilian and military installations, ensure public security on land, in the air, at sea and in cyberspace, and control and protect borders. All solutions promoted by the company have been tested in real conditions and have excellent feedback from special operations officers,” said Alexander Mikheev, director general of Rosoboronexport.
23 Apr 24. Chadian Air Force unveils Aksungur UAV. The Chadian Air Force (AAT) has revealed it has received at least one Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) Aksungur unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
It released a video on 21 April that included footage of an Aksungur with AAT markings and the Turkish-format serial 23013 taking off from Adji Kosseï Air Base at N’Djamena International Airport armed with eight MAM-L small laser-guided bombs. The video also featured AAT personnel being trained by TUSAŞ in Türkiye. The AAT operates at least two TUSAŞ Anka UAVs and three TUSAŞ Hürkuş-C turboprop light-attack aircraft, which were unveiled when President General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno visited Adji Kosseï Air Base in July 2023. (Source: Janes)
23 Apr 24. Mayman Aerospace unveiling first full-scale model of Razor™ P100 military VTOL during SOF Week 2024. Mayman Aerospace will unveil a full-scale model of Razor, its high-speed Air Utility Vehicle, during SOF Week 2024, May 6-10 in Tampa, Florida.
Razor is the name for the military variant of the dual-use, jet-powered, high-speed vertical take-off and landing (HS-VTOL) vehicle, from US-based manufacturer Mayman Aerospace. Derived from the Speeder design, the scalable Razor aircraft will be sized for payloads up to 1,000lb. Prototypes are already under construction for flight test in Q3 this year. The 100lb-payload Razor P100 is expected to fly first, and the 500lb-payload Razor P500 soon after. Mayman Aerospace will showcase a full-scale Razor P100 model during SOF Week 2024.
With more than US$120m in LOI commitments from customers in Europe and Australia, plus US$3.25m in US Department of Defense funding, Mayman Aerospace has been expanding its experienced engineering team while ramping up for flight testing.
Mayman Aerospace has also announced development of SkyField™, an AI-driven, autonomous Razor operating environment engineered for seamless integration into existing third-party battlefield management systems. SkyField will enable immediate, effective Razor operations alongside existing hardware and software systems, plus a simplified route to future capability development.
“We are excited to further define and develop Razor and the SkyField operating system as we work to bring the aircraft’s extensive capabilities to the warfighter. Razor is just the first step in creating the SkyField flight mesh. Alongside our Department of Defense colleagues, we are realizing the full capability unlocked by Razor’s unique design in combat scenarios, humanitarian and disaster relief operations, and training,” says David Mayman, CEO and founder of Mayman Aerospace.
Razor fulfills disparate missions in an era where real-world battlefield requirements are rapidly evolving. The need for combat mass through multiple, highly capable, low-cost, and attritable platforms is rapidly emerging. Razor’s low cost, jet speed, and VTOL versatility make it uniquely suitable for the next-generation battlespace.
Easily transported for mass launch in the field, from ships, or the air, Razor may be configured for contested logistics, armed with Hellfire or Brimstone missiles as a range extender for precision attack, flown as a low-cost cruise missile, or equipped with advanced sensors for ISTAR, electronic warfare, and the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD). The aircraft will also be used as a high-speed, low-cost target drone, requiring no special launch infrastructure for air-to-air and air defense training.
22 Apr 24. AIAA Announces 2024 Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition Winners. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) announced the winners of the 28th Annual AIAA DBF Competition:
- 1st Place ($3,000): Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
- 2nd Place ($2,000): Georgia Institute of Technology
- 3rd Place ($1,500): University of Washington, Seattle
- Best Design Report ($100): University of Southern California
Complete results are posted at aiaa.org/dbf.
This year marks the largest-ever flyoff participation, with more than 1,000 students on 93 university teams attending onsite. The flyoff was hosted by AIAA Corporate Member Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kan. Teams from 12 countries, including 32 US states participated in the full DBF Competition, including submitting design reports and attending the flyoff.
This year’s flight objective was to design, build, and test a remotely operated radio control airplane for Urban Air Mobility. The airplane must be able to conduct a delivery flight, a medical transport flight, and an urban taxi flight. Teams also conducted a ground mission demonstrating how quickly they can change their aircraft configuration from delivery to medical transport to urban air taxi.
“Design/Build/Fly is a highlight of the year,” said AIAA CEO Dan Dumbacher. “Aerospace teaches us to adapt to the unexpected. It’s a great lesson for students as they prepare to enter this vibrant and meaningful field. The lessons learned and connections made here will be the foundation for their future careers. Congratulations to the winning teams and all the teams that made it here to the DBF flyoff!”
Russ Althof, director of the DBF Organizing Committee, said, “We owe our thanks for the success of the DBF Competition to the efforts of many volunteers from Textron Aviation, Raytheon, and the AIAA sponsoring Technical Committees: Applied Aerodynamics, Aircraft Design, Flight Test, and Design Engineering. These volunteers collectively set the rules for the contest, publicize the event, gather entries, judge the written proposals and reports, and execute the flyoff. (Source: PR Newswire)
23 Apr 24. Austal Australia Completes Sea Trials for RAN’s Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial. In a noteworthy development within the Australian maritime sector, the collaborative Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT) project has successfully completed Sea Acceptance Trials (including Endurance Trials) of the remote and autonomously operated vessel, Sentinel.
The trials, conducted by Austal Australia, consisted of a series of remote and autonomous navigation events conducted off the Western Australian coastline during March and April 2024; utilising Greenroom Robotics’ Advanced Maritime Autonomy (GAMA) Software to reliably navigate the de-commissioned Armidale-class Patrol Boat. Throughout the trials, a limited number of project team members, observers and a crew from International Maritime Services (IMS) were on board, ensuring a swift response in case of any unforeseen deviations or necessary manual interventions.
Funded by the Commonwealth of Australia, PBAT is a collaboration between Austal Australia, Greenroom Robotics, Trusted Autonomous Systems and the Royal Australian Navy Warfare Innovation Navy (WIN) Branch to establish robotic, automated and autonomous elements on a former Navy patrol boat to provide a proof-of-concept demonstrator, for optionally crewed or autonomous operations. The trial has also explored the legal, regulatory pathways and requirements of operating an autonomous vessel.
In 2022, Austal Australia took possession of the decommissioned HMAS Maitland from the Commonwealth of Australia, renamed the vessel ‘Sentinel’ and commenced planning, modification, testing and evaluation of autonomous and remotely operated systems for the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT). At 57 metres LOA, Sentinel is (by a significant extent) the largest vessel operated in Australia to be operated remotely and autonomously.
Sentinel was extensively modified to enable remote and autonomous operations, including modifications to navigation, communications, bilges, CCTV, and electrical systems. Sensors and computer units were also added by Greenroom Robotics to inform and host the Autonomous Control System, GAMA.
Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the completion of the sea trials marks a significant milestone in the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial, successfully demonstrating the capability of the locally developed autonomous systems and their integration within a full-size, Australian made naval vessel.
The PBAT team comprising Austal, Greenroom Robotics, TAS and Navy WIN Branch have worked exceptionally hard and achieved the objectives of the trial – to demonstrate the autonomous technology successfully within a complex regulatory and operating environment.
“Looking ahead, we are excited about the potential opportunities to work with Navy to further advance the autonomous technology demonstrated during the trial; on projects such as the Large Optionally Crewed Surface Vessels (LOSV), recently announced by the Australian Government as part of the Surface Combatant Fleet Review,” Mr Gregg said.
Greenroom Robotics Chief Technology Officer Harry Hubbert said “PBAT has been a very successful collaborative project between Austal, Greenroom, TASDCRC and the RAN, the insights from all parties has been instrumental in steering us toward success. Together, we’ve harnessed collective expertise to deliver this groundbreaking project, setting the stage for a future brimming with maritime capability. This collaborative effort not only has the potential to enhance current operations and platforms but also paves the way for unprecedented advancements on the horizon.”
TAS Chief Executive Officer Glen Schafer said “Trusted Autonomous Systems are extremely impressed and proud of the achievements of the PBAT project. Autonomous and automated features on a vessel of this size in addition to the regulatory considerations are complex. It is a clear demonstration of the significant innovation possible through investment in sovereign industry”.
Commodore Michael Turner, Navy’s Director General Warfare Innovation Navy said “PBAT stands out not only for its demonstration of autonomous technology and its practical application to operational vessels, but also for the spirit of collaboration that underpinned its success.”
PBAT Objectives:
- Significantly progress the concept of remote operations and the autonomous certification approach;
- Increase the understanding of fuel management, communication, and navigation systems to be made autonomous;
- Investigate and understand the sustained operation of shipboard mechanical systems without crew intervention, including systems of redundancy and reliability to support operations at sea for extended periods;
- Provide input to long-term risk reduction for future naval projects, considering remote or autonomous vessels. This will be extended to other sensors and autonomous vehicles once the initial trial is complete; and
- Transfer lessons learned on the application of remote or autonomous systems to the Royal Australian Navy’s current fleet to potentially optimise crew workload. Remote and autonomous operation has the potential to reduce crew workload and increase operational safety by reducing human error. (Source: ASD Network)
23 Apr 24. BMT Redefines Autonomous Drone Delivery with Research Supporting Medical Resupply for the British Army. In a major development for the BMT SPARO® project, the British Army’s Futures Directorate has provided funding to build, supply and demonstrate the latest prototype for UK medics who took part in Project CONVERGENCE, the premier US Army experimentation exercise in March.
BMT SPARO® is a small, suspended air-ground payload transfer device demonstrating a globally novel approach set to transform precision deliveries from drones. By allowing the aircraft to remain hundreds of feet above a destination throughout delivery, BMT SPARO® elegantly avoids fundamental problems associated with operating large, noisy, hazardous drones close to people and infrastructure on the ground, especially in challenging environments.
Key Highlights:
– Pivotal contract secured
This month BMT proudly announce the project’s first funding from the British Army, marking a pivotal step in the progression of BMT SPARO® technology. This contract award highlights the growing importance of autonomous logistics within Defence and BMT SPARO®’s unique role in making ‘drone delivery’ feasible in the most challenging and hostile environments. The contract is aligned with the Army’s strategic vision for modernisation and utilising advancements in artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems.
– Commercialisation of Innovation
The funding underlines the Army’s willingness to fund innovation and to investigate the potential benefits BMT SPARO® offers Defence. It also allows BMT to accelerate the commercialisation of the technology into broader applications and markets in collaboration with established partners.
– Demonstration at US Army’s Project CONVERGENCE 2024
Specifically, the contract was to build, demonstrate and supply the latest BMT SPARO® prototype for Military Capability Plans – CSS part of the Army’s Futures Directorate. The prototype was used for extensive experimentation with end users at Project CONVERGENCE, the premier US Army experimentation exercise. The objective was to understand how the robust device can augment drones to supply urgent medical equipment to medical personnel in the most demanding, hostile environments while simultaneously being precise, safe and survivable.
James Campbell, BMT SPARO® and Emerging Products Manager at BMT, commented: “BMT SPARO®’s progression since 2019, and its initial acceptance from a government-customer, signals the dawn of a new type of robot: a small, safe, and quiet device suspended under a logistics aircraft that takes over responsibility for payload delivery, better suited to challenging and sensitive environments. This small, highly ruggedised robotic device could even autonomously collect packages as well as deliver them without the need for infrastructure on the ground.”
Phil Metcalfe, Regional Business Director for UK and Europe at BMT, said, “As drone technology and its use in challenging situations accelerates, BMT’s SPARO® autonomous delivery device is a safe, simple and cost-effective solution to the problem of using drones to deliver payloads in difficult environments. This is a great example of what BMT prides itself on – ‘Innovating to provide engineering solutions to today’s pressing challenges’.”
BMT’s development partner, Dr. Steve Wright from Wright Airborne Computing, remarked: “During 30 years of working in aerospace, I have not seen anything like the surge in new aircraft, systems, and applications that has happened in the last five years. BMT SPARO® is a perfect example of this revolution, fuelled by a happy convergence of 21st-century technologies harnessed together by computers and software that engineers like me could only dream about 30 years ago.”
About BMT SPARO®:
BMT SPARO® redefines drone deliveries by safely transferring payloads between an aircraft in flight and precise locations on the ground while being suspended on a weight-bearing line. It achieves this through onboard power, sensors, and processing, with a compact internal winch to control height, and small side-facing fans to control lateral position and yaw. The developments occurring last year started with a demonstration of its capabilities for the UK ‘Army Warfighting Experiment’, followed by the granting of a UK Patent (pending in the USA) and, most recently this year, development funding for a new prototype from the British Army *
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The British Robotics Seed Fund is the first SEIS-qualifying investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics businesses. The focus of the fund is to deliver superior returns to investors by making targeted investments in a mixed basket of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotics technologies in defence and other sector applications.
Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements in the global economy heralding a new industrial revolution. The fund allows investors to benefit from this exciting opportunity, whilst also delivering the extremely attractive tax reliefs offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). For many private investors, the amount of specialist knowledge required to assess investments in robotics is not practical and hence investing through a fund structure makes good sense.
The fund appoints expert mentors to work with each investee company to further maximise the chance of success for investors. Further details are available on request.
www.britbots.com/fund
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