Integrity Service Excellence

Distribution A : Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. (88ABW‐2018‐0387  )

AFRL UAS Initiatives

15 Aug 2018

Dr. Reid MelvilleAir Force Research Laboratory

Air Force Research Laboratory

Overview

A vision and strategy for Air Force UAS

UAS technology highlights that align to strategy

New AF approaches for engaging technology

Distribution Statement D. 20

Unmanned Air Systems The Game Changing Promise

Operational Agility and Acquisition Agility for the Air Domain

Changing how we Fly and Fight• New class of air platforms • Combined into air weapon systems • Expands options for every mission

Changing how we Build and Buy• Low‐cost, risk accepting platforms• Perfect for agile manufacturing• Allows frequent technology refresh

4

Command, Control, Comm Technology

Platform Technology

Payload Technology

UAS Operations Technology

Changing How We Fly and FightThe Technology It Takes

Operator HMI

Distributed, Dynamic C2

Multifunctional Composites

Hybrid Electric Power

Flexible Electronics

Airspace Integration

Aerial Refueling

Extend to New Missions

Team to CreateNew Capabilities

Overwhelm with Quantity

Secure Resilient CommCyber 

Assurance

UAS‐tailored T&E and V&V

Directed Energy Payloads

Compact Flexible Lethality

Spectrum Warfare

Collaborative Sensing

Onboard Computing

Aerial Launch and Recovery

RPA Unique HSI

Changing How We Fly and FightEmerging Solution Space

Small Size Large

Expendable

Survivable

AttritableRail‐launched Recoverables

Tube‐Launched Expendables

Smart, Loitering Munitions

MALE ISR

5th Gen Companion

Reusable UCAV

Emerging Low-Cost Platforms

Manned Systems

MunitionsSmart munitions = expendable UAS

New class of air platforms

Keys for acquisition agility:  speed and affordability

Reu

sabi

lity

Air‐launched Attritables

6

Airframe and Subsystem Affordability – lower overall costs

Rapid Design to Rapid Fabrication – timely to requirements  

Architectures and Interfaces – upgradable modularity

UAS Certification Process – faster, cheaper & risk‐accepting

Changing How We Build and BuyThe Technology It Takes

Low‐Cost Structural 

Components

Pioneer with Unmanned Systems, Propagate to Manned Systems

Low‐cost, Multi‐Function 

Sensors

Additive ManufacturingIntegrated Design 

& ManufacturingAutomation & Robotics 

Open Mission Systems

Open System Architectures

Design‐life Tailored Standards

Aggressive Technology Exploitation

UAS Class Certification

Rapid T&E and V&V

Non‐traditional Partners

Low‐cost, Small Engines

Low‐rate, purpose‐built procurement

On‐demand, incremental technology refresh

Acquisition competition within system lifecycle

7

7

Effectiveness of a Mixed FleetCombining High and Low Value Platforms

Low‐end assets …• Combine for greater than single effect• Complicate the enemy response• Permit judicious use of high‐end assets• May be sacrificed to gain advantage

Masterful and dynamic composition and coordination 

of simple, cheap things

When every adversary has access to UAS, what will be the US Strategic Advantage?

T H E M A T E R I A L S A N D M A N U F A C T U R I N G D I R E C T O R A T E

M a n u f a c t u r i n g f o r S e n s o r s & E l e c t r o n i c sM a n u f a c t u r i n g f o r S e n s o r s & E l e c t r o n i c s 20/80 6.3 – MRL 7

Agile, Modular, Composable ISR Payloads

Agile Manufacturing

Benefits: • Operational Flexibility• Affordability• Quicker Tech Refresh• Robust Industrial Base

Harvest Reaper: MQ‐9AgilePod® Integration

Prototype complete w/ TechnicalData Package (TDP) Dec 2016

DC-3 Risk Reduction Flight Jun 2017 MQ-9 Demo 2Q FY18

Approach

AgilePod®:  Ideation to Prototype < 24 mos, Prototype to 1st flight 6 mos

Low Cost Attritable Strike DemoAircraft Manufacturing Benchmark

Proof of Principle JCTD Key Program Outcomes

Demonstrate low cost design & manuf concepts Identify technology gaps and primary cost

drivers Capture guidelines for a limited life attritable

aircraft Deliverables

Tailored design and manufacturing criteria for limited life

Gov’t owned cost data to feed an attritable aircraft cost model

Experimental flight test asset

Establishes a benchmark for future low cost aircraft demonstrations

Planform Comparison

10

TOBS EcosystemExtensible Tube-Launched Operations

Stiletto / P‐38

RF/DF

CLT‐CompatibleSUAVs

Payloads& Applications

HellDiver

Coyote

Fast,Short Endurance UAV

CurrentTechnology

Limit

Laser Designation

Altius

Chain‐of‐CustodyMultiple Targets

Video

A

Group 4 & 5 RPAs

P‐8 Poseidon

MothershipsAC‐130J

&Harvest Hawk

Civil

TOBS C2 Server

Mission App

C2

Vide

o

OptionalAir Launch

TOBS UAV Interface

TOBSICD

(Gov Owned)

Mothership‐SpecificInterfaces

Waveform

UAV and PayloadSpecificInterfaces

• Any mothership, any UAV, any payload

• Gov‐owned core is the airworthy component

Any Host Platform

Any UAS

Any Payload

Predator/Reaper OffboardSensing and Improved Targeting

Key PROSIT System Components

• AFRL-Owned and Developed• Control station for air-launch, UAS

command and control, and mission operation

• Suitable for the operation of single or multiple UAs

• AFRL-Owned and Developed • Flexible Open System Architecture• Integrate 2-4 UAS• No modifications to MQ-9

AgilePod®

• Exploiting maximum flexibility (spectral agility) • At radio, medium access, and network level• Meeting diverse requirements across heterogeneous IT=> End-to-end, on-demand wireless networking!

12

Software Defined Everything (SDx)

Bridging real‐time Software Defined Radio  through radio slicing and flexible resource allocation

and Software Defined Networking  through vertical network slicing 

UxAS: Unmanned SystemsAutonomy Services

• Net-centric, interconnected software modules • Automate mission-level decision making

– Task assignment

– Route planning

– Cooperative control

– Sensor steering

• Supports live and simulated demonstrations• Builds on 20 years of research in UAV

cooperative control• Designed for flexibility, rapid extensibility• Open-source with free distribution

AFWERX Innovation Products

Spark Tank access to mentors and a 

competitive driver

Innovation Hubs(Vegas, DC, Austin)

bringing the tools and resources together under one roof

Tech Accelerator scouting ventures 

with military interest to create more 

options today and in the future

Community Developmentconvening force to grow 

and engage the virtual and physical community

Spark facilitating AF 

intrapreneurship at the base level

Creative Design/Prototype Challengespurring 

entrepreneur/intrapreneur problem solving

Tap into the Power of Creativity Empower Intentional Innovation

High Tech R&D

Venture Capital Community

Air Force and Defense Industrial Base

Startups

AFWERX Leverages a Larger Networkpulling these networks together creates a resilient ecosystem

Unleashes Emergent Approaches Through a Diverse Community

Distribution Statement D. 20

Role of Commercial Markets Key Issues for DoD

Allow DoD to Exploit Global UAS Technology Proliferation

Gain access to non‐traditional technology sources There is greater UAS investment outside of DoD channels

New procurement path to connect DoD to commercial activity Support ad hoc and opportunistic technology transition

Drive toward UAS Architectures and Interface Standards  Present a path for technology insertion at the component level

DoD/Commercial UAS Market NeedFinding Classes of UAS

10,000

100

1

0.01

0.0001

Operational Radius (miles)

Area of Interest (sq miles)

0.1 1 10 100 1000

Aerial SA

Regional Resupply

Site Survey

Field Survey

Earth Survey Strategic 

ISR

Tactical ISR

Airborne Services Domestic 

Support

Unmanned Cargo Strategic

Resupply

Sensor for Coverage

Vehicle for Coverage

Favors Fixed‐Wing

Favors Multi‐Rotor

Benchmarks that drive Innovation

System Performance Measures

System Architecture

Technology Selections

System Specifications

Maximum Space for Innovation

Temptation to Jump Directly 

Here

Interface to Commercial UAS ActivityTailored Pathway for Rapid Transition

Facilitated Dialogue and Exploration Between DoD customers with UAS requirementsand emerging commercial capability

InvitationalFlight DemosOpen opportunity to fly against a performance benchmark that is an analog of the DoD requirementcapability

DoD Prototype AssessmentLimited opportunity to validate in a DoD relevant environment

DoD Procurement Opportunity to move directly to acquisition of validated solutions

Commercial UAS 

Activity

DoD Customers for UAS‐based services

Public/Private Partnership Managed DoD Managed

Architecture‐Defined DoD

Weapon Systems

Gov’t/Industry Developed Comprehensive Architecture and  StandardsPhase Two:

UAS Sub‐systems and Components

Phase One: Complete UAS 

Systems

Summary

• Seeking operational and acquisitional agility

• New class of low cost platforms and systems

• Agility in hardware, software, and integration  

• Partnering with AFwerX, USAF innovation driver  

• Exploiting commercial/military overlap

• Developing interface practices for emerging tech