Mark Contarino, Ph.D. 30 April 2015
Small Unmanned Systems Business Expo 2015 Silicon Valley
Tools for the Safe Integration of UAS into the NAS
What you need to fly Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) for SUAS
1. Permission: COA/333 Exemption, UAS with N#, Rules and Regulations
2. Ability: Commercial Pilot License with 3rd Class Medical Certificate
3. Communication: FAA-certified mode S transponder, NOTAMs
4. See and Avoid Requirement: A manned chase plane following UAS
Our Focus is on the aircraft agnostic technology needed for safe and routine flight operations
Apollo UAT Cooperative System. Automatic Dependent Surveillance -Broadcast 978 MHz in/out, Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) with Mode S transponder, on board processor
Zeus Radar Non-Cooperative Collision Avoidance System
Hermes Link Secure BLOS data link
Permission
Ability
Communica-tions
Detect and Avoid
Zeus Coherent Radar
Operates at X-band and is both fully solid state and coherent
Detects a single-engine aircraft at ranges exceeding 6 nautical miles (11 km)
Supports air and surface target detection as well as field weather detection
Apollo ADS-B Transceiver (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast)
Small, light weight, low power, and low cost Built-in self-separation and collision-
avoidance algorithms 1090 MHz in & 978 MHz in/out dual
frequency operation Capable of autonomous collision-avoidance
operation under loss of link
Hermes Tracking PTU (Pan and Tilt Unit)
Tracking antenna system seamlessly interfaces with unmanned aircraft telemetry, FAA NextGen ADS-B transceivers and the ground radar system
Tracking antenna and camera increase mid-air situational awareness of unmanned aircraft operator
Test-bed tool for UAS integration• Improved MITRE software
programmable UAT radio design• Tri-band functionality
978/1030/1090 MHz• On board processor• Removable memory slot• Autopilot interface• Additional sensor inputs• Voice out
1st Generation prototype used for first ever autonomous collision avoidance demonstration between UAS. Design successfully commercialized.
2st Generation micro-prototype is currently funded under a NAVY SBIR. 3.5 oz FAA certified product for 2016. 3rd gen target <1 oz.
Apollo UAT: NextGEN Open Architecture Device
Cost < $2.5 K (target $50)Weighs < 1 pound (3.5 oz for 2nd gen)Open Architecture Any algorithm, autopilot, display or sensorReceives ADS-B radio transmissions on both frequencies Receives FAA re-transmitted information for traffic, weather, etc.Receives ported non-cooperative sensor inputs: radar, EO/IR, acoustic, etc. Transmits self ADS-B position on 978 MHz (2nd gen sends 1030MHz if no 1090 MHz present) Stores available database information (e.g. - terrain, obstacles, and no-fly zones)Analyzes, processes and smartly communicates real time assured separation or collision avoidance guidance to GCS or auto-pilot. Operates under lost link conditions.
Apollo Highlights
Autonomous collision avoidance maneuver performed between two Tiger Shark UAS.
Zeus Radar – Lowest Cost, High
Performance System
(Left) Concept installation on Tiger Shark and (Right) Garmin GWX-70 with 10 inch antenna
• All Solid state, programmable, coherent
radar system
• Capable of Moving Target, Doppler,
Synthetic Aperture, Inverse Synthetic
Aperture and Weather detection
• Well suited to Tiger Shark, Shadow and
Integrator UAS (30% or less of the
payload)
• Smaller, silent, electric vehicles or small
manned aircraft are also potential
platforms.
(Left)
Conc
ept in
stalla
tion o
n Tige
r Sha
rk an
d (Rig
ht)
Garm
in GW
X-7
0 with
10 in
ch an
tenn
a
Under contract to test UAS nosecone radar with Zeus for Airforce ABSAA effort.
Zeus suitable for installation on Tiger Shark UAS.
Zeus Radar Highlights
Vertical radar scan (top) and camera (bottom) views of hot air balloons 1 mile from equipped Saratoga over rough terrain.
Balloon
Terrain
• 10” 12” and 16” models• Under 10 lbs• Under 40 watts• Over 200 mile range (FAA
certified for weather) • Under $300K • All modes supported, processed
in real time• Ground station or onboard
capability• Data ported into Apollo UAT
system for non-cooperative avoidance component
Hermes Link : A low-cost, robust and secure data link• Robust Data Link for Command and
Control of UAS• Uses ownship ADS-B signals from
Apollo to track and point the data link, radar, etc
• Can use hard to detect ADS-B pulses instead of a continuous and unsecure open channel for communication
• Easier to recover lost link due to omni-directional ADS-B signal
• Optionally mounted video camera adds additional layer of situational awareness
Hermes Tracking PTU (Pan and Tilt Unit)
Tracking antenna system seamlessly interfaces with unmanned aircraft telemetry, FAA NextGen ADS-B transceivers and the ground radar system
Tracking antenna and camera increase mid-air situational awareness of unmanned aircraft operator
Hermes Link is a pan and tilt unit (PTU) that seamlessly integrates FAA NextGen technology and secures the data link component for BLOS UAS operations.
Guardian Eye: A Range-Ready BLOS safety management system
• Complete package used for routine BLOS UAS operations in Canada with Transport Canada approval
• Cooperative/Non-cooperative self separation and collision avoidance technologies
• Flip mounted avionics minimize set-up time, remain secured inside during hauling/storage
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