UAVs and UCAVs

[wild goose]

MQ-1 Predator UCAVs deployed in Yemen



The United States has deployed Predator drones to hunt for al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen for the first time in years but has not fired missiles from the unmanned aircraft because it lacks solid intelligence on the insurgents' whereabouts, senior U.S. officials said.

The use of the drones is part of a campaign against an al-Qaeda branch that has claimed responsibility for near-miss attacks on U.S. targets that could have had catastrophic results, including the recent plot to place parcels packed with explosives on cargo planes.

U.S. officials said the Predators have been patrolling the skies over Yemen for several months in search of leaders and operatives of the group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. After withstanding a flurry of attacks involving Yemeni forces and U.S. cruise missiles earlier this year, AQAP's leaders "went to ground," a senior Obama administration official said.

The use of U.S. drones in Yemen underscores the deep U.S. reliance on what has become a signature weapon against al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.


http://dailyairforce.com/417/MQ1-Predator-UCAVs-deployed-in-Yemen.html

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Multi_Purpose_UAVs_To_Get_NG_STARLite_Radars_999.html

Multi-Purpose UAVs To Get NG STARLite Radars


Northrop Grumman has been selected to supply an additional 40 STARLite wide area surveillance radars featuring synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and ground moving target
indicator (GMTI) capabilities for the U.S. Army's Extended-Range Multi-Purpose unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Under the terms of the contract option, radar deliveries to the Army's Product Manager Robotic and Unmanned Sensors Program Management Office will begin in March, 2011 and conclude in March, 2012.

"STARLite is the program of record for the U.S. Army and this award demonstrates the Army's confidence in STARLite's surveillance capabilities and our ability to continue to meet the production schedule," said Pat Newby, vice president of Weapons and Sensors for Northrop Grumman's
Land and Self Protection Systems Division.

"STARLite completed all first article and government testing requirements, which led to this award. These systems are ready now for immediate deployment."

Northrop Grumman's STARLite is a small, lightweight radar used for supporting tactical operations.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.mil.no/flo/start/aktuelt/article.jhtml?articleID=203842

Norway purchase mini-UAVs

The Norwegian Armed Forces have gone to the procurement of mini-UAVs of the type Raven B. The mini-UAVs will provide greater situational awareness and better security for Norwegian soldiers in Afghanistan.

By Eivind Byre, FLO

On the 10th of November, the Norwegian Armed Forces Logistics Organization (FLO) signed an agreement with the U.S. producer Aerovironment on the purchase of 15 Raven B mini-UAV systems (MUAS). In every system there are three planes. The mini-UAVs are not armed, but intended to conduct reconnaissance and surveillance. The agreement has a value of about 4.7 million U.S. dollars.

Raven B is developed by the provider in collaboration with the American Armed Forces and they have produced and sold approximately 19,000 systems. The Raven mini-UAV is proven both in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Click image for larger version Name: Raven_B_141559a.jpg Views: 283 Size: 20.3 KB ID: 142017

The Norwegian Armed Forces are purchasing mini-UAVs of the type Raven B. (Photo: Aeronvironment)

Cooperation with the Netherlands
- The Netherlands has more experience with this type of material and has supported Norway in the acquisition. This has been of great help, says Maj. PÃ¥l Forus, project manager of the procurement process. He believes this is a good deal for the military, both in terms of price, and most certainly in regards to the quality of the system.

- In late February, the implementation of the acceptance tests will begin. When this is in order, we are ready to deliver the equipment to the Norwegian Army already by spring, according to him.

Very involved
The Norwegian Army has been very active in order to establish a MUAS capacity and in the procurement of the Raven B mini-UAV.

- We are very pleased with the cooperation with both the Royal Norwegian Air Force and FLO. From the assignment was given in 2009, the project has advanced quickly and the result is very good, says Maj. Terje Methi, project coordinator in the Norwegian Army Staff.

The ISTAR Chief Advisor of the Norwegian Army Weapons School has worked a long time to acquire mini-UAVs and there has been a long process of maturation, according to Methi. Now he's hoping the Raven B will show that the mini-UAVs will be of great benefit to the Norwegian Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

- However, before the equipment can be used, time for training of operators is required, he concludes.

For further information see the producer's website: www.avinc.com

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene... Selects Domestic UAV Designs&channel=defense

Russia Selects Domestic UAV Designs

Russia's ground forces are preparing to field a new unmanned aircraft, plugging a capability gap in their arsenal that was highlighted during the 2008 conflict in Georgia.

The Russian government has opted for three unmanned systems to be fielded for a trial period, after a downselect from a larger set of candidates. The shortlisted systems are the Orlan-10, built by St. Petersburg-based Special Technology Center (STC); the Zala-421-04M Lastochka, designed by a team of the Zala Aero company and the Vega Concern; and Eleron-10, developed by Enics from Kazan.

The Orlan-10, with a takeoff weight of 14 kg., has a classic aerodynamic design with high wing and is powered by a piston engine with puller propeller. It has a payload of 5 kg., a speed of 90-150 km./hr. and endurance of 16 hr.

Roman Ivanov, head of the STC unmanned aircraft department, tells Aviation Week that Orlan-10's development was finished earlier this year and the aircraft is now in small-scale production.

The two other UAVs feature flying wing designs powered with electric engines.

The Eleron-10 has a takeoff weight of 12 kg., a payload of 2 kg., endurance of 2 hr. and a speed of 65-110 km./hr. Enics has already handed over one Eleron-10 to the defense ministry this year for testing. But according to Ildar Yakupov, the company's chief designer on unmanned aircraft, that UAV was for a service other than the ground forces.

The Lastochka is the smallest of all three aircraft, with a weight of 4.5 kg., a payload of 1 kg. and endurance of 2 hr. All three unmanned aircraft are launched with a catapult and land by parachute.

One of the open questions is whether the military will set new requirements following the trial period. "So far the military checked the aircraft operated by the skilled specialists from manufacturers, but now it will come into the hands of servicemen, so the need for some improvement may emerge," Ivanov says. Also undetermined is the number of UAVs to be purchased for the in-service trials. But designers expect it could be a dozen aircraft of each type.

Although military officials acknowledge that Russian designers have made strides in building competitive UAVs, foreign alternatives are also being considered. This could benefit Israel Aerospace Industries, which already delivered a batch of unmanned aircraft to the defense ministry during the summer. It reportedly includes the Bird Eye 400 mini-UAV, with operational performance similar to the selected Russian models. In order to strengthen its offer, the Israeli manufacturer in October signed an agreement with that Russian government-controlled Oboronprom Corporation to establish a joint venture that will assemble Israeli UAVs in Russia.

The need for modern unmanned reconnaissance capabilities emerged two years ago during the military conflict with Georgia, when Georgian troops employed Israeli-made UAVs for tactical reconnaissance while the Russians had to risk their manned aircraft for the same tasks.

The Russian army has been looking for a UAV with a range of up to 500 km. that could be transported and operated by dismounted infantry units. According to Russia's military organization, larger unmanned systems fall under the responsibility of the air force.

The selection process began in September and included two stages of flight trials. The initial list of participants included 12 Russian companies with 22 unmanned aircraft. During the first stage that took place at the 252th joint test range in Gorokhovetz, near Nizhny Novgorod, the contenders had to show their ability to find, detect and track land-based targets during day and night missions and in different weather conditions.

For the second stage of the assessment in October in Alabino, near Moscow, the remaining eight candidate systems had to demonstrate their compatibility with the new tactical command and control system. This C2 system, developed by Sozvezdie Concern, has also been field tested by the ground forces.

The military initially planned one more round of trials in mountain conditions in the southern military district, but the final results were unexpectedly announced after the tests in Alabino.

 

[dineshchaturvedi]

Are we also going to work with Russia on this?

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Are we also going to work with Russia on this?

we already have a headstart with working with Israelis, this is where Russia got the technology.

 

[blade]

UAV Technologies and Combat Operations Source : http://www.livingroom.org.au/uavblog/archives/uav_technologies_and_combat_operations.php

The UAV Technologies and Combat Operations is a detailed document from the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) which will make interesting ready for UAV hardcore fans.

'The Air Force has entered a new era, an era in which the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has become not only acceptable, but desirable, for long- endurance reconnaissance missions. It is timely then, for the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to review technology maturity in the context of accepted Air Force mission tasks and to project new UAV mission tasks-both combat and noncombat-that might be enabled by available and forecast technologies. Thus, the Air Force Chief of Staff directed the 1996 study "UAV Technologies and Combat Operations."

The study report includes a Summary Volume (Volume I) and a Volume that includes the individual Panel reports (Volume II). The Summary Volume deals first with the mission task concepts, then the platform considerations that bound the air vehicle parameters, then the system/sub-system elements (i.e., mission systems and weapons), and finally, the human factors considerations. An example point design-a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) UAV with a roadmap for programmatic accomplishment-is provided along with a recommendation that a SEAD demonstration program be pursued. Some special subjects are presented, followed by overall recommendations and concluding remarks. The reader is referred to Volume II to more completely understand the approach and deliberations in the specific areas, and to discern a more complete set of conclusions and recommendations. Additionally, some issues for which complete study was beyond the scope of, or time available in this study are also presented in Volume II.

Findings
The study group identified a number of findings relative to the application of UAVs to Air Force roles and missions:

1. UAVs have significant potential to enhance the ability of the Air Force to project combat power in the air war.

2. UAVs have the ability (range, persistence, survivability, and altitude) to provide significant surveillance and observation data economically, compared with current manned aircraft approaches.

3. UAVs have the potential to accomplish tasks that are now, for either survivability or other reasons, difficult for manned aircraft including counterair (cratering runways and attacking aircraft shelters), destroying or functionally killing chemical warfare/biological warfare (CW/BW) manufacturing and storage facilities, and suppression of enemy air defenses.

4. UAVs can be weaponized in the near-term1 (perhaps using advanced versions of the Tier vehicles), using an existing weapon and hypervelocity kinetic energy penetrators with a family of warheads.

5. Insufficient emphasis has been placed on human systems issues. Particularly deficient are applications of systematic approaches to allocating functions between humans and automation, and the application of human factors principles in system design.

6. Most other technologies necessary for platforms, propulsion, avionics, and mission systems are sufficiently mature to provide initial UAV capabilities of the nature described above. Further technology development can significantly enhance these capabilities.

7. New warhead technologies-namely intermetallic high temperature self- propagating synthesis reaction incendiary and "flying plate" concepts- can provide the UAV the ability to deliver compact weapons capable of inflicting devastating damage to a large number of fixed and moving targets.

8. Little thought has been given to appropriate responses to enemy use of UAVs, particularly those armed with air-to-air missiles.

 

[Patriot]

AAI Adds Unpowered Rotor To Shadow UAV For VTOL

By Graham Warwick

An unusual partnership is working to combine two normally opposing characteristics increasingly sought in unmanned aircraft: long endurance and runway independence.

Unmanned industry leader AAI has sufficient confidence in tiny Carter Aviation Technologies' slowed rotor/compound (SR/C) concept (see photos) that it is modifying two prototypes of its next-generation Shadow UAV to flight-test the design.

The SR/C is a fixed-wing aircraft that carries a rotor to provide vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) capability. The rotor is not powered, but is spun up for a jump takeoff. In forward flight, lift shifts to the wing and the rotor slows to minimize its drag. To land, the aircraft autorotates, with inertia stored in the rotor allowing a brief hover and zero-roll landing. In flight tests, Carter's demonstrator achieved a lift-to-drag ratio of 7 at 150 kt.—approaching that of a light aircraft.

Last November, after developing SR/C technology over 15 years of trial and error, Carter signed a 40-year exclusive license agreement with AAI. The agreement covers unmanned aircraft, but was amended to allow use of the SR/C concept in a "fly-drive" tactical vehicle for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

To AAI, the advantages of SR/C are its "low cost, simplicity, flexibility and scalability," says Jon Tatro, director of advanced concepts for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The unpowered rotor is simpler and cheaper than a helicopter's, he says.

In the SR/C, a drive system engages on the ground to spin up the rotor. The clutch then disengages before takeoff, avoiding the need for anti-torque. Once airborne, a pusher propeller provides propulsion. As the aircraft accelerates and wing lift increases, the mast tilts forward by up to 45 deg. to slow the rotor and reduce its drag. From around 400 rpm. at takeoff the rotor slows to about 100 rpm. in the cruise, when it is providing only 10% of the lift.

To land, the mast is raised and the rotor speeds up through autorotation. The blades—which have a 75-lb. weight in the tip—have 3.5 times the inertia of helicopter blades and allow the SR/C to store enough energy in the rotor to sustain a 15-sec. hover and enable a zero-roll touchdown. "It can't do confined-area landings," says Tatro. "But there are a lot of VTOL missions where hover is not part of the game."

The next-generation Shadow is an example. AAI is working on a block upgrade that Tatro says will take the UAV to the 600-lb. gross-weight limit on the current pneumatic rail launcher. Using SR/C to provide a VTOL launch and recovery capability will increase gross weight to 750 lb.—"60% of the extra 150 lb. is for the rotor/prop assembly, the rest is extra gas. We get 2 hr. additional endurance," Tatro says.

On internal funding, AAI is working with Textron sister company Bell Helicopter and Eagle Aviation to modify two next-generation Shadow prototypes with rotors and to fly them by October 2011. "We need to validate the technology at full scale," he adds.

AAI also is helping Carter complete a four-seat "personal air vehicle" that will fly late this year and form the basis for an unmanned SR/C demonstrator.

Photo credit: U.S. Army






http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?topicName=Unmanned&id=news/awst/2010/11/15/AW_11_15_2010_p20-267702.xml&headline=AAI%20Adds%20Unpowered%20Rotor%20To%20Shadow%20UAV%20For%20VTOL&channel=&from=topicalreports

 

[Patriot]

Unmanned aircraft to look for life on Mars

A scientist has proposed the use of an unmanned aircraft to Mars to tap into an unknown area where orbiters would be too far to reach and rovers too short to detect.

Atmospheric scientist Joel Levine believes the aircraft might be able to find signs of life on the red planet.

The airplane, known as the Aerial Regional-Scale Environment Surveyor (ARES), will be able to detect chemical compositions and chemical reactions in the Mars atmosphere. What they are searching for are gases produced by biological activity: gases like methane, ammonia and nitrous oxide.

Because these compounds are short-lived, they need to be discovered more effectively before they are destroyed by the Martian environment.

"We are interested in looking for the fingerprint of life by looking for gases that are only produced by living systems," Discovery News quoted Levine as saying.

The idea of an airplane scanning the Mars landscape has other advantages -- it can dodge rough terrain and withstand winds of up to 100 mph.

If the airplane is approved, it will be launched on a Delta IV rocket and arrive at the Red Planet nine months later. It will transmit data to the spacecraft orbiting above. The spacecraft has a powerful antenna acting as a relay between Mars and Earth. In the event that there's a communication problem, the airplane could utilize other satellites orbiting the planet.

The time frame to send ARES to Mars depends on when NASA approves the project. Levine thinks it will take between four to five years once authorization is approved for the airplane to explore the skies of Mars.




http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_unmanned-aircraft-to-look-for-life-on-mars_1467651

 

[Patriot]

Picador unmanned rotorcraft makes first flight

Israel's Aeronautics Defense Systems has performed the first flight of its Picador unmanned rotorcraft.

Company president Avi Leumi says the debut flight lasted for 20min and enabled the development team to "acquire very important data". Further test flights will take place soon, he adds.

Being developed from the Dynali H2S helicopter by Aeronautics, which has acquired a major stake in the Belgian kit manufacturer, the Picador will be assembled by Aeronautics in Yavne in central Israel.

The Picador is 6.58m (21.6ft) long and has a rotor diameter of 7.22m. It will have a maximum take-off weight of 720kg (1,590lb) and carry a payload of up to 180kg. The unmanned helicopter will have an endurance of roughly 7h and a maximum speed of 110kt (204km/h).

Powered by a Subaru EJ 25 2,500cc engine, the rotorcraft will have an operational range of 108nm (200km) and a service ceiling of 12,000ft.

Leumi says the Picador is aimed mainly at navies as a replacement for manned helicopters that are used for intelligence applications, and for "over the horizon" use of long-range weapons.







http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/11/17/349777/picador-unmanned-rotorcraft-makes-first-flight.html

 

[Patriot]

Beamed-Power Flight Sets Records
Laser Motive Keeps Unmanned Copter Aloft More Than 12 Hours

Think of it as the ultimate red-eye flight: A tiny helicopter flew overnight powered by an infrared laser beam.

By the time the Pelican quadrocopter landed - 12 hours, 26 minutes and 56.9 seconds after takeoff - it had set a number of records, including longest hovering flight for an untethered electric aircraft and longest flight using beamed energy.

And the 2-pound, four-rotor aircraft didn't have to land.

"It could have flown indefinitely," said Tom Nugent, president of LaserMotive, the Seattle company that conducted the Oct. 28 flight.

The idea of flying on laser power "has been science fiction for a long time - now, it's for real," Nugent said.

The chief advantage laser power offers is enabling UAVs to fly much longer than is now possible. The longest flight by a conventional fuel-powered UAV is 80 hours, achieved by Boeing's giant Condor.

For electric UAVs, the unofficial record goes to QinetiQ's Zephyr, which used solar power and batteries to fly for 14 days.

Nugent says he can do better. With laser power, it is possible to produce a high-performance UAV that essentially never needs to land.

Power for the UAV would come from a laser beam that is generated on the ground and focused on the UAV, where special photovoltaic cells tuned to the laser's wavelength and intensity convert the laser light into electricity to drive the UAV and charge an onboard battery.

The process is called "power beaming," and that's how the quadrocopter flew, hovering at an altitude of about 30 feet inside a hangar that houses the Future of Flight Aviation Center north of Seattle.

Using the same laser technology, the company powered a robotic climber that zipped up a 3,280-foot cable dangling from a petroleum-powered helicopter. That accomplishment won LaserMotive $900,000 in NASA's 2009 power-beaming challenge.

The half-day quadrocopter flight was "quite an accomplishment," said Charles Reinholtz, chairman of the mechanical engineering department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It suggests that there might be "lots of interesting niche operations" for laser-powered UAVs that can stay aloft for prolonged periods.

Nugent sketches out several roles for laser-powered UAVs.

The simplest would be as stationary observation platforms. In that role, UAVs would fly up to a useful altitude and stay there, providing surveillance with video cameras and other sensors. They would be kept aloft by power supplied through a laser beam on the ground.

"A permanently stationed high-altitude UAV would behave in many ways like a low-cost, high-performance geostationary satellite, except that it would be located only a few miles above the ground," LaserMotive says in a paper promoting laser power for UAVs.

Another operating concept would permit the UAVs to embark on distant missions by flying on batteries recharged in the air by laser beams.

UAVs could fly 100 miles or more to conduct surveillance, loitering over targets and sending back sensor data until its batteries are low. Then, the UAV flies to a laser-beaming station, where it circles to recharge its batteries. One beaming station could keep multiple UAVs charged and flying, LaserMotive says.

Conversely, a UAV might fly from one beaming station to another to conduct operations over a wide area. And a "daisy chain" of laser beaming stations might be used to power electric UAVs that patrol U.S. borders, Nugent said.

In a third operating scenario, UAVs would be continuously linked to a laser beam on the ground and patrol a relatively small area, such as the perimeter of a military base. Or a laser mounted on a vehicle could power a UAV that flies ahead of a convoy, searching for roadside bombs and conducting surveillance, LaserMotive says.

Laser-powered UAVs are not particularly efficient. About 60 percent of the electricity pumped into the laser turns into laser light. A bit of that energy is then lost in the atmosphere as it travels to the UAV. Once there, about 50 percent of the laser light that strikes the photovoltaic cells on the UAV is converted back into electricity to power the UAV.

From start to finish, the process is about 25 percent efficient, Nugent said. That means 4,000 watts of electricity going into the laser will yield 1,000 watts of electricity on the UAV.

By way of comparison, internal combustion engines are about 20 percent efficient; some fuel cells have efficiency rates more than twice that.

While beaming power to a UAV via laser light can theoretically keep the aircraft flying indefinitely, whether it actually does may depend on the weather.

"Horrible snow or dense fog" will keep the laser light from reaching the UAV, Nugent said, and light rain might restrict the laser's range.

LaserMotive says laser-powered UAVs will reduce military logistics requirements by reducing the number of people needed to land, refuel and relaunch UAVs. But the lasers will need a steady supply of electricity to keep the UAVs flying, so personnel will be needed to operate generators and maintain other power sources that keep the lasers shining.

The lasers will not burn people or set things on fire, but they do pose a hazard to eyes, Nugent said. LaserMotive is developing a safety system that would turn the lasers off if anything - birds or a piloted aircraft, for example - enters a zone around the laser-powered UAV. During the time the laser is off, the UAVs would fly on battery power.

LaserMotive is hoping UAVs are just the first step into a wider market for beaming power via lasers.

Power generated by one satellite could be beamed to others. Instead of stringing wires, power could be beamed to remote locations such as forward operating bases and remote communications towers. Power could be beamed to cameras, sensors and other appliances, LaserMotive says.

"We see a lot of possible markets," Nugent said. "We're using UAVs as stepping stones to different markets."

NASA scientists, who used a laser to beam power to much lighter fixed-wing UAVs in 2003, had similar visions.

They said power beaming might be used to supply electricity to high-altitude airships and even satellites, as well as military UAVs. The space agency also said laser light beamed from satellites might power robotic rovers on the moon and Mars, and space-based "solar farms" might one day beam power to the Earth, the moon and other planets.






http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=5043125&c=FEA&s=TEC

 

[Patriot]

China's Origami UAV

It is not quite a morphing wing unmanned aircraft, but China's Xi'an ASN Technology Group is working on a UAV that could change shape to adjust with the mission profile.

The ASN-213 features folding wings to change the planform depending on the different phases of flight, with configurations suited for takeoff and landing, another for fast climb and one for attack.

The technology does not, yet, appear to have found its way into China's military arsenal, but the company hopes that will change. The initial configuration is small, though, with limited operational utility.

The ASN-213 has a 5 kg. takeoff weight with a 1 kg. mission payload. The fuselage measures around 1.5 meters, with a wingspan of 0.63 meters and a wingspan of 2 meters when the wings are fully extended.

The ASN Technology Group has been working on unmanned aircraft for some time and says it now is the largest research and development house in China.






http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3a718a78df-0e7a-49e6-9e78-911509ad573b&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Patriot]

PICTURES: Aeronautics flies Orbiter-3 UAV

The Orbiter-3 unmanned air vehicle performed its first autonomous flight on 17 November, a few days after Aeronautics Defense Systems launched an initial series of tests with the UAV.

With a wing span of 4.2m (13.8ft), the Orbiter-3 has an endurance of 7h and a range of 54nm (100km).

Aeronautics says the vehicle can carry a payload comprising day and night sensors and an optional laser, with a maximum take-off weight of 25kg (55lb).

The Orbiter-3 is deployed by a launcher and recovered either by a parachute and airbag or a net.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/11/17/349836/pictures-aeronautics-flies-orbiter-3-uav.html

 

[Patriot]

China's Armed Predator



China has developed a Predator-like armed unmanned aircraft: the Pterodactyl I medium-extended long-endurance system. Avic says it unveiled the air vehicle for the first time two years ago at the Airshow China, but a colleague who was here at the time says that was not the case -- it may have been one of the programs that was made to disappear last minute, as is often the case here.

But one of the key developments for the UAV since then is that authorities in China have given the approval to export the system. Pakistan may have been a target customer, but the Avic system appears to have lost out to another rival.

The UAV was developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute, and has undergone a series of flight trials, including weapons launches. The Pterodactyl has been used both to drop bombs and fire lightweight missiles.

Total payload capacity for the UAV is 200 kg., with the forward looking infrared sensor weighing about 100 kg. leaving 50 kg. of weapons to be carried under each wing.

Although the vehicle is being shown here with FLIR and weapons, an Avic official says a synthetic aperture radar configuration also exists.

The air vehicle is 9.05 meters long and 2.77 meters high, with a 14 meter wingspan. Maximum takeoff weight is 1,100 kg., Avic says

The manufacturer says maximum endurance is 20 hours, with a maximum operating altitude of 5,000 meters. Maximum range is given as 4,000 km. and a maximum speed at 280 km/h.





http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3a27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3ae2c4ebce-729c-4722-b293-b3de048981d3&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Patriot]

India to Procure Rotary Wing UAVs for Special Forces Counter Terror Operations

Government is looking to procure helicopter-shaped Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to air-drop small commandos units for launching special operations to counter terrorism and Maoist menace with added swiftness and stealth. The UAVs till now were used by various security forces to gather intelligence and conduct reconnaissance missions in unfriendly terrain but commandos on-board is a maiden initiative.

The Qualitative Requirements (QRs) for the rotary wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) floated by the Home Ministry specify that the air borne machine should be able to "deploy two to three men team" at a short notice. Experts handling the technology in the Home Ministry said that such UAVs have recently been used by the NATO forces in Afghanistan and it can carry men by replacing the equivalent weight of the payload that the UAV is stipulated to bear.

Such operations, by deploying a crack commando team on-board the UAVs, can be undertaken in case of a terror attack in urban areas and even naxal zones, sources said. The Draft QR specifically states that the "UAV should be capable of rapid deployment with a detachment not exceeding two to three men and should have all weather day and night operations capability", an essential requirement for such machines to perform in the tough and unknown terrains. "The system (UAV) must be able to detect and acquire the designated targets. The sensor packages must provide a high quality imagery resolution to permit target detection, recognition, identification and accurate location of targets, move of personnel and vehicles.

"The UAV must be capable of being deployed and operated in built up areas and narrow lanes during counter-terrorist and counter-hijack operations," the QR said. The new desired UAVs for the security forces including the elite NSG, will also have the capacity to record data upto 80 Gega Bytes (GB). The security forces, according to sources, have asked for an "intelligent" UAV which can change its pre-fed programming and go into a "loiter" mode in the operations area to suit the need of the operation. The UAV should also be capable "of providing real time high quality video with full flight telemetry and capable of tackling ground targets, both static and mobile".

The UAV is desired to cruise at a speed of 30 knots and above with hovering and hanging facilities in the air and the sensors deployed on it should pick up the target at 400 metres. It should also be airborne for about six hours, the QR floated after consultations with various security agencies said. Sources said the desired UAV should have a platform to enable simulation exercises for troops prior to an operation and should have all facilities of maintenance and product support.

-- Press Trust of India





http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4818

 

[Patriot]

VTOL UAVs on the Rise In China

China has been increasing its unmanned aircraft activities for some time. Now there also seems to be growing interest in vertical takeoff and landing UAVs.

One of the systems now in development is the V750 is based on a Brantly B-2B helicopter design and is being developed by the Weifan Freesky Aviation Industry Co.

The system is designed for more than four hours of endurance, with a 3,000 meter service ceiling, 757 kg. maximum takeoff weight and 80 kg. mission payload. There is a clear ship-based role for the system.

Much smaller is the ServoHeli 120 (above), with a maximum takeoff weight of 40 kg., maximum airspeed of 120 km/h., and ability to stay aloft 1.5 hours.

At the very small end, Avic Defense is working on a ducted-fan system, the Whirlwind-Scout. China's AVIC is developing a ducted-fan unmanned aircraft for surveillance missions.

The design, called the Whirlwind Scout, is similar to Honeywell's ducted-fan system and is supposed to be able to remain airborne for 20 to 40 minutes and follow a flight path of up to 100 waypoints. Multiple patrol patterns can also be programmed into the system.

The 8-kg. gross takeoff weight vehicle has an altitude ceiling of 3,000 meters. The cruise speed is 60 km./hr. with a maximum speed of 90 km./hr. Communications range is around 5 to 10 km.

The system is GPS/INS guided, and, in addition to the air vehicle, consists of a ground control station, a simulator, and two support equipment containers. The ground station can store up to 240 images.

In information displayed at Airshow China 2010, Avic Defense says the system is designed to be able to perch and stare to observe areas or shadow terrorist suspects. With a noise of around 60 dBA, Avic says the system can not be audibly detected by its target at a standoff range of 125 meters. The detection range for a human is 560 meters, with identification possible at 70 meters. Target location error is given is a mere 40 mm.







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[SHASH2K2]

China's Armed Predator



China has developed a Predator-like armed unmanned aircraft: the Pterodactyl I medium-extended long-endurance system. Avic says it unveiled the air vehicle for the first time two years ago at the Airshow China, but a colleague who was here at the time says that was not the case -- it may have been one of the programs that was made to disappear last minute, as is often the case here.

But one of the key developments for the UAV since then is that authorities in China have given the approval to export the system. Pakistan may have been a target customer, but the Avic system appears to have lost out to another rival.

The UAV was developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute, and has undergone a series of flight trials, including weapons launches. The Pterodactyl has been used both to drop bombs and fire lightweight missiles.

Total payload capacity for the UAV is 200 kg., with the forward looking infrared sensor weighing about 100 kg. leaving 50 kg. of weapons to be carried under each wing.

Although the vehicle is being shown here with FLIR and weapons, an Avic official says a synthetic aperture radar configuration also exists.

The air vehicle is 9.05 meters long and 2.77 meters high, with a 14 meter wingspan. Maximum takeoff weight is 1,100 kg., Avic says

The manufacturer says maximum endurance is 20 hours, with a maximum operating altitude of 5,000 meters. Maximum range is given as 4,000 km. and a maximum speed at 280 km/h.





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Doesn't it looks like exact duplicate or copy of Predator used by Americans?

 

[Patriot]

UCAS-D to Taxi Early Next Month

By Amy Butler, Guy Norris
Palmdale, Calif., Palmdale, Calif.


Northrop Grumman plans to perform the first high-speed taxi of its X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS-D) demonstrator by the first week of December as a prelude to first flight by year-end at Edwards AFB, Calif.

The taxi test will take the stealthy, single-engine UCAS to 120 kt., according to company officials.

Northrop Grumman and U.S. Navy officials passed the tailless, flying wing demonstrator for taxi tests at a flight readiness review early this month and are set to build up X-47B ground speeds over a series of trials that were due to begin at Edwards Nov. 19. These evaluations mark the culmination of almost two years of preparations since the rollout of the first air vehicle, AV-1, in December 2008.

Delayed by engine-related acoustic and starting issues as well as software complexity, the Navy's first dedicated stealth aircraft since the canceled General Dynamics/McDonnell Douglas A-12 was originally due to fly in November 2009. Following corrective actions and a rebalancing of the program toward carrier landings in 2013 rather than late 2011 as originally planned, Northrop Grumman UCAS-D Vice President Janis Pamiljans believes the bulk of the preparations are complete. Pending successful low-, medium- and high-speed taxi tests, Pamiljans says first-flight timing will likely be dependent only on good weather.

"First flight is just an event, even though it's an aviation first," says Pamiljans, stressing that the key priority remains landing on an aircraft carrier and proving that the UCAS-D can operate on and around it. This is a key confidence-building step in gaining widespread Navy support to buy a fleet of UCAS-type systems that can ultimately perform the stealthy strike mission intended for the A-12, but with the increased range and endurance of an unmanned aircraft.

In the run-up to taxi tests, Pamiljans says, "software is done; it's wrapped, stamped and is in the aircraft." The U4.3 vehicle management software used in earlier tests has been replaced with an improved U4.4 load for first flight.

The planned 22-min. first flight will be conducted at 4,000 ft. with the gear down, and the vehicle flying a racetrack pattern over the dry lakebed with standard-rate turns. The landing will be made back on the same runway used for takeoff, says Pamiljans, adding that the "key will be to get as much air vehicle management system data as we can." The sortie will mark the start of a roughly 50-flight, year-long Block 1 envelope expansion test campaign at Edwards. Initial flight rate is expected to be once per week, rising to twice a week later in 2011.

Later next year, AV-1 will be transferred to the Navy's test center at NAS Patuxent River, Md., and eventually hoisted onboard an aircraft carrier, says Pamiljans. The UCAS will then be maneuvered around the vessel as part of the program's Block 2 carrier deck operations and handling trials test plan.

Assembly of the second X-47B, AV-2, is virtually complete, with initial powering up of the vehicle's systems achieved for the first time early this month. In December, the aircraft will be transferred to a loads test rig for up to eight weeks of structural proof tests that will simulate carrier landing and critical flight loads, as well as check the structure for catapult and arrestment loads, fuel system integrity and control surface freedom under load.

As AV-2 is designed to test the increased dynamic environment of air-to-air refueling, the vehicle must meet Navy requirements for 2.4g maneuvers, against 2.1g for AV-1. Although Northrop Grumman designed both airframes with margin for 3g, the rig will test AV-2 to 130% of design limit load, well beyond the 115% load tested on AV-1. "So we will take it well beyond what the vehicle will see in flight tests," Pamiljans explains. "The build of the aircraft hasn't been a challenge at all; it has been the software build" that proved more thorny, says Todd Snedigar, Northrop Grumman's UCAS production manager.

AV-2 incorporates nozzle structure design improvements to accommodate changes to deal with the acoustic issues from the X-47B's single Pratt & Whitney F100-220U engine that contributed to delays to AV-1. Completion was also made easier by development of a spray-application process for a fire-suppression coating in the engine bay. On the first vehicle, the coating was applied by hand.

AV-2 will be transferred to Edwards in March for initial taxi tests and engine runs using the U4.4 software. Following electromagnetic susceptibility trials at the base's antenna farm, AV-2 will begin full taxi tests, with first flight expected by the end of next year. For this milestone, the second X-47B will be loaded with U5.0 software, scheduled to be certificated in December 2011 after flight trials using a Boeing F/A-18 as a UCAS surrogate. This software, now being developed with a build-up approach initially involving test flights of a Learjet in flight simulator operated by Calspan Research behind an Omega Air Refueling Boeing 707 tanker, will be further refined using the F/A-18.

Incorporating guidance, navigation and communications protocols to interface with the carrier, as well as air-to-air refueling and full envelope control, the U5.0 software will guide the F/A-18 to the first carrier touchdowns in February and March 2013. When four completely autonomous traps have been accomplished, the similarly configured AV-1, by now also equipped with U5.0, will be cleared for its first carrier landing attempt.

Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman has submitted a proposal to the Navy to outline a flight-test plan for the so-called Block 6 portion of the program. It will include aerial refueling trials using AV-2, equipped with both Navy and Air Force refueling receptacles. These would take place in 2014 after carrier operations are complete. Pamiljans says that flight-test effort could include 40 sorties, but the company is hoping to keep the number down to reduce cost. During load-testing, AV-2 will be subjected to forces simulating those experienced during refueling operations.








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[Patriot]

CAMCOPTER – More Than a Foot in the Door in the US Market

The CAMCOPTER S-100 also provides maritime recce capabilities.

Interview with Hans-Georg Schiebel, Chairman, Schiebel Group of Companies

The US market for unmanned air systems (UAS) is bustling with start-ups and established companies, bringing to the market uncounted flying gadgets in various configurations and for almost all tasks in today's world of aviation. As in most markets that break new ground, the process of natural selection is likely to show that the most versatile and capable systems will prevail over the rather specialised and less sustainable solutions.

A company can consider itself lucky if it attracts the interest of major players in the aerospace business in such a competitive environment. The Austrian-based Schiebel Group of Companies succeeded in getting its foot in the door of the much sought-after US market with its CAMCOPTER S-100 rotary wing UAS, having been selected by Boeing, as well, as for a counter-IED research programme. Furthermore, it successfully accomplished trials with the French procurement agency DGA and may see its first European customer orders in the foreseeable future. Based on the advantageous principles of manned helicopters, the CAMCOPTER is offered as a powerful basic platform for a large range of mission profiles and capabilities in the field of unmanned military and civil aviation.

defpro.com asked Hans Georg Schiebel, Chairman of the Schiebel Group of Companies, about the company's current activities on the US market, the CAMCOPTER's role in innovative fields of research, such as the fight against IEDs, and how the CAMCOPTER can meet the growing requirement of enhanced surveillance and reconnaissance systems.


defpro.com: Mr Schiebel, the product range of the Schiebel Group comprises two areas of interest which are very topical and will be of even greater importance in the future: unmanned air systems and mine detection. How can these very different activities be consolidated within one company?

Hans-Georg Schiebel: Our products have the same goal. At Schiebel we work for safety and for a safer planet. We have both a good and long pedigree in technical expertise and both product areas require such skills.


defpro.com: What are, on the one hand, the technical challenges and, on the other hand, the advantages of unmanned Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) systems, and how did Schiebel implement these in the case of the CAMCOPTER S-100?

Schiebel: Today, the need for maximum security, in both military and civilian domains, demands a system that combats the many diverse challenges and dangers in the delivery of immediate information for total protection. Schiebel offers a system with capabilities that can make a difference. The VTOL UAS is an ideal solution, providing powerful surveillance while constantly delivering it as real time information, 24/7. What's more, it needs no prepared area or supporting launch or recovery equipment. It operates day and night under adverse weather conditions, with a beyond line-of-sight capability out to 200 km both on land and at sea. The CAMCOPTER S-100 is uniquely capable of penetrating areas that may be too dangerous for piloted aircraft or a ground patrol.

Another aspect is if you want to be able to hover above a particular target for periods of time or maybe want to stay locked onto a moving target. In these cases, the S-100 is ideal; in a way, it provides the same advantages that a manned helicopter provides over a plane.

Already during the design and prototype phases (in 1995; even the first prototype model was able to fly automatically, which distinguishes the CAMCOPTER essentially from the products of our competitors), it copied as closely as possible all the requirements, specifications and rules applied to manned helicopters. This means that we find it a lot easier to prove that we are safe to fly and have a good safety record, because we have built in a lot of safety features, including redundancy for all the essential flying functions.


defpro.com: Which legal considerations do European UAS manufacturers have to cope with and to what extent does this affect the development of unmanned systems such as the CAMCOPTER S-100?

Schiebel: The difference between manned and unmanned air vehicles is that a suitable air space has to be allocated by the national authorities of the European Member States.

The Basic Regulation "(EC) No 216/2008" on common rules in the field of civil aviation lays down implementing rules for the air-worthiness and environmental certification of aircraft and related products, parts and appliances, as well as for the certification of design and production.

The CAMCOPTER S-100 has EASA Approved Flight Clearances for each single drone and Austrocontrol issued a Permit to Fly (PtF). This PtF is valid throughout the entire EU area.

Moreover, a "see and avoid" system is currently being developed, which will be capable of identifying obstacles on the ground and in the air with a special camera system or laser range finders and which will then report these obstacles to the operator. Later in the future, a "sense and avoid" system is to follow which will be capable of autonomously identifying obstacles and actively avoiding them.


defpro.com: The United States is increasingly developing unmanned VTOL systems for naval applications and missions. Is this also a possible operation scenario for the CAMCOPTER and which other requirements of today's armed forces does this system meet?

Schiebel: The CAMCOPTER S-100 has successfully completed extensive ship-borne trials with various navies worldwide. Therefore, it is certainly the most proven UAS in the world in the maritime environment. Since 2006, there has been a successful development of a fully automated shipboard landing system and ship takeoff landing parameters have been improved. In addition, flight endurance has been increased. To date, the S-100 has successfully proven its maritime surveillance capability on six different classes of vessel, so far, in three oceans.

Wherever surveillance from the air or sensor measurement is required, the use of the CAMCOPTER S-100 is possible. The CAMCOPTER S-100 especially stands out for its hovering capability, which is an advantage to many surveillance applications. Fields of application for the CAMCOPTER S-100 are numerous – both military and civilian: tactical surveillance and reconnaissance at land and on sea, safe mine detection from the air, artillery support, marine surveillance and amphibious support, special military applications. The latter include, for example, an ISTAR capability, detection of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Psyops missions, precision delivery and recovery of remote controlled munitions, and the deployment of riot control agents, smoke, flares, and non-lethal munitions.


defpro.com: In December 2009, Schiebel's C AMCOPTER was selected by the French armament procurement agency DGA for a series of trials looking at future UAS missions. You also cooperate with Thales for this purpose. What is the schedule of this project and which opportunities do you see on the French market?

Schiebel: The CAMCOPTER S-100, successfully completed a series of demanding trials for the French DGA. Under a leasing contract, and operated by DGA personnel, the CAMCOPTER S-100 flew more than 50 missions under various conditions, day and night, with a total of 150 flight hours.

The trials took place in France and in a foreign desert environment. Preceding the last series of flights in Ile du Levant, the third phase was dedicated to VTOL missions under hot and dry desert conditions. Impressive performance characteristics of the CAMCOPTER S-100 permitted successful completion of this phase, both under the influence of inclement weather and extreme heat. The aim of the final series of trials on the French Levant Island was to demonstrate the suitability and versatility of a VTOL UAV in the maritime domain from a coastal setting. This phase was again conducted both by day and night and followed the trials in Canjuers and in Sissonne that principally provided surveillance in support of ground troops in an urban environment.

During the four-days trial on the island, the CAMCOPTER S-100 successfully completed all scenarios, logging over 20 hours of flight time. The Thales Optronique Agile 2 Electro Optical and Infra Red (EO/IR) sensor was again used as the main payload for these trials. Simulated pirate attacks by small boats on larger ships as well as drug smuggling activities were observed by the S-100. Stand-off surveillance and distance tracking of ships was also performed.

We have a good feeling about the UAV market in France.


defpro.com: Recently, unconfirmed reports suggested that the DGA this year would announce the procurement of up to 20 CAMCOPTERs. Are you prepared to comment on these reports?

Schiebel: Sorry, we are not allowed to comment.


defpro.com: The reports stated, that the French armed forces are interested in using the CAMCOPTER for anti-piracy operations. In what way is the CAMCOPTER designed and equipped to meet this particular requirement?

Schiebel: All around the world there is a rising demand to know and understand movements and actions by potential threats at sea. As already mentioned, as yet the CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS has successfully proven its maritime surveillance capability on six different classes of vessel in three oceans. To date, the S-100 has achieved hundreds of flight hours that include more than 200 takeoffs and landings on both military and civilian vessels at relative wind speeds of up to 40 kts. Operating as part of either single ship or task force operations, the CAMCOPTER is a true force multiplier. It expands the area of influence, providing high definition observation well forward of weapon release range, allowing commanders increased decision times for counter action and target engagement. Close collaboration of maritime patrol and unmanned air systems, together with satellites, radar and sensor systems, ensure secure traffic across oceans, preventing aggression, detecting piracy and securing coastlines.


defpro.com: In 2009, Schiebel entered the much sought-after US market. Can you please describe your company's joint programme with Boeing?

Schiebel: To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first time that a European-developed UAV system became the subject of such a trans-Atlantic commercial cooperation scheme.

The Boeing Company and Schiebel signed a teaming agreement to pursue marketing and support opportunities for Schiebel's CAMCOPTER S-100. It is a wide-ranging agreement that focuses primarily on the US market.


defpro.com: Boeing has its own VTOL UAS solution with the YMQ-18 Hummingbird. Don't these two systems get in each other's way?

Schiebel: No, the S-100 complements Boeing's array of aircraft and services offered to customers worldwide. The Hummingbird is designed for different missions than the CAMCOPTER S-100.


defpro.com: What have been the determining factors for the selection of the CAMCOPTER by Boeing?

Schiebel: The S-100 is a versatile and fully autonomous unmanned helicopter air vehicle that can be fitted with a wide variety of payloads tailored to customer needs. This vehicle supplements and expands the existing capabilities within Boeing Unmanned Airborne Systems. The vertical takeoff and landing system minimises ground support equipment and adds to the vehicle's versatility. Also, it can be programmed to fly an autonomous mission using point-and-click software from a control station, or be directed manually throughout the course of a mission. Basically, it is part of a family or portfolio of VTOL UAVs that Boeing can offer to a wide variety of customers that have a diverse range of requirements.


defpro.com: In addition to this prestigious co-operation, CAMCOPTER has been selected by CenTauri Solutions for the US "Yellow Jacket" counter-IED programme. Could you please explain the CAMCOPTER's role in this programme and its current status?

Schiebel: Schiebel provides its CAMCOPTER S-100 as a carrier platform to test a new sensor payload suite dedicated to detecting IEDs. The $11 million feasibility and evaluation contract from the US Department of Defense is code-named "Yellow Jacket". It should hopefully provide a safer passage for US or coalition patrols and convoys by scanning the paths and locations for electromagnetic signals to identify potential IED threats before the arrival of the forces.

At the moment, the project is currently in the integration and testing phase.


defpro.com: What are the upcoming plans for Schiebel in the US market? Will you focus on the above-mentioned programmes for the time being or do you see further opportunities for co-operation or even contract awards resulting from this initial success?

Schiebel: Our most remarkable achievement in the US market is, without a doubt, the teaming agreement signed between Boeing and Schiebel. Not only has this confirmed the quality and high standard of our CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS, but also opened the door to several US Government customers and the North American market. There are ongoing negotiations, but you will understand that we cannot give any details.


defpro.com: Where do you currently see additional markets and in which do you plan to show a greater presence in the future to create new opportunities for the CAMCOPTER?

Schiebel: There are ongoing negotiations with customers from all over the world. However, you will understand that, also in this case, I cannot give any further details.


defpro.com: Which are the next most anticipated milestones for the CAMCOPTER in the various programmes in which it is involved and where will we be able to see Schiebel's products on display or in action during the upcoming months?

Schiebel: The latest milestone we recently achieved was that the Schiebel CAMCOPTER S-100 UAS supported security measures at the fifth meeting of the G-20 Heads of Government in Seoul, South Korea from 11-12 November 2010. It is a testament to the CAMCOPTER S-100's outstanding capabilities as a proven VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) surveillance platform that it was the only UAS to be entrusted with providing security support for the world's top twenty leaders, which reflects the absolute trust placed in this highly effective and capable system.

The other milestone is that the CAMCOPTER S-100 successfully demonstrated, in a series of flights, its capabilities to the Spanish Military and a number of other Spanish Government Departments from 3-5 November 2010.
In Spain, once again, Schiebel's unmanned helicopter convinced representatives of the Spanish Military and a number of other Spanish Government Departments of its outstanding capabilities as a VTOL UAS. In support, a number of presentations were given to the attending officers, covering the unique capabilities of the S-100 and its extensive portfolio of available payloads.

You will have to understand that we are not allowed to further comment on any current trials and projects. However, Schiebel will present the CAMCOPTER S-100 as an exhibitor at the IDEX in Abu Dhabi [20-24 February 2011], the Paris Air Show [20-26 June 2011], the AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America [16-19 August 2011] and Defence & Security in Bangkok [2-5 November 2011].


defpro.com: Thank you very much, Mr Schiebel.







http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/698/

 

[Patriot]

Boeing Phantom Ray Completes Low-speed Taxi Tests

St. Louis MO (SPX) Nov 23, 2010
Boeing's Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system successfully completed low-speed taxi tests on Nov. 18 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

"Phantom Ray did exactly what it was supposed to do," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "It communicated with the ground control station, received its orders and made its way down the runway multiple times, allowing us to assess its performance and monitor the advanced systems on board."

Phantom Ray is designed to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous aerial refueling.

The tests were the first for the Phantom Ray following its rollout ceremony in May. Boeing now will prepare Phantom Ray to travel to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on top of one of NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. At Edwards, Phantom Ray will undergo high-speed taxi tests before making its first flight. The flight-test program will last approximately six months.

"The autonomous nature of this system is unique, so achieving this milestone speaks volumes about the technology and expertise of Boeing, the Phantom Works organization and the Phantom Ray team," said Dave Koopersmith, vice president, Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft.

Phantom Ray is designed to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous aerial refueling.

Boeing's portfolio of unmanned airborne systems solutions includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle, SolarEagle, Phantom Eye and Phantom Ray.









http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Boeing_Phantom_Ray_Completes_Low_speed_Taxi_Tests_999.html