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Air Force Research Laboratory RPA Portfolio

Col Jeff TurcotteChief, Air and Weapons Division

Distribution A. Approved for Public Release.88 ABW/PA Case # 88ABW-2010-1685

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Ball Joint Replacement

Requires leverage & cooperation

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Overview

AFRL: who we are

Research areas and trends

- Some typical AFRL programs

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USAF S&T VisionUSAF Mission

The mission of the United States Air Forceis to fly, fight and win…

in Air, Space and Cyberspace.

TARGET

TRACK

FIX

ENGAGE

FIND

ASSESS

Air Space

Cyber

ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

ANTICIPATE

Guides USAF S&T goals

Links S&T to Warfighter

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Ten Technology Directorates

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Major AFRL Facilities

WRIGHT-PATTERSON PROPULSION (RZ)AIR VEHICLES (RB)SENSORS (RY)MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING (RX)COLLABORATIVE C2 (RI)711th HUMAN PERFORMANCE WING (HPW)

– HUMAN EFFECTIVENESS (RH)

KIRTLANDDIRECTED ENERGY (RD)SPACE VEHICLES (RV)

BALLSTONAIR FORCE OFFICE OFSCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (AFOSR)

ROMEINFORMATION (RI)SURVEILLANCE (RY)

EGLINMUNITIONS (RW)

MESAWARFIGHTER TRAINING RESEARCH (RH)

EDWARDSROCKET PROPULSION (RZ)

TYNDALLAIR BASE TECHNOLOGY (RX)

BROOKS711th HPW- BIOEFFECTS (RH)- AEROSPACE PHYSIOLOGY (RH)- USAFSAM

HANSCOMBATTLE SPACE ENVIRONMENTS (RV)ELECTROMAGNETICS (RY)

AFRLHQ

41 Sites World-Wide 6

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AFRL Response to UAS Initiatives

• High Interest Areas– BRAC-related spending

– Technologies that support Nuclear Surety

– Cyber (especially defensive)

– UAVs – including micro UAVs, swarming technologies, ground controllers

– Space Situational Awareness

The RPA IPT goal is to align AFRL S&T efforts with Air Force requirements as defined by OSD and AF UAS TF road maps and:

– Assisted the AF UAS TF in the drafting of the UAS Flight Plan and all subsequent activities

– Support and assist industry and academia in aligning with AFRL RPA initiatives

– Participate in OSD UAS Task Force team--support joint UAS development

AFRL RPA Integrated Product Team

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AFRL RPA Research Areas

Concept Vehicles– Aerodynamics– Airspace Management– Next Generation UAS– Micro/Nano Technology

Cyber Elements– Controls, Navigation– Communications– Electronic Warfare

Power and Propulsion– Efficient Small Scale

Propulsion– Internal Power Management– Thermal Management– Batteries/Fuel Cells

Systems of Systems– Mission Control Interfaces– Multi Aircraft Control– ISR and Tracking– Teaming

Heterogeneous Airborne Reconnaissance Team

Advanced MissionControl Interface

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Next Generation UAS

Balanced Persistence and Responsiveness

Advanced Mission Management Interface

Affordable, Reliable & Supportable System

Cooperative Teaming and Engagement

Modular Sensor Payloads

Fleet Compatible Operations

Flexible and Upgradeable Architecture

Precise and Scalable Weapon Effects

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Architecture Flexibility EqualsMulti-Mission Capability

WeatherAvoidance & Penetration

All-Weather, All-Terrain Sensing

Dismounts

Foliage

AAA and MANPADSVehicles

Eyes

Below

The Clouds

Sense and Avoid

Scalable Effects

SAA Modular, Open Architecture

Sensors, Fusion, Tracking

RADAR

Camera / IR

Datalink

Deconfliction

Collision Avoidance

ATC

Well Clear

Right of Way

Maneuver Limits

Mode Selection

Notify

Execute Maneuver

Deconfliction and Collision Avoidance together, provide a robust, functional

equivalent to a pilot’s “See and Avoid”

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Near-term solutions

Vehicle Progression: Mini-micro-nanoAi

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ne d

esig

n op

timiz

atio

nB

asic

phy

sics

Small or mini- Traditional configuration- sensor/airframe integration

“Nano” UAV- Configuration undefined/unclear!- Basic research develop concepts

Generalized Micro UAV- Refined configuration- infuse aerospace system design

Flexible Mini, Micro, and Nano Aircraft

Non-fixed-wing Micro UAV- Revolutionary configuration- Infuse with fundamental aero/structures/controls

Long-term goals

Mini-CDL

Problem: Lack of High Speed Data link for Small Unmanned Aerial Systems to meet DOD CDL policy.

Solution: Develop a small light weight low power CDL

Technical Approach:

• Multiple board technology frequency isolation

• New FPGA Technology

• New Digital Signal Processor

• New small NSA Type 1 Encryption Chip

Results:

• 18 to 1.5 pounds

• 100 to 50 watts

Quint Networking Technologies

Phase 1 StudyPhase 2 PrototypeIntegration and TestCovert Net DevJSF RPI Data Link terminalOSD ISRnet develop

Technology Investment Schedule (FY) As of 19 Jul 0704 05 06 07 08 09 -12

Technology

Benefits to the War FighterDescription• Tactical Air, Weapon & Ground Controller networked

operations in the forward domain

• Provide Forward Edge controllers on demand access to sensors, and control of network enabled weapons in order to improve prosecution of time critical targets and reduce fratricide risk.

•Exploit network centric technologies to close the combat seams for multi-service operations• Enhance network collaborative targeting in a dynamic Joint environment• Provide detailed situational awareness in very mobile combat through weapon tracking and by building BDA through network event capture• Provide over the hill imagery/video networking for dismounted ground forces for UCAV and small UAV’s• Provide a dynamic ground taxi capability for UCAV

• Backbone mesh network

• On-demand connections for streaming of sensor data

• Small form factor dual-band software radios

• Miniaturized Package – 35 in3 & 20 in3 radios

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QNTTargeted users – Aircraft, UCAVs, small UAVs, weapons, dismounted

soldiers

• Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) –for long endurance flight with dash capability

• Highly Efficient Embedded Turbine Engine (HEETE) –for long endurance flight at high altitude

• Efficient Small Scale Propulsion (ESSP) –small turbine and internal combustionpropulsion S&T for tailored small UAS

• Small Engine Research Facility (SERL) –new in-house facility to support ESSP and current fleet propulsion issues; Example -conversion of Rotax 914 (Predator) to JP8 for huge savings versus Avgas

For Large UAS… For Medium UAS…

• Hybrid Electric Propulsion -unique electrically-driven systems; Example – PUMA 9 hour flight demonstrated versus 2.5 hours operationalcapability

For SUAS… For Hypersonic UAS…

• X-51 Scramjet Engine Demonstrator – First flight MAR10; paves way for revolutionary strike speed

For Medium/Small UAS…

Propulsion

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Autonomy – Multi-Aircraft ControlPotential Manpower Savings

• 50 CAPs

– 50 MQ-9 CAPs

– + 7 a/c in constant transit

• 10 pilots per CAP

– 500 pilots required

– + 70 pilots to transit a/c

570 Total Pilots

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• 50 CAPs

– 50 MQ-9 CAPs on orbit

• 25 CAPs automated

• 25 CAPs in MAC (5 pilots/CAP)

– 125 pilots required

– + 25 auto-msn monitor pilots

– + 0 to transit aircraft

150 Total Pilots

2011(Current system)

TBD(MAC + 50% auto)

64% Manpower Savings

2012 (MAC)

50 CAPs 50 MQ-9 CAPs 2 CAPs per MAC GCS 1 transit per MAC GCS

5 pilots per CAP 250 Pilots required + 0 to transit aircraft

250 Total Pilots

56% Manpower Savings

Transit

Surge Capacity

Surge Capacity

Surge Capacity

TransitSurge CapacityAuto

MAC = 1 pilot can fly up to 4 a/c

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Multi Aircraft Control and Autonomy

Human-automation interaction(methods, visibility, attention, allocation)

Multi-modal & 3D interfaces for supervisory control

Multi-UAV management(glyphs, task switching, timeline)

Sensor inspection aids Multi-platform control stationhardware/software framework

Interfaces tailored for future capabilities & missions

Integrated crew stations: increased span of control

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Heterogeneous Airborne Reconnaissance Team (HART) Description

• Customer: Army, Air Force• Budget Activity: 6.3 • IOC 2010• TRL level 6• Key benefit: Provided automatic, real

time planning and control of UAVs for Warfighters at the tip of the spear.

Impact• Allow direct access to a system of systems -

multiple tiers, platforms & sensors • Decouple consumers from flight control, so

they can focus on the fight• Disseminate video to unit leaders via

handhelds and to TOCs via wide screens• Planning and control system achieves high

platform and sensor utilization rates

Accomplishments• Numerous flight tests with multiple

deployed UASs at DoD test ranges• Demonstrated cooperative control and

video dissemination of 50 UASs to commanders through dismounts

• Rapid integration of new unmanned and manned aviation systems

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1700 ft

1700

ft

UAV Trajectories over Urban Terrain

One

to M

any

• Research on UAV Cooperative Control

Control ScienceCenter of Excellence

Task Tree:

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Technical Challenges in Cooperative Task Assignment and Scheduling

Our Cooperative Control research is focused on these challenges

Coupling●Precedence constraints●Joint tasks●On-line computation

Uncertainty●Target locations●Threat environment●Enemy actions●Engagement outcomes

Communication Constraints●Asynchronous COMM●Limited throughput●Delays and outages

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Future R&D in Teaming-Heterogeneous Layered SoS Control

• Heterogeneous Systems of Systems

– Large-scale multi-level heterogeneous planning problems

– Layered Hierarchical structure

– Information: aggregation and dissemination

– Task Assignment & Scheduling: decomposition, team formation

– Scalability of Solution Methodologies

– Intelligence/Learning

– Multi-Objective planning and de-confliction

• Operator Interaction at every level of the hierarchy

One

to M

any

Teams

Swarms

For Official Use Only

22DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT D. Distribution authorized to DoD and their DOD contractors only; critical technology, Aug 2008. Other requests shall be referred to AFRL/XPO, 1864 4th Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7132

Version 1.0: 20090615

Layered Sensing Vision

Mountains & Caves

Reaper

GlobalHawk

AAASites

UrbanFoliage

MicroUAV

UGS

J-STARSAWACS

RJStrike

Small UAV

Regional, Persistent,High Altitude Surveillance

Global Access“Episodic” - Synoptic

“Cordoning” SurveillanceContinuous “Forensics”

COM & PNT

SensorCraft

SBR

HSI SBIRS

Near SPACE

SIGINT IMINT

Wpn-Mun

Hunter / Killer Wolf Pack

Layered Sensing & Effects DeliveryCross-Domain, Multi-Directorate, Integrated Effects• Seamless Air, Space, and Cyberspace Enterprise

• USAF’s S&T Response to the Global “Daunting Challenge” of Counter-Terrorism:Foundational to AF2T2EA4• Exploits/Extends USAF Core Competenciesof Global Reach and Persistence• Staring & Cross-Phenomenology Integration yielding “total SA”• Continuous Sensing through effects delivery

U-2

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Conclusion

Remember, the keys to success in S&T are leverage and cooperation

- AFRL has a robust S&T portfolio- Focused on

- Addressing needs and - Enabling future capabilities for RPAs