Unmanned aircraft systems : UAVS design, development, and deployment

Unmanned Aircraft Systems delivers a much needed introduction to UAV System technology, taking an integrated approach that avoids compartmentalising the subject. Arranged in four sections, parts 1-3 examine the way in which various engineering disciplines affect the design, development and deployment of UAS. The fourth section assesses the future challenges and opportunities of UAS. Technological innovation and increasingly diverse applications are two key drivers of the rapid expansion of UAS technology. The global defence budget for UAS procurement is expanding, and in the future the market for civilian UAVs is expected to outmatch that of the military. Agriculture, meteorology, conservation and border control are just a few of the diverse areas in which UAVs are making a significant impact; the author addresses all of these applications, looking at the roles and technology behind both fixed wing and rotorcraft UAVs. Leading aeronautical consultant Reg Austin co-founded the Bristol International Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) conferences in 1979, which are now the longest-established UAS conferences worldwide. In addition, Austin has over 40 years' experience in the design and development of UAS. One of Austin's programmes, the "Sprite UAV System" has been deployed around the world and operated by day and night, in all weathers. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS......Page 6 Contents......Page 10 Foreword......Page 16 Acknowledgements......Page 17 Series Preface......Page 18 Preface......Page 20 Units and Abbreviations......Page 22 1.1 Some Applications of UAS......Page 34 1.2 What are UAS?......Page 36 1.3 Why Unmanned Aircraft?......Page 38 1.5 System Composition......Page 42 References......Page 48 Part 1 THE DESIGN OF UAV SYSTEMS......Page 50 2.1 Conceptual Phase......Page 52 2.4 Selection of the System......Page 53 3.1 Lift-induced Drag......Page 58 3.2 Parasitic Drag......Page 59 3.3 Rotary-wing Aerodynamics......Page 62 3.4 Response to Air Turbulence......Page 65 3.5 Airframe Configurations......Page 67 3.6 Summary......Page 75 References......Page 76 4.1 Long-endurance, Long-range Role Aircraft......Page 78 4.2 Medium-range, Tactical Aircraft......Page 88 4.3 Close-range/Battlefield Aircraft......Page 92 4.4 MUAV Types......Page 99 4.5 MAV and NAV Types......Page 101 4.6 UCAV......Page 103 4.7 Novel Hybrid Aircraft Configurations......Page 104 References......Page 107 5.1 Introduction......Page 108 5.2 United Kingdom......Page 109 5.4 United States of America......Page 121 References......Page 122 6.1 Scale Effects......Page 124 6.2 Packaging Density......Page 126 6.3 Aerodynamics......Page 127 6.4 Structures and Mechanisms......Page 128 6.5 Selection of power-plants......Page 134 6.6 Modular Construction......Page 139 References......Page 145 7 Design for Stealth......Page 146 7.1 Acoustic Signature......Page 147 7.2 Visual Signature......Page 148 7.3 Thermal Signature......Page 149 7.4 Radio/Radar Signature......Page 150 7.5 Examples in Practice......Page 151 Reference......Page 159 8 Payload Types......Page 160 8.1 Nondispensable Payloads......Page 161 Reference......Page 174 9.1 Communication Media......Page 176 9.2 Radio Communication......Page 177 9.4 Communications Data Rate and Bandwidth Usage......Page 184 9.5 Antenna Types......Page 185 References......Page 187 10.1 HTOL Aircraft......Page 188 10.2 Helicopters......Page 192 10.3 Convertible Rotor Aircraft......Page 196 10.5 Sensors......Page 198 References......Page 200 11.1 NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS)......Page 202 11.3 LORAN C......Page 203 11.5 Radio Tracking......Page 204 References......Page 205 12.1 Launch......Page 206 12.2 Recovery......Page 210 12.3 Summary......Page 212 13.1 Control Station Composition......Page 216 13.3 Mini-UAV ‘Laptop’ Ground Control Station......Page 218 13.4 Close-range UAV Systems GCS......Page 219 13.5 Medium- and Long-range UAV System GCS......Page 223 13.7 Air Control Stations (ACS)......Page 228 14.1 Operating and Maintenance Manuals......Page 230 14.5 Tools......Page 231 14.6 Subsidiary Equipment......Page 232 15.3 HTOL Close-range Systems......Page 234 15.4 Medium-range Systems......Page 235 15.5 MALE and HALE Systems......Page 236 16 Design for Reliability......Page 238 16.1 Determination of the Required Level of Reliability......Page 239 16.2 Achieving Reliability......Page 241 16.3 Reliability Data Presentation......Page 243 16.4 Multiplexed Systems......Page 245 16.5 Reliability by Design......Page 246 16.6 Design for Ease of Maintenance......Page 249 17 Design for Manufacture and Development......Page 250 Part 2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF UAV SYSTEMS......Page 254 18.1 System Development......Page 256 18.3 Establishing Reliability......Page 257 19.1 UAV Component Testing......Page 260 19.2 UAV Sub-assembly and Sub-system Testing......Page 261 19.3 Testing Complete UAV......Page 263 19.4 Control Station Testing......Page 269 19.6 Documentation......Page 270 20.1 Test Sites......Page 272 20.2 Preparation for In-flight Testing......Page 273 20.3 In-flight Testing......Page 275 20.4 System Certification......Page 276 Part 3 THE DEPLOYMENT OF UAV SYSTEMS......Page 278 21.1 Company Trials......Page 280 21.2 Customer Trials and Sales Demonstrations......Page 281 22.1 Introduction......Page 282 22.2 Network-centric Operations (NCO)......Page 284 22.3 Teaming with Manned and Other Unmanned Systems......Page 285 23 Naval Roles......Page 286 23.2 Radar Confusion......Page 287 23.4 Anti-submarine Warfare......Page 288 23.6 Port Protection......Page 289 23.10 Electronic Intelligence......Page 290 23.12 Summary......Page 291 24.1 Covert Reconnaissance and Surveillance......Page 292 24.3 Target Designation by Laser......Page 294 24.4 NBC Contamination Monitoring......Page 296 24.8 System Mobility......Page 299 24.9 Persistent Urban Surveillance......Page 300 25.3 Electronic Intelligence......Page 302 25.6 Airfield Security......Page 303 26.2 Agriculture......Page 306 26.3 Coastguard and Lifeboat Institutions......Page 307 26.6 Electricity Companies......Page 308 26.8 Fisheries......Page 309 26.13 Traffic Agencies......Page 310 26.18 Communications Relay......Page 311 References......Page 312 Part 4 UAS FUTURE......Page 314 27.1 Introduction......Page 316 27.2 Operation in Civilian Airspace......Page 317 27.3 Power-plant Development......Page 321 27.4 Developments in Airframe Configurations......Page 325 27.5 Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence......Page 332 References......Page 334 28.1 Introduction......Page 336 28.2 Cruise Missiles......Page 337 28.3 World War II Systems......Page 338 28.5 The 1960s......Page 339 28.6 The 1970s......Page 341 28.7 The 1980s......Page 342 28.8 The 1990s......Page 344 28.9 The 2000s......Page 345 28.10 The 2010s......Page 348 28.11 Into the Future......Page 349 A.2 Industry Associations......Page 352 A.5 Test Site Facilities......Page 353 A.6 Regulators......Page 354 Index......Page 356 Unmanned Aircraft Systems delivers a much needed introduction to UAV system technology, taking an integrated approach that avoids compartmentalizing the subject. The first three sections of the book examine the way in how various engineering disciplines affect the design, development and deployment of UAS. The final section assesses the future challenges and opportunities of UAS. Technological innovation and increasingly diverse applications are two key drivers of the rapid expansion of UAS technology. The global defense budget for UAS procurement is expanding, and in the future, the market for civilian UAVS is expected to outmatch that of the military. Agriculture, meteorology, conservation and border control are just a few of the diverse areas in which UAVS are making a significant impact. The author addresses all of these applications, looking at the roles and technology behind both fixed wing and rotorcraft UAVS. Introduction to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) Introduction to design and selection of the system Aerodynamics and airframe configurations Characteristics of aircraft types Design standards and regulatory aspects Aspects of airframe design Design for stealth Payload types Communications Control and stability Navigation Launch and recovery Control stations Support equipment Transportation Design for reliability Design for manufacture and development Introduction to system development and certification System ground testing System in-flight testing Operational trials and full certification UAV system deployment Naval rôles Army rôles Air Force rôles Civilian, paramilitary and commercial rôles Future prospects and challenges UAV systems continuing evolution Appendix : UAS organisations.