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Full of Hot Air? Doubts Over the Future of LTA Technology

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Full of Hot Air? Doubts Over the Future of LTA Technology Volume 18 Number 6 December 2013/January 2014 Full of hot air? Doubts over the future of LTA technology SEA WIDER UNFAMILIAR MONSTERS FOCUS TERRAIN Large AUV applications Airborne radar payloads UGVs in Southeast Asia www.UVonline.com UV_Dec13_Jan14_OFC.indd 1 13/12/2013 09:39:00 UV_Dec13_Jan14_IFC.indd 2 13/12/2013 09:41:23 1 CONTENTS Editor 3 Editorial Comment Andrew White. Publicity stunt or not, Amazon’s ‘delivery by drones’ [email protected] +44 1753 727023 announcement has raised some interesting points, North America Editor argues Editor Andrew White. Scott R Gourley. [email protected] Senior Reporter News Beth Stevenson. [email protected] 4 Mixed fortunes for European MALE ambitions Business Reporter A review of the latest developments Joyce de Thouars. [email protected] from around the unmanned systems industry. Contributors Claire Apthorp, Gordon Arthur, Pieter Bastiaans, Angus Batey, 10 Sea monsters Peter Donaldson, Richard Scott, Matthew Smith, Tom Withington Moves to develop and field substantially larger Production Department Manager AUV platforms than those currently in service David Hurst. [email protected] could open up a whole new range of capabilities Sub-editor Adam Wakeling and missions. Andrew White assesses the state of Head of Advertising Sales the art. Mike Wild. [email protected] +44 1753 727007 39 Junior Sales Executive 15 Every second counts Anna Ng. [email protected] +44 1753 727009 The perennial problem of analysing UAS-gathered Editor-in-Chief intelligence quickly enough to command an 33 Unfamiliar terrain Tony Skinner appropriate response by troops in contact is being Traditionally not seen as a primary market for UGVs, Managing Director Darren Lake tackled by some innovative software and network Southeast Asia could be a future source of big Chairman solutions, Peter Donaldson discovers. business for developers, argues Angus Batey. Nick Prest Subscriptions Annual rates start at £65 22 The rise and fall 39 Keep on running Tel: +44 1858 438879, Fax: +44 1858 461739 With fluctuating investment over the past few years, As militaries look to transition more unmanned [email protected] the future of unmanned lighter-than-air technology systems into their core equipment sets post- www.subscription.co.uk/shephard is in doubt. However, a number of programmes Afghanistan, Claire Apthorp looks at how OEMs will Unmanned Vehicles is published six times per year – in February/March, April/May, remain active and are providing valuable capability provide long-term support for those fleets in future. June/July, August/September, October/ November and December/January – by in-theatre, Beth Stevenson reports. The Shephard Press Ltd, 268 Bath Road, Slough, Berks, SL1 4DX. 44 Relocation package Subscription records are maintained at 28 Wider focus Lt Col Bede Galvin of the Australian Army’s 20th CDS Global, Tower House, Lathkill Street, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough, Maturing technologies such as SAR/GMTI and Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment talks Leicestershire, LE16 9EF, UK. FOPEN radars are opening up new possibilities for to Andrew White about the role of the service’s Air Business Ltd is acting as mailing agent. Articles contained in this publication may UAV operations. Tom Withington rounds up recent Shadow 200 fleet post-Afghanistan and its plans not be reproduced in any form without the developments in this field. for future UAS procurements. written permission of the publishers. © The Shephard Press Ltd, 2013. ISSN 1351-3478 DTP Vivid Associates, Sutton, Surrey, UK Print Williams Press, Maidenhead, Front cover: LTA ISR platforms face an uncertain future. (Photo: US Army) Berks, UK Subscriptions Shephard’s aerospace and defence publishing portfolio incorporates six titles: Defence Helicopter, Digital Battlespace, Land Warfare International, Military Logistics International, RotorHub and Unmanned Vehicles. The Shephard Press Ltd Published bi-monthly, all have become respected and renowned for 268 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4DX covering global issues within their respective industry sector. Tel: +44 1753 727001 For more information, including editorial content in the current issues, visit Fax: +44 1753 727002 shephardmedia.com/magazines. www.UVonline.com Subscribe today via: www.subscription.co.uk/shephard or +44 (0)1858 438879 subs_portfolio.indd 1 23/8/10 17:15:02 www.UVonline.com Volume 18 Number 6 | December 2013/January 2014 | UNMANNED Vehicles UV_Dec13_Jan14_p01_Contents.indd 1 13/12/2013 09:44:16 Maritime Predator B RIGHT CAPABILITIES FOR THE RIGHT COST • Detect, track and identify most vessels including semi-submersible craft • Illegal drug and immigration interdiction • Performs long-endurance maritime surveillance and reconnaissance operations • Wide-area surveillance with a 360° digital multi-mode maritime radar • Costs a fraction of most comparable alternative systems • In service with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security QTYUIOPAERONAUTICAL ©2013 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. www.ga-asi.com Leading The Situational Awareness Revolution 1312_UnmannedUV_Dec13_Jan14_p02.indd Vehicles.indd 2 1 13/12/201311/20/13 09:46:48 3:00 PM 3 EDITORIAL COMMENT Pie in the sky? Whether it was a clever publicity stunt or military users, first responders and civilian not, Amazon’s idea to deliver packages to traffic? Would they be compulsorily equipped customers by UAV has raised some with collision avoidance technology? The list interesting questions in the unmanned arena. of questions is endless. Dubbed ‘Prime Air’ by Amazon’s next- As the CAA source added: ‘There is still a generation R&D laboratory, the proposed long way to go before this could be a reality, solution would use VTOL aircraft, similar to particularly on the more practical sides – those sold on its website, to pick up packages battery endurance, reliability, control, collision from a distribution warehouse and deliver to avoidance, the safety of the people you are a customer address. delivering to, what happens if you are out ‘It looks like science fiction, but it’s real,’ when it arrives. What do you do about returns? Amazon brazenly admitted, before adding: ‘Basically, it was a good publicity gimmick ‘From a technology point of view, we’ll be which was timed perfectly to coincide with ready to enter commercial operations as soon what is apparently the busiest online as the necessary regulations are in place. The shopping day in the year and they got a FAA is actively working on rules for massive amount of free advertising from it unmanned aerial vehicles.’ from all of the broadcasters.’ A company statement continued: ‘Yes. However, is this idea really so implausible? One day, Prime Air vehicles will be as A medical specialist company called normal as seeing mail trucks on the road Transplant and Transportation Services (TTS) today… safety will be our top priority, and announced in December that it was involved our vehicles will be built with multiple in R&D to have unmanned aircraft deliver redundancies and designed to commercial transplant organs to hospitals. aviation standards.’ Currently, private aircraft are used to Responding to these far-fetched ideas was distribute such items. However, TTS stated: the UK’s CAA, which remains reasonably ‘Reducing safety risks, increasing operating open-minded about the proposals, with a room utilisation through flexible timing, source telling Unmanned Vehicles: ‘I suppose surgeon cooperation and collaboration, and you can never say never. As always though, significant cost savings are just the beginning provided that an operator can provide us of what we all have… to gain from the use of with sufficient proof that the intended these machines… the benefits will change operation is safe, then there is no reason to transplant and potentially the entire say no.’ healthcare industry. In 2012, it was reported that Amazon was As the unmanned sector continues to making 306 online sales per second at its deflect criticism of so-called ‘drone strikes’ peak. Imagine the number of VTOL UAVs that in the Middle East and south Central Asia, would litter the skies should any sizeable detractors of such technology would do proportion of these orders be delivered by well to consider its wider applications and Prime Air. Would there be VTOL the good it can bring across a variety of superhighways in the sky? What altitudes other sectors. RESPONSE would they operate at to deconflict with Andrew White, Editor Unmanned Vehicles’ editorial team is always happy to receive comments on its articles and to hear readers’ views IN THE n Asian UAV market n UGV navigation on the issues raised in the magazine. NEXT n n Contact details can be found on p1. ISSUE Harbour protection Parapublic robots www.UVonline.com Volume 18 Number 6 | December 2013/January 2014 | UNMANNED Vehicles UV_Dec13_Jan14_p03_Comment.indd 3 13/12/2013 09:47:47 4 NEWS Mixed fortunes The MQ-8C reached an altitude of 500ft on its second flight. (Photo: USN) for European MQ-8C makes MALE ambitions first flight The Dutch MoD is pushing ahead with plans following federal elections on 23 September. The latest variant of the USN’s Fire Scout to procure the MQ-9 Reaper, while German The new government is not expected to take UAV flew for the first time on 31 October, aspirations to acquire a similar capability remain office until mid-January. staying airborne for a total of 16 minutes questionable following recent coalition Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière and the across two test flights, service officials have government negotiations. Chief of the German Air Force, Gen Karl Müllner, revealed. Having cancelled a previous project to continue to defend plans aimed at procuring The VTOL MQ-8C is based on the procure a MALE UAV in 2007, the Netherlands armed UAVs. The German MoD wants to acquire Bell 407, a larger helicopter in comparison will acquire four air vehicles, according to a total of 16 new MALE aircraft as part of its to the in-service MQ-8B, which utilises the information provided by the Dutch parliament SAATEG or Long Range Theatre Reconnaissance Schweizer 333 airframe.
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