Small Unmanned Air Systems - Enforcement Tool or Security Threat? Professor Jim Scanlan

Transcription

1 Small Unmanned Air Systems - Enforcement Tool or Security Threat? Professor

2 Interests: Manned / Unmanned

3 Southampton and Big Aeroplanes! Largest UK Aerospace university Has eight University Technology Centres; four of relevance to Aerospace: Rolls-Royce UTC in design Rolls-Royce UTC in engine noise Airbus UTC in airframe noise Microsoft Institute for High Performance Computing

4 Can t build big a/c but can build small a/c!

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6 Autonomous Systems Level of Unmanned aviation potential and exploitation Information gathering; (Exploration, Filming, Search) High Medium Task oriented (Bomb disposal, Manufacturing, Lawn Mowing, Vacuum Cleaning, Agriculture) Low Nil? Transportation (DLR, Automated Cars, Satellite launch) High Nil?

7 Southampton fixed UAV history 2011 SULSA the world s first 2010 entirely 3d Start of DECODE printed aircraft project Student projects 2012 BBC i-flyer CAA flight certificate exemption for >20kg airframe 2013/14 2SEAS-3i project 7

8 Autonomous Systems ground control vehicles

9 Interests Low cost platforms for scientific research Rapid Realisation Definition to Delivery in under a week Automated design tools 3D printing, Structronics Applications..

10 What are we up against? Manned aviation professional: Over my dead body

11 Twilight zone Manned aviation Highly regulated Strict certification process Traceability /reliability of parts (TSO) Pilot and operator qualifications Airworthiness directives Safety/ Risk management Unmanned aircraft Low costs, flexibility freedom Hobby model aircraft No certification process Self regulation Low cost consumer products

12 Fundamental Problems in Unmanned Aviation Community Want to use low cost hobby consumer parts (servos, motors avionics) but no lifing/ traceability/ etc Want access to precious airspace but don t want cost and burden of qualifications/ medicals/ formal engagement with ATM systems Fickle public opinion; is it safe? Privacy? Noise? Loss of jobs?

13 UOS Applications

14 ASTRA* UAS to support climate scientists * Atmospheric Science Through Robotic Aircraft

15 Massive Atmospheric Volume Instrumentation System Developing a fleet of ultra-lightweight drones for atmospheric data collection Balloon-launched drone swarm will fly precalculated paths and transmit data to ground Dr Philip King Chris Paulson Conductive inkjet printing for ultra-lightweight UAVs design-to-circuit ~3 hours

16 UAV cargo developments

17 Unmanned Cargo

18 Security Encrypted and locked-functionality long range comms Heartbeat Limited commands Continue, Hold, Divert Guaranteed monitoring of aircraft location (independent of GPS) Low cost primary radar Low cost secondary radar eloran? 18

19 Naval interest Catapult launch from ship On-board Printers June demo Joint Warrior

20 Long Endurance Observations Aether Complete Integrated Solution. Self-Contained Trailer + Cover. 240 VAC Power Generation. Hexrotor - Redundancy. Safety Battery Backup. Capacity for 300 m Tether. Endurance 22 hr Ops (min). Lightweight but Strong Tether. Power Up/Comms Down. CAA Permission to Fly (<7 kg).

21 Conclusions

22 Enforcement tool: yes but Still no blanket permissions to use of course particularly BLOS and shared airspace Government funding currently very difficult therefore reluctance from Police bodies to purchase systems Interest from RNLI

23 Threat; yes! Laser sintered nylon, curved surfaces have inherently low RCS Electric power inaudible at a few hundred feet Payload, Range Bristow trials