With many UAS pilots returning from conflict zones and rejoining civilian life the emerging civilian market will not be short of qualified people to hire in the larger end of the UAS weight category. Its a pity regulation in most countries won’t allow them to fly.

From here on in we shall add a UAV/UAS jobs feed just for interest to see what’s out there

A plane that lands like a bird

An innovative control system allows a foam glider to touch down on a perch or a wire like a pet parakeet.

Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office

Everyone knows what it’s like for an airplane to land: the slow maneuvering into an approach pattern, the long descent, and the brakes slamming on as soon as the plane touches down, which seems to just barely bring it to a rest a mile later. Birds, however, can switch from barreling forward at full speed to lightly touching down on a target as narrow as a telephone wire. Why can’t an airplane be more like a bird?

MIT researchers have demonstrated a new control system that allows a foam glider with only a single motor on its tail to land on a perch, just like a pet parakeet. The work could have important implications for the design of robotic planes, greatly improving their maneuverability and potentially allowing them to recharge their batteries simply by alighting on power lines.

Birds can land so precisely because they take advantage of a complicated physical phenomenon called “stall.” Even when a commercial airplane is changing altitude or banking, its wings are never more than a few degrees away from level. Within that narrow range of angles, the airflow over the plane’s wings is smooth and regular, like the flow of water around a small, smooth stone in a creek bed.

A bird approaching its perch, however, will tilt its wings back at a much sharper angle. The airflow over the wings becomes turbulent, and large vortices — whirlwinds — form behind the wings. The effects of the vortices are hard to predict: If a plane tilts its wings back too far, it can fall out of the sky. Hence the name “stall.”

The smooth airflow over the wings of a normally operating plane is well-understood mathematically; as a consequence, engineers are highly confident that a commercial airliner will respond to the pilot’s commands as intended. But stall is a much more complicated phenomenon: Even the best descriptions of it are time-consuming to compute.

Reap the whirlwind

To design their control system, MIT Associate Professor Russ Tedrake, a member of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Rick Cory, a PhD student in Tedrake’s lab who defended his dissertation this spring, first developed their own mathematical model of a glider in stall. For a range of launch conditions, they used the model to calculate sequences of instructions intended to guide the glider to its perch. “It gets this nominal trajectory,” Cory explains. “It says, ‘If this is a perfect model, this is how it should fly.’” But, he adds, “because the model is not perfect, if you play out that same solution, it completely misses.”

So Cory and Tedrake also developed a set of error-correction controls that could nudge the glider back onto its trajectory when location sensors determined that it had deviated from it. By using innovative techniques developed at MIT’s Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, they were able to precisely calculate the degree of deviation that the controls could compensate for. The addition of the error-correction controls makes a trajectory look like a tube snaking through space: The center of the tube is the trajectory calculated using Cory and Tedrake’s model; the radius of the tube describes the tolerance of the error-correction controls.

The control system ends up being, effectively, a bunch of tubes pressed together like a fistful of straws. If the glider goes so far off course that it leaves one tube, it will still find itself in another. Once the glider is launched, it just keeps checking its position and executing the command that corresponds to the tube in which it finds itself. The design of the system earned Cory Boeing’s 2010 Engineering Student of the Year Award.

The measure of air resistance against a body in flight is known as the “drag coefficient.” A cruising plane tries to minimize its drag coefficient, but when it’s trying to slow down, it tilts its wings back in order to increase drag. Ordinarily, it can’t tilt back too far, for fear of stall. But because Cory and Tedrake’s control system takes advantage of stall, the glider, when it’s landing, has a drag coefficient that’s four to five times that of other aerial vehicles.

From spy planes to fairies

For some time, the U.S. Air Force has been interested in the possibility of unmanned aerial vehicles that could land in confined spaces and has been funding and monitoring research in the area. “What Russ and Rick and their team is doing is unique,” says Gregory Reich of the Air Force Research Laboratory. “I don’t think anyone else is addressing the flight control problem in nearly as much detail.” Reich points out, however, that in their experiments, Cory and Tedrake used data from wall-mounted cameras to gauge the glider’s position, and the control algorithms ran on a computer on the ground, which transmitted instructions to the glider. “The computational power that you may have on board a vehicle of this size is really, really limited,” Reich says. Even though the MIT researchers’ course correction algorithms are simple, they may not be simple enough.

Tedrake believes, however, that computer processors powerful enough to handle his and Cory’s control algorithms are only a few years off. In the meantime, his lab has already begun to address the problem of moving the glider’s location sensors onboard, and although Cory will be moving to California to take a job researching advanced robotics techniques for Disney, he hopes to continue collaborating with Tedrake. “I visited the air force, and I visited Disney, and they actually have a lot in common,” Cory says. “The air force wants an airplane that can land on a power line, and Disney wants a flying Tinker Bell that can land on a lantern. But the technology’s similar.”

For some time, the U.S. Air Force has been interested in the possibility of unmanned aerial vehicles that could land in confined spaces and has been funding and monitoring research in the area. “What Russ and Rick and their team is doing is unique,” says Gregory Reich of the Air Force Research Laboratory. “I don’t think anyone else is addressing the flight control problem in nearly as much detail.” Reich points out, however, that in their experiments, Cory and Tedrake used data from wall-mounted cameras to gauge the glider’s position, and the control algorithms ran on a computer on the ground, which transmitted instructions to the glider. “The computational power that you may have on board a vehicle of this size is really, really limited,” Reich says. Even though the MIT researchers’ course correction algorithms are simple, they may not be simple enough.

Tedrake believes, however, that computer processors powerful enough to handle his and Cory’s control algorithms are only a few years off. In the meantime, his lab has already begun to address the problem of moving the glider’s location sensors onboard, and although Cory will be moving to California to take a job researching advanced robotics techniques for Disney, he hopes to continue collaborating with Tedrake. “I visited the air force, and I visited Disney, and they actually have a lot in common,” Cory says. “The air force wants an airplane that can land on a power line, and Disney wants a flying Tinker Bell that can land on a lantern. But the technology’s similar.”

QinetiQ will today bring Zephyr, its solar powered high-altitude long endurance (HALE) Unmmaned Aerial System (UAS) back to earth after two weeks in the air – smashing a number of long-standing official and unofficial world records.

Zephyr was launched on 09 July and is currently still flying above the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Today Zephyr will have been aloft for 14 nights continuously, achieving the objective of the trial and setting a number of performance and altitude records. At this point QinetiQ’s Zephyr team in Yuma will bring the aircraft back to earth.

An official from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) (http://www.fai.org/), the world air sports federation, has been monitoring progress at the Yuma Proving Ground and when Zephyr is back on the ground he looks set to be able to confirm a number of new world records. This includes quadrupling its own unofficial world record for longest duration unmanned flight (82 hours, 37 minutes set in 2008) and surpassing the current official world record for the longest flight for an unmanned air system (set at 30 hours 24 minutes by Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4A Global Hawk on 22 March 2001). Zephyr will also have flown longer, non-stop and without refuelling, than any other aeroplane – having significantly passed the Rutan Voyager milestone of 9 days (216 hours) 3 minutes and 44 seconds airborne, set in December 1986.

“Zephyr is the world’s first and only truly persistent aeroplane,” said Neville Salkeld, MD of QinetiQ’s UK Technology Solutions Group. “We are really proud of the team’s achievement which has been supported by expertise from across the QinetiQ business and beyond. We’ve now proved that this amazing aircraft is capable of providing a cost effective, persistent surveillance and communications capability measured in terms of weeks, if not months. Not only is Zephyr game-changing technology, it is also significantly more cost effective to manufacture and deploy than traditional aircraft and satellites.”

Easy to transport in a standard road transport container, once launched Zephyr can remain above a general area for weeks, if not months, at a time delivering vital capability at a fraction of the cost of satellites and significantly more cost effectively than other ‘conventionally powered’ manned or unmanned aircraft. Zephyr also does not need to return to base at regular intervals for re-fuelling or servicing which helps minimise the logistical supply chain, extending its operational capability and appeal. Its zero emissions also make it exceptionally environmentally friendly.

For the trial in Yuma Zephyr is carrying a communications payload configured to meet the needs of the UK Ministry of Defence. In addition to the obvious defence and security applications, commercial uses include environmental research; monitoring crops and pollution; providing tactical intelligence over disaster zones or forest fires; plus delivering mobile communications capabilities in remote areas.

Chris Kelleher, QinetiQ’s chief designer said: “We have designed, built and delivered what will be remembered as a milestone in aviation history. Zephyr will transform the delivery of current services such as communications, and lead to many new applications which are not possible or affordable by other means.

“The brand-new ‘production ready’ Zephyr airframe incorporates totally new approaches to aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, avionics, flight controls, power system management, thermal control, ground control station design and payload, as well as overall operating processes. Our outstanding team has brought this entire ‘one-shot’ flight together at the first time of asking, demonstrating we can operate both the aircraft and its ultra-light utility payload routinely for long duration flights.

“We’ve also had to design for temperatures of around plus 40 degrees C on the ground to below minus 75 degrees C at altitude, ever changing weather systems including storms and high winds – and Zephyr took them all in its stride. It is a truly fantastic achievement.”

Launched by hand, the aircraft flies by day on solar power delivered by amorphous silicon solar arrays, supplied by Uni-Solar ( http://www.uni-solar.com/), no thicker than sheets of paper that cover the aircraft’s wings. These are also used to recharge the lithium-sulphur batteries, supplied by Sion Power Inc (http://www.sionpower.com/), which are used to power the aircraft by night. Together they provide an extremely high power to weight ratio on a continuous day/night cycle, thereby delivering persistent on station capabilities.

Around 50% larger than the previous version, Zephyr incorporates an entirely new wing design with a total wingspan of 22.5m to accommodate more batteries that are combined with a totally new integrated power management system. The entirely new aerodynamic shape also helps to reduce drag and improve performance. Zephyr’s ultra-lightweight carbon fibre design means it weighs in at just over 50Kg.

- Zephyr launch video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT-DYeEP8dg)

- Zephyr pages on QinetiQ.com (http://www.qinetiq.com/home_farnborough_airshow/unmanned_air_systems/zephyr.html)

- Zephyr launch release with additional hi-res photos (http://www.qinetiq.com/home/newsroom/news_releases_homepage/2010/3rd_quarter/zephyr_2010.html)

The Zephyr is now on day 12 of its mission and flying well. I’m no expert on the subject but I do know they need pretty calm conditions for the landing. A quick look at the forecast for Yuma on Friday morning, the two week point, shows a touch of wind and calming. From Monday the surface winds are picking up again, so if they don’t get safely on the ground over the weekend will they have enough power to fly until better weather arrives??

Would be a great shame if such an historic flight came to a sticky end. No doubt a safe landing during Farnborough 2010 with the worlds press in attendance and wanting to talk aviation would do Qinetiq no end of good!

Tim Walker launching the flying wing.

UK based YellowPlane flew a flying wing unmanned aerial system (UAS) on Monday creating a UK aviation first. Their craft was the first in the air in a group of five, two rotary and three fixed wing.

George Duncan of the UK CAA was on hand to observe the flights and it is hoped that by the Farnborough 2014 event larger airframes will be permitted to fly.

The UK CAAs enlightened attitude towards UAS flight outside of regulated airspace is contributing to the rapid expansion of the UAS sector in the United Kingdom.

You heard it here first!!! Well we thought you might hear something soon. The Zephyr has smashed its previous record and at this time been in the air for 7 days and 2 hours and 12 minutes. The craft took off at 1440 BST (0640) local time from the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona last Friday, the 9th of July. This means that on the first public day at Farnborough 2010, next Friday the craft will have been in the air for two weeks.

Congratulations to the team from Boscombe Down, lets hope they found some room for some real ale in the luggage that went over with them.

The 50kg solar powered launched from the US military range at Yuma and will first have to break the unofficial record that they previously set in 2008 of 82 hours and 37 minutes in the air. This new version of the Zephyr is 50% larger than the previous model.

Its 22 m long wings have improved wingtips and tail design that dramatically improve aerodynamics.

Good luck to this very British record attempt and its very real task in the future.

Project FireEye is a joint project between Western Willow Ventures Inc. and The Government of the Northwest Territories, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Forest Management Division, Fire Sciences. The project aims to explore the application for micro-UAV to the tasks of detection, observation, mapping and monitoring of wildfire.
WWVi and ARDi joined the scientists at the Canadian Boreal Research Community FireSmart Project in Fort Providence, NT to perform missions in the areas that are high risk to human life, high cost, aircraft availability and fuel costs. All missions flown were successful. ARDi returned home in time to be the “eye in the sky” on Fort Smith’s Canada Day Parade.