UAVs, Drones, Remote Surveillance Tech

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 03 Jun 2010 13:37

Northrop Grumman to Showcase Unmanned Aircraft Capabilities at ILA Berlin Air Show 2010

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 04 Jun 2010 23:08

x-posted in international aerospace discussion

amazing video.just check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvRTALJp ... re=related

watch it cross through the window and also how it perches.

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 09 Jun 2010 09:49

Another cool video of self assembling robots which has the potential to morph in an uav.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iHZKMDv ... r_embedded#!

Seems like we will reach skynet phase(Terminator films) soon as far as robotic technology is concerned.What I worry though is that India will be left far behind if it is dependent on DRDO/OFB/Defence PSUs for this kind of technology.

vic · Post by **vic** » 10 Jun 2010 12:28

I think it would make way more sense to develop a HALE-Turbofan based UAV in colloboration with Israel which can take off from IAC.

Something like enlarged Rustom fitted with Al-55 engines + folding wings may fulfill most of the requirements!

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 10 Jun 2010 16:27

Headlines Today (or was it the Times channel?),carried a "scopp" report on the AURA featuring a folder of the ADA with a grainy pic of the UAV/UCAV.If it is commissioned within a couple of years it would be worth it.We started off the block quite some time ago in using UAVs,but lost out in the development of them ,with Nishant seen for a decade+ now at various air shows and nothing else to show for.We have bought several Israeli UAVs,but have to develop our won UCAV if we are to remain relevant for current and future conflicts.Had we had UCAVs during Kargil,we would not have lost any manned aircraft/helos sent there which were shot down.The key to UVA/UCAV success is micro-engine technology,yet again "the engine" becomes the key factor for long edurance,loitering capability and delivering enough pwoer for a reasonable payload to be carried. I know of one Indian private co. which is making micro-engines for foreign customers,but sadly we haven't place dany orders for the same!

vic · Post by **vic** » 11 Jun 2010 10:27

I think the plan should be/is somthing like this:-

Nishant catapault and CTOL - MTOW around 500-600kg

Rustom piston driven MTOW around 1800kg. The tender envisages a turboprop Rustom also, I hope and wish for a Rustom using Garett turboprop engines with MTOW of 4-5000kg in the time frame of 2012

What we can do prior to jumping forward to UCAV is develop a Rustom using Al-55 engines as equivalent to Global Hawk with MTOW of around 10-12,000kg in time frame of 2014

These programmes will give us a base to go in for a UCAV based on LCA technologies and kaveri engine in the time frame of 2016-18

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 14 Jun 2010 12:49

France, Britain Could Team on UAV

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 14 Jun 2010 13:51

If you all remember, AL-55 was supposed to be our UAV engine of future. Ole reports have categorically said that extra numbers will be ordered for out UAV projects.

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 14 Jun 2010 19:19

EADS eyes Indian homeland security to sell mini drone

'We are in discussions with the Indian defence and home ministries for supplying the Tracker mini-drone, which is aptly suitable for the growing security requirements of India,'Bernhard Gerwert, EADS (defence & security) military air systems chief executive, told IANS here.

The fixed-wing mini unmanned aerial system or vehicle (UAV) provides day and night imagery in real time to frontline units and those deployed in disturbed or sensitive areas. 'As a handheld device, Tracker can be quickly deployed and launched by hand for over-the-hill reconnaissance and surveillance detection, classification, localisation and tracking,' Gerwart said on the margins of the six-day Berlin international air show (ILA 2010), which concluded Sunday.

Packed into two personal rucksacks, Tracker is easy to operate and maintain as it is bad weather tolerant, with stealth, accurate and safety features.

'With long borders and a vast coastline, we estimate India may require about 500 mini-drones to enhance its homeland security set-up across the country, especially in the states facing Maoist attacks and anti-insurgency activities,' said Gerwart.

Supported with ground stations and communication sensors, Trackers can also be monitored remotely with high-speed secure data link, which gives the system a genuine long-range capability, even in adverse weather conditions. Each Tracker system is equipped with payloads, a compact ground station and an automatic tracking antenna.

vic · Post by **vic** » 14 Jun 2010 23:37

chackojoseph wrote:If you all remember, AL-55 was supposed to be our UAV engine of future. Ole reports have categorically said that extra numbers will be ordered for out UAV projects.

I dont remember any such reports but would really like Rustom to morf into a Global hawk or Talarion

http://www.airforce-technology.com/proj ... larionuav/

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 15 Jun 2010 04:12

France May Buy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles From U.S. (Update1)

..........................
A representative of France’s arms purchasing agency, the Direction Generale de l’Armement, will travel to the U.S. this afternoon to talk with government authorities there about purchase conditions, including possible technology transfers, Morin told journalists at a briefing today at the Eurosatory arms trade fair outside of Paris.

“I want to have all options on the table,” Morin said, adding that he’d be “happy” if he could get a French or European solution that fits his budget.

Any purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, by the French government may draw fire from Dassault Aviation, the French fighter-plane maker that has been working on various UAV technologies since 2000. The Predator is one of three unmanned drone models used in Iraq and Afghanistan by the U.S. Air Force.

“This could have consequences for the capacity of French and other European manufacturers to master vital technologies of national interest needed for developing drones,” Dassault spokesman Yves Robins said in an interview, also at Eurosatory. European solutions exist, he said, and “if it’s urgent, there are European interim solutions.”
.........................................
European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co., the parent of Airbus SAS, is also working on a UAV, which it calls Talarion.

France has been discussing a possible purchase with the U.S., as it seeks to fill a gap caused by mechanical problems in the existing French fleet of drones, magazine Le Point reported as early as October 2009.
.............................

Yet, even they are skeptical of buying US made UAV's as they come with restrictions! Furthermore, developing UAV's in the Euro (this despite having Rolls Royce, BAE, and Dassault) is proving to be a tough task, both financially and technologically, but despite this, I can BET that India's Rustom will suffer the same fate of LCA. DELAYED for another DECADE!!!

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 15 Jun 2010 04:38

Israel Aerospace Industries Blocking Multi-Million Russia Drone Deal

The brakes have been put on talks between Israel Aerospace Industries and Russia over sales and the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to Israeli defense sources who wish to remain anonymous. They say the parties are negotiating to build a plant in Russia for the pilotless aircraft to the tune of $300 million to $400 million, as well as the outright sale of IAI-built drones to Russia.

Recent news reports have said that IAI and Russia are planning a $200 million UAV factory and that the Israeli company plans to sell Russia an unspecified number of UAVs in the wake of its sale about a year ago of three such aircraft to Moscow for around $50 million.

The sources attribute the current backpedaling to hesitation about the deal in the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Ministry's Office, which have yet to give their approval. Washington has also requested clarifications about the deal, which is considered particularly sensitive.

The IAI's Heron UAV

The sensitive part concerns the transfer of technology to Russia, which despite its attempts has failed to crack the secret of building silent UAVs. While no one is talking about giving the Russians the plans for the most advanced pilotless aircraft in the arsenal of the Israel Defense Forces, a deal would represent a technological advance for the Russians. Neither Jerusalem nor Washington wants the technology to end up in the hands of Israel's enemies.

In the background, raising tensions, are reports of talks between Moscow and Tehran over the potential sale of Russian missiles to Iran. On the other hand, the West has an interest in heightening its strategic ties with Russia in the event of a regional confrontation in the future.

Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Moscow research institute the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, was quoted last week in Western news reports as saying that Russia stands to buy $12 billion worth of arms from European and Israeli firms, including IAI.IAI management declined to comment.

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 18 Jun 2010 07:37

Livefist Reports: UAV INDIA Part 1: First Ever Impressions Of AURA, India's UCAV

sathyaC · Post by **sathyaC** » 18 Jun 2010 18:04

hear is the link
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/06/ua ... sions.html

vic · Post by **vic** » 18 Jun 2010 20:14

Craig Alpert wrote:Livefist Reports: UAV INDIA Part 1: First Ever Impressions Of AURA, India's UCAV

Two different UAV designs

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 19 Jun 2010 00:36

Airship technology from northrop grumman.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/06 ... ghanistan/

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 19 Jun 2010 20:08

I agree with you nukavrapu ji.Airships can only be used in places where you have complete air superiority.But then it can be extremely effective within your country's borders or in a counter insurgency situation as hardly any insurgent group has any air assets.The main benefit of using an airship is the persistence(in this case it is 21 days) and the amount of sensors that it can carry.In the same report it says that it has the potential to replace upto 12 reaper UAVs.

By the way even AWACS planes like phalcons are vulnerable to anti air missiles if they are not operating in an environment with complete air superiority as they lack any kind of stealth and are also slow moving compared to fighter aircraft.That's why they operate well within one's own borders hundreds of kms from the frontline.The same argument can also be extended to current crop of popular UAVs like predator,heron and searchers.They are easy to shoot down in a contested environment where enemy has respectable anti air assets.

In the end it all comes down to wisdom of the commanders how they choose to deploy these resources during any conflict.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 20 Jun 2010 00:46

This type of platform is meant for low-intensity conflicts, where the issue of airspace dominance doesn't even arise.

The Taliban don't have an air force, nor any capability of downing an object floating miles above them.

The thing is that such an aircraft is largely silent, and can stay on station for weeks at a time.

I think that India should consider this type of platform for monitoring border security and even insurgency-hit areas. And actually, it would even have broad civilian applications, performing a role similar to satellites, but much more easily deployed and maintained.

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 20 Jun 2010 00:57

Piranha unmanned surface vehicle(usv).Check it out.

http://www.gizmag.com/nanotube-reinforc ... usv/14321/

Specs are amazing.Weight is just 8000 lbs(3600 kgs approx) while payload is 15000 lbs(6800 kgs approx).

Range is 2500 miles(more than 4000 kms).Length is 54 ft.

Can be used for a plethora of purposes from coastguard like duties to missile carriers and anti submarine warfare according to the robot.Force multiplier for sure.

vic · Post by **vic** » 20 Jun 2010 01:05

vic wrote:
Craig Alpert wrote:Livefist Reports: UAV INDIA Part 1: First Ever Impressions Of AURA, India's UCAV

Two different UAV designs

One UCAV looks like Boeing X-45C=Phantom Ray or perhaps French Neuron

While another one looks like Lockheed Martin Polecat.

It is possible that more than one UCAV are planned for eg One for Recce and another for strike

jamwal · Post by **jamwal** » 20 Jun 2010 19:02

It says 3-D TVC in the slide, while on his blog Aroor reports

It's all fully in line with what former DRDO chief controller for Aeronautics said in 2007: that India's combat drone would be a stealthy flying-wing concept aircraft with internal weapons and a turbofan engine.

Kanson · Post by **Kanson** » 20 Jun 2010 20:01

>>One UCAV looks like Boeing X-45C=Phantom Ray or perhaps French Neuron

It doesnt have any resemblance to Phantom Ray or neuron. It has a unique nose which resembles like SR-71 black bird and again a unique wing configuration different from Phantam, neuron or polecat. Thats why referred as "Unusual aerodynamic shape".

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 23 Jun 2010 14:04

Alenia's Sky-Y UAV returns to the air

Alenia Aeronautica has launched a flight-test campaign with its Sky-Y unmanned air vehicle technology demonstrator and expects to complete 15 long-endurance sorties by late July.

15 long endurance sorties in 1 month approx - that is fast.

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 25 Jun 2010 19:24

Another advance in the perching technology used by the swarmbots.

http://www.popsci.com/technology/articl ... ny-surface

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 27 Jun 2010 15:24

US Army's robotic ground vehicle being tested.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/US_Ar ... e_999.html

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 27 Jun 2010 15:26

India working on anti collision system for UAVs.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/India ... m_999.html

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 27 Jun 2010 15:31

Israeli unmanned ground vehicle.

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/G_NIU ... e_999.html

Does anybody has any information on India's unmanned ground vehicles being developed alone or in collaboration with our foreign partners.Such vehicles can be extremely useful for tasks ranging from border patrol to reconnaisance in full fledged combat.If they are weaponised than they can also be used for combat.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 27 Jun 2010 17:00

www.aerosonde.com

Just 17kgs and can fly for 14-24hrs on common petrol!

This is the kind of UAV every border patrol, Coast guard and others should have. I wish GOI will target companies like this to invest in India and make it a production and research base so we can get them cheap and have spin-off in various areas...

vic · Post by **vic** » 27 Jun 2010 17:39

Kanson wrote:>>One UCAV looks like Boeing X-45C=Phantom Ray or perhaps French Neuron

It doesnt have any resemblance to Phantom Ray or neuron. It has a unique nose which resembles like SR-71 black bird and again a unique wing configuration different from Phantam, neuron or polecat. Thats why referred as "Unusual aerodynamic shape".

Fair enough, but they are still 2 different designs. So is AURA designation for 2 designs or these pics are representative?

Avinandan · Post by **Avinandan** » 01 Jul 2010 19:14

vic wrote:
Kanson wrote:>>One UCAV looks like Boeing X-45C=Phantom Ray or perhaps French Neuron

It doesnt have any resemblance to Phantom Ray or neuron. It has a unique nose which resembles like SR-71 black bird and again a unique wing configuration different from Phantam, neuron or polecat. Thats why referred as "Unusual aerodynamic shape".

Fair enough, but they are still 2 different designs. So is AURA designation for 2 designs or these pics are representative?

Please refer the below post in a separate forum (Admins please remove if necessary), it has got the original presentation from where Shiv has got info from :--
http://tiny.cc/OriginalPresentation

Please goto the top of the page of the above url..

Thanks..

marimuthu · Post by **marimuthu** » 01 Jul 2010 19:33

Avinandan, That is a good find. It has the whole presentation.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 02 Jul 2010 11:11

AIT software for precise UAV landing

The ARMY Institute of Technology (AIT) has developed a software programme which, it claims, increases the precision in landing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by doing away with the need for even a human remote operator.

The institute has developed a MATLAB software programme that not only increases the precision of landing of the UAVs to 97 per cent but even makes it happen automatically without these vehicles being guided by a hand-held remote.

“The landing of the UAV will be controlled by the microprocessor that will recognise the already stored images of the landing space and accordingly guide the UAV for landing. The webcam of the UAV will take the pictures of landing space for the microprocessor to recognise them,”

shukla · Post by **shukla** » 04 Jul 2010 08:21

DRDO-IIT Powai team develops 'Netra' to aid in anti-terror operations

The Pune-based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for aiding in anti-terrorist and counter insurgency operations. The UAV called 'Netra' would be inducted into the armed forces by the year-end. The Netra, which weighs 1.5 kg, is the result of a collaborative effort between ideaForge, a company formed by a group of IIT, Powai alumni and one of the labs of DRDO, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE) Pune.

DRDO scientist Dr Alok Mukherjee, who demonstrated the UAV in Pune, yesterday, said the device would likely be introduced within the next six months after it had undergone some more testing. "The UAV is capable of operating in all the conflict theatres, including urban quarters, in a situation similar to that of the 26/11 terror attacks," he told reporters

David Siegel · Post by **David Siegel** » 04 Jul 2010 08:46

IAF Floats UCAV Procurement Bid

http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/07/fl ... ition.html

PratikDas · Post by **PratikDas** » 04 Jul 2010 09:28

Netra UAV:

The Hindu: DRDO develops UAV ‘Netra’ to aid anti-terrorist operations

WAFF: DEFEXPO 2010 Pics (Warning: Multiple large images)

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 05 Jul 2010 23:03

Saab offers DRDO underground radar

..........
CARABAS is a Very High Frequency (VHF) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that is mounted on aircraft to scan a target area for threats. The radar, which weighs 35 kilograms, can be fitted on rotary wing as well as tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
On helicopters and UAVs, the antennas, which are made of Kevlar/carbon, retract when on the ground and unfold in the air. The antenna consists of two High Band dipoles, emitting waves of 140 to 360 MegaHertz (MHz) attached to two Low Band dipoles, with emissions between 25 to 85 Mega Hertz.
.............
It’s VHF radar is able to penetrate foliage as well as ground surface because of its low wavelength and can detect ‘humans, mines and IEDs’. Saab says the radar can detect underground objects down to a depth of 3.4 meters (more than 11 feet) in wet soil, 6 meters (almost 20 feet) in dry soil and 26 meters (around 85 feet) in sand. This is when the radar waves hit the ground at the Brewster Angle, which optimizes their transmission by enabling them to penetrate the ground with no reflection.
With a power consumption of 100 Watts, the radar in foliage mode is capable of surveying 270 square kilometers from a standoff distance of 6 kilometers and an altitude of 2000 meters, enabling it to detect vehicles while emitting Low Band VHF waves. In the same mode, it can also detect human presence, emitting High Band VHF radiation, standing off from a distance of 3 kilometers and is able to survey an area of 45 square kilometers.

In subsurface mode, standing off from a distance of between 150 meters to 3 kilometers, the radar can survey an area of between 2.7 square kilometers to 45 square kilometers from an altitude of 30 meters to 700 meters and can detect buried mines and IEDs.
...............
Inderjit Sial, Saab’s Director – Industrial Cooperation, says the radar is currently undergoing tests on rotary wing aircraft in Sweden. DRDO officials are also expected to visit the country in August to witness the system in operation at a test range, as well as examine the source code of the system, to look for ways to configure it to Indian requirements. Towards the end of this year, the CARABAS will be available for configuration onto a Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in India and be tested in a forested, remote area.

Sial also says the company is willing to manufacture the radar in India, if it is ultimately selected by the DRDO.

darshhan · Post by **darshhan** » 08 Jul 2010 01:50

X-posted in "International aerospace discussion"

Autonomous refuelling between two global hawk UAVs

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/DARPA ... g_999.html

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 08 Jul 2010 04:01

AIRFORCE HUNTS FOR COMBAT DRONES

Pranav · Post by **Pranav** » 08 Jul 2010 08:53

I was wondering what is the current state of the art as regards target acquisition from drones - meaning the drone operator should operator should be able to click on a target on his computer screen to immediately get the coordinates of that target. (Later those coordinates can be sent to a guided artillery gun.)

This may require a GPS receiver on the drone plus image recognition software which can compare the video feed coming in from the drone with reference satellite imagery.

vic · Post by **vic** » 08 Jul 2010 12:21

Craig Alpert wrote:AIRFORCE HUNTS FOR COMBAT DRONES

The requirement seems to be for stealth UCAV with internal weapon bays which seems like overambitious as only USA seems to be close to deploying such systems. Problems with USA are well known. Basically IAF should split its requirement in 2 parts, One buy/assemble current UCAVs and another get into a future project

Current Main UCAVs are turboprop UCAVs being Reaper (USA), Heron TP (Israel) and Mantis (UK). There is off course Mantis (turbofan) but still under development and very little chance of getting Global Hawk, USA. India should leverage experience to further develop Rustom

The future Stealth Turbofan UCAVs are being projected by USA (Lockheed, Boeing & Northrop), UK (forgot name) and France (neuron). Logically Israel should have a programme but there is not even a whisper about it. India should leverage experience to further develop Aura