Transition of UAV Technologies from MIT Aeronautics Astronautics

Transition of UAV Technologies from MIT Aeronautics & Astronautics to Nascent Technology Corporation James D. Paduano Eric Feron Presented to the ACGSC, Salt Lake City March 2, 2005 NASCENT TECHNOLOGY Aeronautics & Astronautics

MOTIVATION – MIT UAV TECH OPPORTUNITIES • MIT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL PROGRAMS ON UAV COORDINATION AND CONTROL – – Aeronautics & Astronautics Software Enabled Control (DARPA) Autonomous Integrated Network of Systems (AINS – ONR) Mixed-Initiative Control of Autonomous Teams (MICA – DARPA) Precision Autonomous Landing Adaptive Control Experiment (PALACE – US Army, NASA Ames) – Faculty participating: John Deyst (Draper collaborations) Jon How (formerly Stanford) Eric Feron (LIDS) Jim Paduano (through NTC) • FLIGHT DEMONSTRATIONS USING MIT AUTONOMOUS MINIATURE HELICOPTER – Aggressive Maneuvering – MILP-Based Flight Control – Multi-Vehicle Coordination and Associated Optimization Methods 12/5/2020 • MANY SBIR/STTR OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMERCIALIZE 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 2

NASCENT TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION • NTC began commercializing MIT Technologies in 2001 – Autonomous Highly Maneuverable Miniature Helicopter – Tools for Multi-vehicle Coordination – Flight Test Services Aeronautics & Astronautics • Small, but Growing Base of SBIR, STTR and Aerospace Customers – SBIR: SOCOM, NSWC, MDA, DARPA – STTR: ONR (AINS Program) – Other: • • Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego Techno. Sciences, Incorporated Oregon Graduate Institute MIT (flight test support) • Three full-time, Three part-time employees 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 3

AHMMH-1 MIT Designed, NTC Built Flight System • Seven copies built to date (MIT, LMSI, AFRL) Aeronautics & Astronautics • API created to enable interface with various ground stations (TCP/IP/CORBA, AMUST-D, MIT Multi-vehicle, NTC) • Upgraded for long range, endurance, and higher lift – Collaborative requirements definition with ETGI, other potential customers Know-how to re-create aggressive helicopters has migrated from MIT students to NTC employees 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 4

LMSI Proposed MMH/VTUAV/Sono. UAV Team Demo Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego Flight Management • Supports up to 16 UAVs – Sensor workload limited • Control of UAVs Flight Mode (Route, Loiter, Direct-To-Home) • Automated Onboard Route Planning • Speed and Altitude Adjustments Route Monitor triggers automated route replanning when a UAV route is jeopardized by threats. Fuel Guardian monitors each UAV fuel usage and warns the operator of potentially dangerous low fuel Sensor Management situations. • Controls for Sensor Pointing (Auto, Location, and Fixed Forward) • Sensor Coverage History 12/5/2020 • Video Display Window 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 5

LMSI 3 -Vehicle Demonstration 17 August 2004 ACR ‘Silver Fox’ and NTC AHMMH-1 as TUAV/VTUAV Surrogates Sensor Console Dotted elements are currently under integration on base MMH program Router/Switch FLIR Processor Interoperable TCDL Mux/Demux RFA ARC 210 Radios RFA Huey Avionics Testbed MMH Surrogate • Embedded Computer • Reduced Workload Command Control • Integrated Digital Map sm. UAV Comms Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego sm. UAV Video 802. 11 sm. UAV Radio ARC 210 Radios TUAV Surrogate Nascent Technology/ Cornell and ACR VTUAV Surrogate – Nascent Technology Demonstrates migration of MMH manned/unmanned airborne AHMMH-1 12/5/2020 system architecture with VTUAV/TUAV Surrogates 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 6

Other Activities • Flight demonstration of visibility-minimization guidance algorithms (for MIT) Aeronautics & Astronautics – Vehicle performed an on-line computed path plan based on virtual urban map, reducing visibility to defined point • ONR-STTR Two-vehicle demonstration of deceptive area search – Flight test complete 20 November 2004 • Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) operator interface – Imbedded algorithms to optimally place missiles – Help Navy to take advantage of TTWCS loiter capabilities • Optically-Enabled Flight – Laser range-finder integrated into avionics – DARPA program initiated Jan ’ 05 for optic-flow integration – Acquiring an automotive radar for testing and possible integration • Negotiating Marketing Agreement with ETGI 12/5/2020 – 12/5/2020 Enforcement Technology Group Inc. – Markets to Police, Special. Copyright Ops, Nascent ‘Three-Letter Organizations’ Technology Corporation © 2005 7

Deceptive Area Search Scaled-down search area Aeronautics & Astronautics 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 8

Deceptive Area Search Aeronautics & Astronautics 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 9

Multi-vehicle Planning Interface Developed for Tactical Tomahawk… …applicable to multi-vehicle coordination under human supervisory control 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 10

Multi-vehicle Planning Interface Developed for Tactical Tomahawk, applicable to multi-vehicle coordination under human supervisory control Aeronautics & Astronautics 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 11

Multi-vehicle Planning Interface Developed for Tactical Tomahawk, applicable to multi-vehicle coordination under human supervisory control Aeronautics & Astronautics 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 12

What missions would benefit from MIT/NTC vehicles & algorithms? • Aggressive Autonomous Helicopter: Any mission requiring… Aeronautics & Astronautics … persistent observation (as opposed to fly-by) at close range … flight at low altitude in obstacle-rich environments … urban canyon sensor emplacement missions … organic support of troops advancing through urban environments • Algorithms: – Fast, cooperative navigation to a target point in threat-laden environment – Optimal coverage of multiple surveillance/target points (placement of assets) – Deceptive reconnaissance of a planned route where ambush is possible • Low Cost Flight Test: For testing sensors, multi-vehicle algorithms, etc. 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 13

EXAMPLE: SENSOR EMPLACEMENT SCENARIO Ref: Army Field Manual 100 -5, Staff Organizations and Operations Scenario: • Nonlinear urban battlefield: Combat or Stability and Support Operation (SASO) • Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) completed to identify known or templated enemy locations • Imagery available prior to operations to identify urban grid of major/minor roads • GOAL: provide persistent recon of NAIs and key intersections to prevent enemy from ambushing ground element Assumptions: • Multiple UAVs organic at battalion and brigade • Analysts available in unit headquarters (TOC/TAC) to assess UAV imagery real-time • Sufficient communications channels and bandwidth to enable UAVs to communicate between each other and relay data to headquarters (TOC/TAC) • UAV sensors capable of identifying enemy ambushes Recon Mission Priorities 12/5/2020 1. Timely, persistent recon of NAIs and potential ambush sites to answer Commander’s PIR 2. Provide situation awareness of enemy activities in key locations 2. Remain stealthy Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 14

~8 miles TAA Operations Officer (S 3) develops ground route Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) OBJ Step 1: Define the Battlefield Environment • Identify major road network Step 2: Describe the Battlefield’s Effects • Weather analysis • Identify friendly, neutral, and insurgent supported areas Step 3: Evaluate the Threat • Develop threat model and doctrinal template Step 4: Determine Threat Courses of Action (COAs) • †Develop Named Areas of Interest (NAIs) – zones necessary to observe to determine the enemy COA; observing NAIs is the key to determining whether the enemy can and will ambush a convoy • Develop event template and event matrix – anticipated threat actions triggered by activity in NAIs 12/5/2020 15 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005

TAA Intelligence Officer (S 2) develops NAIs† OBJ Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) Step 1: Define the Battlefield Environment • Identify major road network Step 2: Describe the Battlefield’s Effects • Weather analysis • Identify friendly, neutral, and insurgent supported areas Step 3: Evaluate the Threat • Develop threat model and doctrinal template Step 4: Determine Threat Courses of Action (COAs) • †Develop Named Areas of Interest (NAIs) – zones necessary to observe to determine the enemy COA; observing NAIs is the key to determining whether the enemy can and will ambush a convoy 12/5/2020 • Develop event template and event matrix – anticipated threat actions triggered by activity in NAIs 16 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005

TAA Operations Officer (S 3) develops alternate routes OBJ 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 17

TAA Operations Officer (S 3) and Intelligence Officer (S 2) develop and publish Recon and Surveillance (R/S) Order tasking two UAVs (White and Red) and 50 sensor emplacements to recon NAIs and convoy route OBJ Note: Ground convoy can depart at any time following the launch of the UAVs/sensors depending on the mission, threat and unit Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 18

Red and White UAVs begin ‘deceptive’ reconnaissance of planned and alternate routes TAA Sensors are placed in NAIs, either launched from TAA or from UAVs OBJ 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 19

Red and White UAVs begin ‘deceptive’ reconnaissanceof planned and alternate routes TAA Sensors are placed in NAIs, either launched from TAA or from UAVs OBJ White UAV remains within comm range of sensors Red UAV forges ahead, relays comms from forward sensors through white UAV 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 20

Aeronautics & Astronautics 12/5/2020 Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 21

Spiral 2 Laboratory Configuration Simulated UAVs Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego TUAV 2 Silver Fox Autopilot and Closed Loop Simulator Real TUAVs TUAV 1 VTUAV Surrogate Autopilot and Closed Loop SImulator Autopilot GPS IMU Visualization AUAV Aircraft Model Minimal TUAV where needed Control Station Comm Link Low Level Autopilot Ground Control Station Team Management Control Station Rugged Console Net-Centric Testbed 12/5/2020 Forward Platform Relay Platform Ship Platform Joystick Takeoff/ Landing Copyright Nascent Technology Corporation © 2005 Lab Network UAV Laboratory supports integration with the MMH avionics system labs 22