Unmanned Systems Aerospace Engineering © 2011 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Unmanned Systems What limitations affect human-operated systems? How many hours can you stay awake? How long can you go without drinking or eating? How far can you see? How long can you stay sitting in a tight space? How well can you see at night? How long can you survive in the vacuum of space? How long can you survive in microgravity? What limitations affect human-operated systems? What is the value of human life?

Unmanned Systems A system without a human on-board Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Unmanned Systems A system without a human on-board Human factor is reduced System operations are controlled by a remote human or processor capable of interpreting inputs and establishing proper outputs Unmanned systems include remotely operated, teleoperated systems which require direct human operation. The human factor, except for completely autonomous systems, is not eliminated. In general, unmanned systems are those that do not include an on-board human element and that can be either remotely operated or that can operate partially or completely without human intervention.

Unmanned System Environments Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Unmanned System Environments Air Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) Ground Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) Maritime Unmanned Maritime Systems (UMS)

Unmanned System Design Components Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Unmanned System Design Components Operational Environment and Task Sensing Communication Information Processing Energy Source Energy Transfer Operational Environment and Task: Environment is defined as land, water, or air. The task (what the system will accomplish) is defined. Sensing: Decisions must be made regarding which aspects of the environment are important for decision making or data collection. An appropriate sensor must be implemented in the remote system design for each aspect. Communication: Information can be passed to and from the remote system actively throughout the mission or can be stored for processing prior to launch and after recovery of the system. Information Processing: Data can be left as numerical values, processed into charts or graphs, or analyzed for statistical patterns such as mean, mode, median, standard deviation, etc. Energy Source: Energy must be stored on board the system (i.e., battery); produced by the system (i.e., fuel cell or burned fossil fuel); or gathered by the system (i.e., solar or laser light conversion from external source). Energy Transfer: Energy transferred from the source to create mobility of system or actuation of components of the system (i.e., manipulators).

Unmanned Systems: New Age or Old? Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Unmanned Systems: New Age or Old? 1888 Louis Brennan demonstrated a wire-guided torpedo 1898 Tesla introduced Telautomaton, a four foot long boat that could start, stop, and turn using radio frequencies Why was the first unmanned system a maritime system? A maritime application for unmanned systems was the first development because naval warfare was a significant focus for military strategists at this time. naval warfare was a significant focus for military strategists at the time.

Teleautomaton Success Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Teleautomaton Success What concepts did Tesla need to understand in order to create his unmanned maritime system? Operational Environment and Task Buoyancy, materials, and structures Laws of motion – Start, stop, turn on command

Teleautomaton Success Energy Source Electricity – Battery Energy Transfer Electrical Mechanical – Electric motor, energy transfer to propeller, and laws of motion

Teleautomation Success Communication Radio frequency transmission and receiving Information Processing Switches triggered by direct communication

Unmanned Aircraft System Design When was the first unmanned aircraft system designed? 1915 What system design components limited the success of early unmanned aircraft designs? ALL – Due to a lack of technology

Unmanned Aircraft System Design What operational environment and task limitations existed? Flight concepts Automatic stabilization Autonomous navigation How are these limitations overcome today?

Unmanned Aircraft System Design Presentation Name Course Name Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name Unmanned Aircraft System Design What energy source limitations existed? Electrical batteries Petroleum fuel What energy transfer limitations existed? Pneumatic parts from organs operated mechanical parts High-weight, low-power engines Energy source for Langley’s Aerodrome No. 5 was a steam engine. The new petroleum engines were far too heavy and inefficient to create the required thrust to sustain flight. Energy Transfer: No theory of propeller design existed at the time of Langley, so the efficiency of transfer from shaft horsepower to thrust was very low. How are these limitations overcome today?

Unmanned Aircraft System Design What communication limitations existed? Radio frequency transmission and receiving What information processing limitations existed? Processing had to be performed by the operator How are these limitations overcome today?

Today’s Unmanned Systems Technological advancements push unmanned system developments Versatile, Adaptable, Persistent Civil and Commercial Reconnaissance Combat Logistics Research and Development Target and Decoy Exploration

References National Aeronautics and Space Administration (2009). A famous "FIRST" launched by NASA to study Earth's energy. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/science/FIRST_prt.htm