An updated version of a battle-tested nano-UAV stole the show
at an annual trial of military gadgets at Fort Benning, Georgia, last
month. Tech readers may be nearing peak-UAV, but this autonomous
bug-like vehicle is worth paying attention to. Black Hornet PD-100The PD-100 Black Hornet, manufactured by Prox Dynamics,
is an air vehicle about the size of a man's finger. The UAV weighs 18
grams and now contains day and night-vision cameras that send still
images or video back to an operator via a data-link. Designed for
reconnaissance, the vehicle is incapable of attack or defense. But its
size and ability to fly autonomously or semi-autonomously make it a
clear precursor to the next generation of swarm robots. Welcome to the
future of warfare.
According to a recent report by the Center for New American Security titled "The Coming Swarm: The Quality of Quantity," the military is going miniature. Here's why:
Today
the U.S. military faces a pernicious cycle of ever rising platform
costs and shrinking quantities. As a result, the number of combat ships
and aircraft in the U.S. inventory has steadily declined, even during
periods of significant growth in defense spending.
Photo courtesy of Prox Dynamics
That's
problematic, according to the report, because the proliferation among
adversaries of smart munitions and increasingly accurate weapons makes
the decreasing numbers of ships and aircraft more vulnerable than ever.
Our very expensive war machines will soon become very big strategic
liabilities. So what are U.S. military planners to do?
Emerging
robotic technologies will allow tomorrow's forces to fight as a swarm,
with greater mass, coordination, intelligence and speed than today's
networked forces. Low-cost uninhabited systems can be built in large
numbers, 'flooding the zone' and overwhelming enemy defenses by their
sheer numbers.
In other words, swarm robots, which are
relatively inexpensive and, from the standpoint of force planners,
essentially disposable, will soon play a central role in military
strategy. Efforts to guide the shift to Micro Autonomous Systems and
Technology (MAST) are well underway. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory
is working with both industry and academia under a collaborative
technology alliance that includes defense contractor BAE Systems and
UPenn's Processing for Autonomous Operation Center, among other
partners. UAV from KMel Robotics
The collaboration has already sprouted one company. KMel Robotics,
founded by two UPenn students, developed a small, agile quad copter
that's well-suited to swarm behavior. The company garnered some internet
fame after its involvement with the Lexus campaign "Amazing In Motion" and with a clever video in which several synchronized bots play musical instruments.
The
company's hardware is nifty, but the algorithms and control mechanisms
are what mark the tech as potentially game-changing. KMel was acquired
by Qualcomm this past February.
The PD-100 Black Hornet has seen real use in the field
by the UK's Brigade Reconnaissance Force. Britain has spent about $31M
on the UAVs to date, and the U.S. Army recently signed a $2.5M contract
with Prox Dynamics, which is a Norwegian company.
A complete
PD-100 system includes two UAVs and a control station, all of which fit
inside a small pack that a soldier or first responder can wear
unobtrusively over their clothes. Altogether, the rig weighs less than
three pounds.
The
PD-100 is the first airborne and commercially available Personal
Reconnaissance System. It provides end users with a highly mobile sensor
system providing an immediate Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance capability.
Black Hornet 2 nano sensors
The Black Hornet 2 nano sensors are inherently safe and pose virtually
no risk to other air vehicles or personnel, allowing the system to be
operated almost anywhere at any time without prior airspace
coordination. The Black Hornet’s small size and electric motors makes it
virtually inaudible and invisible beyond short distances.
Rotor span 120 mm
Mass 18 g including cameras
Maximum speed 5 m/s
Endurance up to 25 minutes
Digital data link beyond 1600 m line-of-sight
GPS navigation or visual navigation through video
Autopilot with autonomous and directed modes
Hover & Stare, preplanned routes
Steerable EO cameras (pan/yaw and tilt)
Live video and snapshot images
Missions
Search and rescue
Reconnaissance in confined areas
Look behind, between and below obstacles
Birds eye view for situational awareness
Object identification
Proximity surveillance
Crowd control
Inspect nuclear installations
Check chemical plants after incidents and accidents
Benefits
Transportable – complete system fits inside a pocket
Ready to fly – airborne within one minute
Fly it anywhere – in confined areas and outdoors
Stealth – small and inaudible
Easy to operate – requires little training and no pilot experience
Safe – represents no risks to other aircraft or personel
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