Advanced Affordable Avionics Architecture for UAVs

摘要

The transition from the currentrnAdvanced Concept TechnologyrnDemonstration (ACTD) ISR UAV programsrninto viable future Engineering andrnManufacturing Development (EMD) UAVrnprograms and high production operationalrnsystems requires the development of morernaffordable technology solutions. A majorrncontributor to UAV affordability is thernAvionics Suite. Since the UAV ACTDsrnhave not included funds or schedule for arnsignificant investment in avionics, theirrnavionics designs are point solutions, withoutrnapplicability to or commonality with otherrnUAV avionics designs. This narrow focusrnmakes them unsuitable as the basis forrnfuture UAV avionics systems. Thisrnshortcoming validates a requirement for therndefinition of an open, Advanced AffordablernAvionics Architecture that incorporates thernreconfigurability that allows it to supportrnmultiple Intelligence Surveillance andrnReconnaissance (ISR) missions. Thisrnarchitecture would enable more rapidrndevelopment of the ISR UAV family andrnlower the avionics portion of TotalrnOwnership Cost (TOC). The Air ForcernResearch Laboratory (AFRL) InformationrnDirectorate, in conjunction with LockheedrnMartin Aeronautics Company - Palmdale,rnhas initiated an effort to define thisrnAdvanced Affordable Avionics Architecturernthat could be utilized for the Tactical.