TETHERED DRONES ON THE MOVE: NEW TECHNOLOGIES ENABLE TETHERED (AND FREE FLIGHT) UAS TO OPERATE AUTONOMOUSLY FROM MOVING TRUCKS AND BOATS

摘要

Tethering is a technology that has recently gained traction in support of long-duration UAS missions. Tethering has several advantages over free-flight UAS, including extremely long flight times, a high-bandwidth communication link (over the tether), and no RF emissions. The significant disadvantage to tethered UAS has been mobility: tethered UAS were "stuck" hovering above a stationary point on the ground. This talk will discuss innovative new technologies that have enabled tethered UAS operations to go mobile. The first new technology is an optically guided precision UAS navigation system, which enables a tethered UAS to precisely launch, "station-keep", and land relative to a moving vehicle or moving vessel, with centimeter-level accuracy. The second new technology is an automatic Launch and Recovery System (LARS) - an actuated launch and landing pad that releases the UAS immediately before takeoff, captures the UAS immediately after landing, and secures the UAS to a vehicle or vessel while it's not in flight. The third new technology is a tether break-away system. This system enables a tethered UAS to optionally release its tether cable and transition to battery-powered free flight. These new technologies are enabling an entirely new class of mobile UAS operations, including ISR convoy support, border security, communication relay, offshore asset inspection, and GPS-denied flight operations.