Northrop system flies UAVs in test
Northrop Grumman has demonstrated a new control system which allows autonomous control of several unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to be undertaken by a single operator.
The capability of the firm's Co-operative Aggregate Mission Management System (CAMMS) was demonstrated in a company-funded flight test which was conducted at the US Naval Weapons Test Center at China Lake, California, on 25 July.
The CAMMS software was used to conduct the detailed mission planning, assigning each drone a flight profile and specific tasks. The system also allows the operator to add, delete or modify the tasking in flight.
For the test, the system automatically adjusted the flight profiles of the modified DRI Dakota vehicles to compensate for the simulated loss of one vehicle. The ground control station was also temporarily shut down, with no effect on the UAV mission.
The technology was originally developed for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Small Unit Tasking and Control System programme. Northrop Grumman is evaluating potential applications for a variety of UAV projects.
Source: Flight International
