A new software technology that allows third parties to use of an unmanned air vehicle without the need to become involved in the original manufacturer's flight-control system software has been demonstrated on a ScanEagle UAV by a Boeing Phantom Works-led development team.
The idea allows UAVs working in a network-centric warfare environment to be rapidly reconfigured for a greater number and type of missions. Currently a major payload or system requires integration with the UAV's flight control system and its individual characteristics and is subject to the intellectual property rights restrictions imposed by the original manufacturer, automatically limiting the accessibility and ease with which other systems and payloads can be integrated.
Working under the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's software-enabled control programme, the Phantom Works and Cornell University team have developed the Open Control Platform (OCP). Boeing associate technical fellow Jim Paunicka says the programme is a key enabler for the successful control of networked autonomous vehicles, and therefore, to the whole concept of network-centric warfare.
"The demonstration showed that software could be rapidly integrated into the payload processor, which could then take over control [of the UAV] using higher guidance commands. It means there was an inner loop flight-control system the team didn't even need to know about - they were free to innovate."
For the demonstration, flight control of the UAV was switched in-flight to an OCP-enabled auxiliary processor in the ScanEagle's payload bay.
After a standard autonomous take-off, control was assumed by the OCP, which then commanded a series of complex autonomous manoeuvres.
Following this demonstration the team is now turning its attention to larger and more complex UAVs, including rotary-wing vehicles, says Paunicka.
GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Source: Flight International
