Dron't collide.

Now that drones have taken a strong foothold in military operations, system and payload specialists will be afforded a role of growing importance. Drones are already being armed and self-protection devices are not far behind. And now, as was bound to happen, collision avoidance devices are deemed a necessity--just as are civilian airspace certification, by the way.

Northrop Grumman is indeed collaborating with the US Air Force to develop ways of preventing collisions between manned and unmanned aircraft. Rather than adding more penalising weight to the drones, it appears that the company is looking at methods of exploiting data collected by the various on-board electro-optical, infrared or radar sensors, and to fuze them to create 'an integrated view of the airborne environment'. The data derived from this architecture is then exploited by the unmanned vehicle's autonomous flight control system to adjust or alter course, altitude or speed. Under a $1.9 million contract with the Air Force, Northrop Grumman is to validate the architecture through simulation using actual drone sensor suites by 2007.

Moving on to more potent systems, Northrop Grumman has been awarded yet another contract, valued a $1.04 billion, by Darpa to continue work on the X-47B portion of the J-Ucas demonstrator (see title picture). The programme is aimed at proving the feasibility of providing a facility to both the Air Force and the US Navy to carry out electronic attacks, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions with a view to suppressing enemy air defences. This phase of the programme will involve three X-47Bs together with mission-control stations and their logistical support elements. Flight demonstrations are expected to commence some time around 2007.

The ultimate aim of the programme, once the validity of the concept is determined, is to develop a family of 'network-centric J-Ucas systems' that can operate from land and aircraft carriers alike and be controlled from one common operating system. The Northrop Grumman-led team includes Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney.

Keep it Clean!

In an unusual move, but with the endeavour to keep the skies clean, Darpa has awarded a $ 192,932 follow-on contract to Sonex Research to continue the development of a heavy fuel engine for drone applications. Sonex, a specialist in clean combustion engines, has, in a first step converted a petrol-fuelled engine to JP5 diesel operation through the use of a Sonex-Controlled Auto-Ignition system, specially designed pistons and combustion chambers. This enables the engine to diesel at relatively low compression ratios.

The present contract covers work to increase the engine output, and Sonex could envisage the adaptation of a turbo-charger. The ultimate aim of this Darpa-sponsored programme is twofold; first to see lightweight piston engines comply with a Department of Defence directive according to which all engines should run on kerosene-based fuels. Second, to reduce the weight of diesel engines, which are typically 25 to 30 per cent heavier than their light fuel counterparts. In the end, cleaner combustion also means more fuel-efficient engines, which is always of prime importance in aircraft.

Europe goes Vertical

We shall not dwell here on the British selection of Thales on the Watchkeeper programme (see our Farnborough Show Report in this issue), but rather more on Europe's determination to provide itself with vertical take-off and landing drone technology. To this end, Sagem, Rheinmetall and Bell Helicopter have signed a strategic agreement with a view to developing a drone based on the technology established by Bell for the Eagle Eye. Basically, the idea revolves around the American aircraft with Sagem and Rheinmetal providing ship- and land-based control stations, the payloads, and the simulators, as well as C4I integration. Sagem already has a strong experience in the development of drones and ground systems through the Creeerelle and the family of Sperwers, while Rheinmetall has gathered know how both in the field of simulation and drones with systems like the KZO and the Taifun.

On the other hand, Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin, AAI and Textron Systems have also recently signed an agreement to set up the 'Core Team' for Team Eagle Eye to develop, produce and market the Bell Eagle Eye.