SITUATIONAL AWARENESS THROUGH AIRBORNE MANNED-UNMANNED SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters do not currently interact with one another. The Ground Control Station (GCS) maintains the UAVs payload and flight control. All UAV data is processed through the GCS and then disseminated to other battlefield entities as required, which is often a slow and lengthy process [1]. Airborne Manned-Unmanned System Technology Baseline (AMUST-Baseline) was a concept that demonstrated the battlefield synergy gained by Manned and Unmanned Vehicle teaming. AMUST-Baseline allowed an AH-64D Apache Longbow’s co-pilot gunner (CPG) to exercise Level IV control of a Hunter fixed wing UAV. Level IV control includes flight control, payload control, and direct data receipt. With the success of AMUST-Baseline, the US Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD), Lockheed Martin, and the Boeing Company are working towards enhanced Manned and Unmanned connectivity, through a technology investment agreement. This effort, named Airborne Manned-Unmanned System Technology Demonstration (AMUST-D), will focus on the connectivity between the Hunter UAV and two manned platforms, the AH-64D Apache Longbow and Command and Control (C2) Blackhawk. AMUST-D will use decision-aiding technology developed under the Rotorcraft Pilot’s Associate (RPA) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) to assist in control of the Hunter UAV, as well as assist the pilot and airborne commander in regularly performed duties. Through the use of decision aiding and UAV control, the pilot and commander will be better informed of potential threats, thus increasing his situational awareness. The potential benefits of improved situational awareness are increased pilot survivability, increased lethality, and increased operational effectiveness and efficiency. In this paper we will describe the technology we are using to do this demonstration, how AMUST-D will improve situational awareness, and the status of this effort.