Module 1 - History of UAS (ASCI 530)
In the beginning, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) were designed to be target vehicles for training manned aircraft pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. Utilizing the relatively new application of radio transmission, these vehicles were expendable aircraft, typically air launched and recovered via a parachute. However, as time went on in the design and use of these systems, operators realized they may be able to use these “target drones” to solve current aviation problems with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or ISR.
The first aircraft to be put to use in this manner was the AQM-34 Firebee in 1962 (Taylor, 2016). First designed in 1951, this modified target drone was used in a variety of operations which included photographic reconnaissance, electronic intelligence gathering, and radio communications monitoring (U.S. Air Force, 2015). The AQM-34 Firebee was launched from a modified C-130 and could fly a preprogrammed course or be manually flown by a pilot on the ground within line-of-sight. Considering this was an unmanned aircraft, this vehicle was capable of achieving remarkable subsonic speeds and operating at altitudes as high as 75,000 feet (U.S. Air Force, 2015). These capabilities were vital during the Vietnam War and over North Korea during the Korean War. Due to its small radar cross section, the AQM-34 Firebee was able to fly deep into severely defended territory and bring back clear images and even video (Taylor, 2016). Furthermore, at one point in the late 1960s, the AQM-34 Firebee was upgraded with sensors to detect electronic countermeasures in order to determine appropriate missile jamming techniques. Despite conducting more than 3,400 missions the AQM-34 Firebee could not reach its full potential due to limitations in technology. Issues such as a reliable radio uplink and downlink, as well as, issues with large single spectrum cameras would prevent the aircraft from developing further. It would take another 40 years before technology would catch up to the full vision of an unmanned ISR platform.
In 1995, the intent of the AQM-34 Firebee was reimaged in the form of the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Maintaining many of the same design elements, the RQ-4 Global Hawk’s high altitude operation, as high as 65,000 feet, and small size keeps the aircraft fairly safe from surface-based defensive systems (U.S. Air Force, 2014). However, in the attempt to achieve the full potential of the UAS, the RQ-4 Global Hawk incorporated the new technology of integrated multispectral sensors, high-bandwidth satellite uplink and downlinks, and GPS receivers (Croft, 2005). The introduction of satellite communication links and GPS receivers allow operators much more freedom in locations where the aircraft can be controlled from, as well as, increasing the relative range in which the UAS can operate. Additionally, the RQ-4 Global Hawk learned from previous generations of UAS operations and incorporated a “crew” design to the operation of the UAS. The operation of the RQ-4 Global Hawk is broken into various crew positions, with the most innovative being the position of sensor operator. This position provides the capability to task/retask the sensor, update the collection plan in real time, initiate sensor calibration and monitor sensor status (Taylor, 2016). The incorporation of this position has not only dramatically changed how the UAS is operated it has radically altered the tactics in which the unmanned ISR platform can be utilized.
The future of unmanned ISR looks promising. The capabilities of the technology have evolved greatly since the days of the Cold War. However, there is a long way to go before unmanned ISR platforms have reached the limit of their design. Currently, in most unmanned aircraft the issues faced are rooted in human factor issues. One such area is the notion that unmanned aircraft must be “flown.” According to Kevin Williams in his 2004 Civil Aerospace Medical Institute report, unmanned aircraft of today are not “flown” through the air… they are “commanded” (Williams, 2006). The future of unmanned ISR aircraft, such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk, will rely more on a mindset change than continued upgrades to technology.
References
Croft, J. (2005, January). Send in the Global Hawk. Retrieved from Air & Space Magazine: http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/send-in-the-global-hawk-8601982/?all
Krock, L. (2002, November). Time Line of UAVs. Retrieved from PBS.org: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/spiesfly/uavs.html
Taylor, J. W. (2016). Military Aircraft. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/technology/military-aircraft/Unmanned-aerial-vehicles-UAVs#ref521797
U.S. Air Force. (2014, October 27). RQ-4 Global Hawk. Retrieved from AF.mil: http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104516/rq-4-global-hawk.aspx
U.S. Air Force. (2015, May 18). Teledyne-Ryan AQM-34Q Combat Dawn Firebee. Retrieved from National Museum of The US Air Force: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196055/teledyne-ryan-aqm-34q-combat-dawn-firebee.aspx
Williams, K. W. (2006). Human Factors Implications of Unmanned Aircraft Accidents: Flight-Control Problems. Office of Aerospace Medicine. Washington, DC: Federal Aviation Administration.
