Automated Launch, Landing and Refueling Technologies for Increased UGV-UAV Effectiveness

Abstract – This paper describes the latest efforts to develop an Automated UAV Mission System (AUMS) for small Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). This system is intended to provide forward-refueling capabilities by utilizing a host unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to serve as a launch/landing platform and service station. Teaming small UAVs with large UGVs can decrease risk to personnel and expand mission capabilities and effectiveness. There are several technical challenges that are being addressed by these development efforts. One of these is the development and integration of a precision landing system whose size allows it to be mounted on a small VTOL UAV while providing landing accuracy of 10 centimeters or less. Another challenge is the design of a UGV-transportable, expandable, self-centering landing pad which also contains hardware and safety devices for automatically refueling the UAV. A third challenge is to make the design of the AUMS flexible enough that it can accommodate different types of VTOL UAVs including the iSTAR and small helicopter UAVs. In specific application areas like chemical/nuclear waste contamination, the UAV can continue to provide surveillance and visual data for longer periods of time while using the UGV refueling station instead of having to return to base for fueling and subsequent decontamination after only a short time. AUMS can also be used to provide routine security and monitoring and increased response times by providing a highly mobile UAV asset that can be quickly tasked to investigate