Rotary-Wing UAV as On-Demand Sensor Platform for Aircraft Operators

During warfare, strikes made with surgical precision by Special Operations Forces reduce collateral damage and loss of life among non-combatants and have become the expectation of our war-fighters. Such strikes, however, require the ability to survey the target area in a timely fashion and guide munitions accurately. High altitude photographs taken by satellites and orbiting aircraft often lack timeliness and resolution of surface details. In addition, targets may be obscured by low-lying clouds or smoke from previous strikes. Reconnoitering at low altitude by a manned aircraft is often prohibitively dangerous because of the lack of maneuvering room and the high probability of hostile fire. A small, unobtrusive UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) capable of quickly transporting sensors such as a video camera to a target area would greatly assist in identifying targets and measuring the efficacy of air strikes while minimizing the danger to manned aircraft and their crews. In this Phase I study, Lite Machines will investigate a high-speed variant of its rotary-wing UAVs and will study launch strategies from aircraft operated by special operations forces and will quantify the effectiveness of the UAV for targeting and surveillance in restricted environments in and around forests, mountains, caves and urban areas.