Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance via Perching Unmanned Air Vehicles via add-on modules for existing quadcopters

VRRÆs BatModeÖ add-on modules to existing quadcopters already fulfills this projectÆs Persistent ISR Phase-II requirements for æinverted orientationÆ perching onto various required targets in the environment (poles, rods, cables, walls, tree branches, etc.).Ā Further, BatMode module options already include automated recharging on HellHiveÖ PowerTowers currently, with additional external charging options in development.Ā VRRÆs HoloWarriorÖ Common Controller Software extends BatMode capabilities with: (1) AI-Self-Parking mode for fully automated æhang-landingsÆ on the various landing targets; (2) AI-Periscope mode, where periodically and/or upon command, the quadcopter takesoff, climbs to an appropriate altitude to do a 360 scan and/or grid-search and then return to æhang-landÆ again to conserve power; (3) AI-Recharge mode currently uses a specialized AR targets along the horizontal recharging bar on a HellHive PowerTower, to automatically dock and recharge. (4) In excess of this projectÆs requirements BatMode support also includes mothership air-deployments and air recovery of swarms (each drone with its own BatMode module). To be clear, VRR is already succeeding with BatMode add-on modules for æinverted orientationÆ perching for Persistent ISR on eight different COTS quadcopters (group 1 & 2), including nano-copters (COTS Crazyflies); Our add-on modules work with any COTS quadcopter! Multiple successful scientific/technical demonstrations and field tests include JIFXs, and ArmyÆs Project Convergence 22. VRRÆs high-payoff, low-risk, low-cost, near-term BatMode solutions are the pragmatic baseline towards this Army Phase-I projectÆs overall objective to æPerform preliminary design of autonomous, robust, and versatile perching capabilities with an unmanned air vehicle to enable Persistent ISRÆ. VRR envisions exploiting our technological advantages for inverted orientation perching to support the other orientations for perching on targets with horizontal [10], vertical [11], inclined [12], and even other additional inverted [13] orientations. VRR already has multiple preliminary designs of autonomous, robust, and versatile perching capabilities as add-on modules to existing quadcopters to enable persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).Ā VRRÆs approach for these additional perching orientations for Persistent ISR is again modular add-on designs that exploit VRRÆs æWear Your RobotÆ with its advanced IK behaviors integrated with onboard flight controllers for safe, smooth, landings and takeoff for the various orientations required. Additionally, VRRÆs HoloWarriorÖ software enables Persistent ISR perching for swarms.Ā Finally, VRRÆs HellHivesÖ enable vertical stacking of drone swarms within existing containers for safe storage, shipping, direct rapid launching from the containers themselves. No unpacking! No Preparation! No Human Handling! Addition disruptive capabilities are contained in the non-public areas of this document.