Current Trends In Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

"In this new occasional paper, Dr. J. Philip Craiger and Dr. Diane Maye Zorri explore current trends in small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) technology and its applications to Special Operations Forces (SOF). The paper begins with analysis of the definition and classification of sUAS, their major applications, and characteristics. The authors then present sUAS military applications, threats, current/future threat scenarios, and counter-sUAS capabilities and technology. The authors conclude with a look at the five-year trends in sUAS to include cyber-enabled counter-sUAS. Setting the stage in their introduction the authors state, "As armed forces around the world continue to invest in research and development of sUAS technologies, there will be tremendous potential to revolutionize warfare, particularly in context of special operations"" -- Publisher's description.

The utility and benefits of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are emerging and being recognized across the aviation industry. While this technology is not new, the ability to support domestic public and private operators are becoming better understood, opening up new uses to government organizations and commercial enterprise. Analysis of the unmanned aviation market indicates that small UAS (sUAS) will become the most prevalent and affordable form of unmanned aircraft available, featuring technology developed by contributors ranging from DIY and hobby model aircraft communities to defense contracting. This book will help readers understand what a drone or UAS is, what forms are available (including types of multirotor, fixed-wing, and hybrid), to make well informed decisions regarding purchase and use. Readers will learn how sUAS and their various configuration options can be used to address or support evolving business needs. Ultimately, readers will have enough information to formulate a plan to acquire necessary certification approvals and operate sUAS in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. Written for experienced aviators, as well as those new to aviation and operating in the National Airspace System. Illustrated extensively throughout, each chapter concludes with review questions for classroom and self-study use. This book provides a solid foundation for keeping up with this fast moving and exciting aviation field"--Provided by publisher

The integration of drones into society has attracted unprecedented attention throughout the world. The change, for aviation, has been described as being equally as big as the arrival of the jet engine. This book examines the issues that surround this change, for our society and the legal frameworks that preserve our way of life. Drones in Society takes the uninitiated on a journey to understand the history of drones, the present day and the potential future in order to demystify the media hype. Written in an accessible style, Drones in Society will appeal to a broad range of interested readerships, among them students, safety regulators, government employees, airspace regulators, insurance brokers and underwriters, risk managers, lawyers, privacy groups and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) industry generally. In a world first, this book is a light and interesting read; being both relatable and memorable while discussing complex matters of privacy, international law and the challenges ahead for us all.

Advances in high spatial resolution mapping capabilities and the new rules established by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States for the operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) have provided new opportunities to acquire aerial data at a lower cost and more safely versus other methods. A similar opening of the skies for sUAS applications is being allowed in countries across the world. Also, sUAS can access hazardous or inaccessible areas during disaster events and provide rapid response when needed. Applications of Small Unmanned Aircraft systems: Best Practices and Case Studies is the first book that brings together the best practices of sUAS applied to a broad range of issues in high spatial resolution mapping projects. Very few sUAS pilots have the knowledge of how the collected imagery is processed into value added mapping products that have commercial and/or academic import. Since the field of sUAS applications is just a few years old, this book covers the need for a compendium of case studies to guide the planning, data collection, and most importantly data processing and map error issues, with the range of sensors available to the user community. Written by experienced academics and professionals, this book serves as a guide on how to formulate sUAS based projects, from choice of a sUAS, flight planning for a particular application, sensors and data acquisition, data processing software, mapping software and use of the high spatial resolution maps produced for particular types of geospatial modeling. Features: Focus on sUAS based data acquisition and processing into map products Broad range of case studies by highly experienced academics Practical guidance on sUAS hardware, sensors, and software utilized Compilation of workflow insights from expert professors and professionals Relevant to academia, government, and industry Positional and thematic map accuracy, UAS curriculum development and workflow replicability issues This book would be an excellent text for upper-level undergraduate to graduate level sUAS mapping application courses. It is also invaluable as a reference for educators designing sUAS based curriculum as well as for potential sUAS users to assess the scope of mapping projects that can be done with this technology.

Small Unmanned Fixed-wing Aircraft Design is the essential guide to designing, building and testing fixed wing UAVs (or drones). It deals with aircraft from two to 150 kg in weight and is based on the first-hand experiences of the world renowned UAV team at the UK’s University of Southampton. The book covers both the practical aspects of designing, manufacturing and flight testing and outlines and the essential calculations needed to underpin successful designs. It describes the entire process of UAV design from requirements definition to configuration layout and sizing, through preliminary design and analysis using simple panel codes and spreadsheets to full CFD and FEA models and on to detailed design with parametric CAD tools. Its focus is on modest cost approaches that draw heavily on the latest digital design and manufacturing methods, including a strong emphasis on utilizing off-the-shelf components, low cost analysis, automated geometry modelling and 3D printing. It deliberately avoids a deep theoretical coverage of aerodynamics or structural mechanics; rather it provides a design team with sufficient insights and guidance to get the essentials undertaken more pragmatically. The book contains many all-colour illustrations of the dozens of aircraft built by the authors and their students over the last ten years giving much detailed information on what works best. It is predominantly aimed at under-graduate and MSc level student design and build projects, but will be of interest to anyone engaged in the practical problems of getting quite complex unmanned aircraft flying. It should also appeal to the more sophisticated aero-modeller and those engaged on research based around fixed wing UAVs.

"It is difficult to detect, identify, classify, and - consequently - counter nefarious small unmanned aerial systems (sUASs) weighing less than 55 lbs, particularly in environments with high levels of sensory clutter, such as urban areas. As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prepares for potential threats from sUASs, it will need to know the types of threat scenarios in which these systems could be used, which design elements are likely to be exploited by a nefarious actor, and which technologies and capabilities may be available in the near future to either threaten public safety or facilitate DHS efforts to counter such activities. To support the department's efforts to identify where it should prioritize investments in counter-UAS capabilities, this report examines trends in sUAS development, the features that are likely to aid nefarious users, and how such actors could use an sUAS (or multiple systems) to conduct various types of operations-from surveilling U.S. government facilities to dispersing a chemical agent at a large public event. Overall, the commercial sUAS market has been moving toward smaller, lighter, and more-difficult-to-detect systems. There have also been notable increases in speed, range, and endurance and decreases in acoustic signatures. Certain sUAS models have adequate payload capacity to carry a significant amount of explosive material or illicit goods. All these trends could benefit nefarious actors-and challenge DHS efforts to counter them"--Publisher's web site

Autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) are critical to current and future military, civil, and commercial operations. Despite their importance, no previous textbook has accessibly introduced UAVs to students in the engineering, computer, and science disciplines--until now. Small Unmanned Aircraft provides a concise but comprehensive description of the key concepts and technologies underlying the dynamics, control, and guidance of fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, and enables all students with an introductory-level background in controls or robotics to enter this exciting and important area. The authors explore the essential underlying physics and sensors of UAV problems, including low-level autopilot for stability and higher-level autopilot functions of path planning. The textbook leads the student from rigid-body dynamics through aerodynamics, stability augmentation, and state estimation using onboard sensors, to maneuvering through obstacles. To facilitate understanding, the authors have replaced traditional homework assignments with a simulation project using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Students begin by modeling rigid-body dynamics, then add aerodynamics and sensor models. They develop low-level autopilot code, extended Kalman filters for state estimation, path-following routines, and high-level path-planning algorithms. The final chapter of the book focuses on UAV guidance using machine vision. Designed for advanced undergraduate or graduate students in engineering or the sciences, this book offers a bridge to the aerodynamics and control of UAV flight.

This book, the first in the “Wildlife Research Monograph” series, defines “wildlife research” in a variety of contexts and reviews recent research trends. The authors present the current developments they have identified using bibliometric analyses of the most common, relevant and emerging topics in wildlife research over the last three decades. Diverse aspects of wildlife research are discussed, including wildlife demography, infections spread between wildlife, livestock and humans, habitat requirements and management, as well as the effects of renewable energy and pollutants on wildlife. Furthermore the authors explore topics like advances in the study of species distribution, invasive species, use of molecular markers in wildlife studies and the sustainability of wildlife exploitation and conservation conflicts. The book offers a comprehensive overview of advances in wildlife research in the last decades.