www.thalesgroup.com
THALES MAGIC ATOLS PRODUCT Automatic Take Off & Landing On Land and Sea …
Summary
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ATOL function preamble / context
MAGIC ATOLS FW Solution
MAGIC ATOLS FW Description
MAGIC ATOLS RW
Preamble / Context
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ATOL (Automatic (Automatic Take Off & Landing) Landing) function
Take –Off and landing phases are critical for RPAs
ATOLS are used
during durin g Take – Off & Landing Landing phases phases
to measure RPA position
In order order ATOLS associated with RPA Flight Control automatically control the flight path
to insure safe Take-Off or Landing whatever the environment without the need of an external pilot
To mitigate risks, to limit skilled field operators
Today primary ATOL ATOL function is mainly based based on (D)GPS and altimeter altim eter informat information ion process process - with back-up back-up solution solution
Safer ATOL function is nedded for all conditions
Existing Solutions & Limitations
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GPS only based solutions
Depend on satellites
Can be jammed
Elevation measuremen measurementt precision affected affected when Air Platform is near ground (association with RALT is mandatory mandatory))
LASER Based Solution Risks
ea er epen an so u on s or range
Important search time due to the narrow pencil beam space scanning (or additional additional optical capture capture system system is needed)
Track lose risk when facing wind w ind shear conditions
No fail fail safe mode (in case case of reflector “failure”) “failure”)
Power consuming for mirror de-icing
Limited growth potential
Not satisfactory in all conditions
Existing Solutions & Limitations
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Ka Band RADAR Based Solutio n composed of a moveable narrow beam fix frequency ground radar and an airborne transponder subsystem, subsystem, presents risks due to the Ka band and design:
High power transmission needed to reach all weather requirement
Installation constraints constraints on board (due to the transponder installation), and on the ground component
More search time required due to the narrow pencil beam space scanning
System integration constraints
No fail safe mode (in case transponder failure)
The Ka narrow beam solution has challenges
Existing Solutions & Limitations
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Landing sensors based on basic radar technolo technology gy present position measurement perturbations when the measured elevation angle is a "low angle" (typically during the last phase of the landing approach) perturbations on main signal amplitude & phase are due to a parasite signal reflection off the ground
RADAR ANTENNA
UAV UAV
h2 r1N
h2 r12
r11
θc
θi
h1NN a
R21
h12
Sol Réel R2N
h11
Plan horizontal
dr d
Image
Basic radar solutions are unsatisfactory
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THALES MAGIC ATOLS FW solution for Customers needs
Safe, accura ratte and stab ablle guidance
All weather utilization
Wide area instantaneous acquisition
Autonomous (doesn’t need any external information as GPS, Inertial Navigation System data , , ) to measure RPA position: RPA landing possible when GPS is denied measurement
Very easy to deploy and set up by non skilled operators
Product suitable for all types of fixed wings RPA (TACTICAL, MALE, HALE)
Easy to integrate within w ithin RPA System
Customers needs have been the driver for development
THALES MAGIC THALES MAGIC ATOLS ATOLS FW solution soluti sol ution on
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Overcomes existing limitations, copes with Customers needs and provides pro vides accurate and stable guidance for Fixed Wings RP RPA A Ground Beacon Unit (GBU)
Air Beacon Unit (ABU) 14 cm x 14 cm x 5 cm 500g 5,5 in x 5,5 in x 2 in 1,1 lbs
Low power, large beam, horizontal polarization
X band Ground Radar
X band Air Beacon
X band Ground Beacon
Ground Radar Unit (GRU)& Power Control Unit (PCU)
MAGIC ATOLS FW X Band offers an innovativ innovative e solution solution
MAGIC ATOLS FW: element description
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RADAR ANTENNA
UA UAV V
h2 r1N
h2 r12
θc
r11 θi
h1NN a
R21
Sol Réel
h12
R2N
h11
Plan horizontal
dr d
θ=h2 /d Image
SN
L
Si S2 S1
Ground Radar Unit (GRU) receivers & transmitters
Frequency modulation computation to determine θ elevation
h1i
Fm=2h2 / λd
Amplitude modulation
Patented algorithms to determine elevation
MAGIC ATOLS FW: Typical installation
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Small and light elements (and associated containers)
Easy for transportation
Easy transportation
MAGIC ATOLS FW: typical installation
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TouchDown Point area
Take-off & landing direction
>100m
450m >20m
10 deg
ATOLS GRU
Prepared Strip
300-400m
Obstacle Free ATOLS GBU
40m Class 2 Runway (Visual) (Visual) - Exclusion Zone Zone
60m
60m
UAV position measurement
<1000m
orders
Ground Radar Unit
UAV Ground Control Station
Ground Beacon Unit
Air Beacon Unit
Data Link
Simple installation and set-up aside prepared or unprepared runway
Less than 30 min. installation time with 2 soldiers ( the system provides
full automatic calibration and installation report)
All type of runway nature
Easy installation aside strip
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MAGI MA GIC C ATOLS ATOLS FW CON CONOP OPS S Acquisition area ~10 Km
CONOPS:
UAV acquisition & recognition (one of five)
Operator check
Operator decision to launch the automatic landing sequence
Air Beacon switched on
Tracking area ~5 Km
GLIDE PATH
GCS GBU
Automatic Automat ic Calibration phase (GRU & GBU) GRU TD
Easy CONOPS
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UAV detection & recognition + azimuth & elevation measurement Tracking Tr acking (azimuth & elevation & range & speed measurement)
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Taxi guidance guidance:: tracki tracking ng (azimuth & elevation & range & speed measurement)
4
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Data Dat a excha exchange ngess with RPA RPA syst system em
UAV GCS UAS System data link
RPA position measurement (relative & absolute)
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MAGIC MAGI C ATOL ATOL Air Beacon
MAGIC MAGI C ATOL ATOL Ground Elements
Easy integration within RPA system
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Integration MAGIC ATOL ATOLS S GROU GROUND ND RADAR is interfaced interfaced with the UAV UAV GCS
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via a full full duplex Gigabit ETHERNET / fiber fiber optic cable
Ground Radar Output Data:
UAV’s measured position (Distance, (Distance, Azimuth, Azimuth, Altitude) in relative position and in absolute position coordinate provided in WGS84 (Word Geodetic System 1984 used by GPS), UAV’ speed, bearing GCS order acknowledg acknowledge e - Insta Installati llation on consist consistency ency report report - Bite report report Input Orders Orders and and Information Information From UAV UAV GCS:
, , – - cha channe nnell (frequ (frequenc ency) y) cho choice ice – UAV syst system em clock clock – coo coordi rdinat nate e of the 6 installation “points: under run, take-off, touch down, threshold, Ground Radar, Ground Beacon
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MAGIC ATOL Air Beacon Beacon is interfaced interfaced to the UAV
via a standard half duplex RS485 serial data port
very limited exchange of data (on-off, frequency channel, bite)
Easy integration with the GCS & RPA host
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MAGIC MAG IC ATO ATOLS LS FW typ typica icall inst install allati ation on
Air Beacon Unit
Metallic obstacle free
4 bolts & shock absorbers
Easy installation within RPA
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Operational Azimuth
Elevation
Accurate Position Position Measurement within 5 km range
Reliable and accurate measurement (elevation & azimuth)
For all kind of runway , , asphalt)
1 m accuracy in range
50 ms refresh time
less than 100 ms latency
Smooth & continuous accurate measurement
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Operational Long range instantaneous acquisition with a wide field of view
Wide fix pencil beam (no need to scan), 15 ° in elevation (-5° +15°), 20° in azimuth (±10°), full specification
Time to detect, identify, and start angular tracking of the air vehicle at long range is less than 1 second, and time to start full tracking at ,
Can isolate up to 5 UAVs simultaneously simultaneously,, select one at 5 km range, range, and track it up to landing
Confidence level level information is provided during tracking
Redundant skin effect & air beacon
Authorize all types of landings
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Operational
Extensive test and evaluation (160 + flights)
In all conditions
WK : 100+ UK flights
WK : certified by MoD airworthiness authority
Operational Operati onal wi within thin WATCHKEEPER Program
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THALES MAGIC ATOLS RW Solution MAGIC MAGI C AT ATOL OLS S RW is de ded dic icat ated ed fo forr Ro Rota tary ry Wi Wing ngs s UAV UAV to take in account Navy/Army mission specificiti specificities: es:
Ship movements
Air platform movements
Limited spot size and limited over over spot security volume volume
Position measurement refresh rate too slow for (D)GPS and
Hostile all weather environment
Unprepared ground spot for army
MAGIC ATOLS RW is successfully used within D2AD (automatic landing and deck landing demonstration) French Frenc h DGA Program Pr ogram
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MAGIC ATOLS RW: descripti description on / ship install installation ation exampl example e
2 passive small size deck sensors (Deck Sensor Unit) located on the ship deck
One small size, lightweight, low consumption Deck Beacon (Deck Beacon Unit)
One small size, lightweight, low consumption Air Air Beacon (Air Beacon Unit)
One Guidance Navigation Control station 2 Ground/Deck Sensors
Beacon
Ground/Deck Beacon
Air Beacon Unit (ABU) 14 cm x 14 cm x 5 cm Guidance Navigation Control station
500g 5,5 in x 5,5 in x 2 in 1,1 lbs
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MAGIC ATOLS RW: elem element ent descri description ption
Two passive deck sensors, automatically calibrated thanks to the deck beacon, measure the UAV’ position thanks to the air beacon transmission
The Guidance Navigation Control station
Rend Re ndez ez - Vou ous s area
Over Spot point
Waiting point
)
H
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MAGIC ATOLS RW Ground/Deck Sensors
Touch Down
MAGIC ATOL S RW Ground/Deck Beacon
receives this measure and the forecasted ship movements / ship trajectory information elaborates deck landing strategy and continuously computes UA UAV V ‘navigation orders orders (rendez-vous, (rendez-vous, waitin oint ov over s ot oint to touchdown transmits transm its these these orders orders to to UAV UAV (via UAV UAV Cont Control rol Station and its associated Command Command & Control Data Link)
Ship operation room Officer is the leader to start automatic decking or taking-off phase
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MAGIC ATOLS RW: install installation ation / integra integration tion
MAGIC ATOLS RW
Deck Sensors
UAV position measures
UAV Data Link
Way points
Guidance Navigation Control Station
Simple (3 points) ground or deck installation
Air Beacon Unit Unit is simply installed (bolts & shock absorbers) aboard Air Vehicle Vehicle in order ord er to to be « seen » by the MA MAGIC GIC RW RW deck deck sensors
MAGIC ATOL RW output data, on a Ethernet link, are the following: UAV position in 3 dimensions spee , ear ng UAV Way Points commands BITE information
MAGIC ATOL RW main input orders and information are: ON/OFF order mode (operational, standby, maintenance), system clock ship prediction movements
UAV legacy system Air Beacon
Ship Pred Ship Pre Pr Predictio ediction iction n
UAV Control Station
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MAGIC MAG IC ATOL ATOLS S RW: D2A D2AD D Program Program
French DGA take –off and deck landing /landing demonstration Program: D2AD
Late 2010, MAGIC ATOLS RW was integrated within Boeing UMLB system
2011 Summer tests were successfully performed:
in Army condition (prepared, (prepared, or semi prepared area) in Navy simulated condition (3 axis motion table, and 15 Knots moving trailer )
Full scale demonstration (till sea state 5) will take place in 2012 on board French vessel
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Conclusion / Questions MAGIC ATOLS presents numerous advantages
Contact : magicatols@fr
[email protected] .thalesgroup.com
Alain LEZLA
Tel: +33 (0)5 57 26 75 42
Mobile: +33 (0)6 80 08 39 63
[email protected]
