The short paper studies the feasibility (required resources, competency, and data) of building some UAS capabilities referring to efforts invested in similar capabilities in other countries. First section provides the essential requirement for development of autonomous vehicles. Second section gives a quick overview in trends for unmanning intentions. Third section provides some references and proposes options for a small armed force without a support of strong national defence industry.
1. Requirements for Autonomous Vehicle Development
Typically, the development of autonomous systems requires the following process:
- Creation of a generative adversarial network (GAN) that can learn from data extracted from live or simulated combat engagements taking place in a relatively stable environment (air or subsurface)
- Data captured from combat engagement or created in a synthesised game
- Computer performance to run a high number of simulations to teach the GAN
- Platform to take the learned AI “driver” to a real environment and start testing and continue learning
- Feedback loop, re-engineering of GAN, and data bias-removing function to proceed with teaching and improving the performance of the autonomous function.
Furthermore, the following functions or components are required to gain autonomous features on a platform:
- Sense to gather information about engaging entities and their environment
- Perceive and understand the collected data
- Decide to optimise action based on possible scenarios and their outcome
- Act as control of all physical and logical entities required for impact.
2. Current Trends in Unmanned Vehicles Development
An advanced autonomous unmanned system is destined to evolve toward low manual intervention, high autonomy, and high intellectualisation, no matter whether it is for military or civilian use.
3. Examples of Military Autonomous Systems and Required R&D Investments
The following table provides examples from different military autonomous/semiautonomous systems, their development efforts, and options for a small armed force to proceed with similar capability.
|
UAS Capability |
Reference |
Investments and time |
Options for a small armed force |
|
Unmanned Surface Vehicle |
Cost-effective, enduring ISR vessel: Saildrone Explorer[1] combines
wind-powered propulsion technology and solar-powered meteorological and oceanographic
sensors to perform autonomous long-range data collection missions in the
harshest ocean environments.[2] It navigates up to 12 months autonomously through large areas of
the oceans based on waypoint-to-waypoint navigation through wind and currents.[3] |
2012 Saildrone Inc. Established 2017 two pilot vessels 2019 Antarctic circumnavigation 2021 sailed into category 4 hurricane 2021 deployed in the Red Sea Up to 2021, together, $174M venture capital raised |
1. Acquire several of these and deploy. Concentrate on collecting
data and creating models that understand better the oceanographic environment
and build data sets for nextgen autonomous features. |
|
Unmanned Combat Surface Vehicle |
Multipurpose vessel for coastal defence: JARI USV[4],
CSIC developed an unmanned combat boat 20-ton multipurpose vessel with torpedoes,
a vertical missile launcher, and air defence.[5] Remotely
controlled, autonomous navigation, automated action, swarming with other
vessels.[6] |
2018 a mock-up model in ADD 2019 see trials with a prototype 2019 IDEX 2021 manufactured and ‘combat ready’ model in AirShow China[7] |
1. Acquire JARI platforms and establish R&D cooperation with CSIC. 2. Acquire a testing vessel with IP and establish an Open
Hackathon to get concepts for autonomous features. Continue as an open-source
development programme. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Sub-Surface Vehicle |
Subsurface autopilot[8]:
A autonomous pilot program that can manage a variety of underwater vehicles[9] |
Dynautics, UK development story since 2018: - SPECTRE remote control autopilot system which is retrofittable
to standard manned boats -Developed the CAM
concept, which allows SPECTRE to be used on underwater vehicles with 6
degrees of freedom - Developed advanced
Dynamic Positioning algorithms, which are now used on a wide variety of
unmanned surface and subsurface vehicles for position stability down to 10 mm
in three axes. - Developed the data
fusion algorithms used in our gyro-stabilised compass - Collision Avoidance algorithms enable the vehicle to react to
multiple fixed or moving obstacles. |
1. Acquire a COTS programme and implement it on existing
sub-surface platforms |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Ground Vehicle |
Platoon support vehicle: Milrem Robotics THeMIS UGV, Estonia. Remote-controlled driving, autonomous navigation ability along a
given route.[10] |
2015 prototype 2017 weapon system integration 2019-2020 in operation 2020 sold to 11 countries 2021 EU iMUGS-project builds a standard UGV solution with $32,6 M[11] |
1. Acquire the Milrem Intelligent Function Integration Kit (MIFIK)
and start implementing it on an existing platform 2. Acquire THeMIS UGVs for tactical development and seek
possibilities to join the iMUGS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Air Vehicle |
Autopilot any aircraft: China refurbished their old fighter jets with unmanned kits and made
them multipurpose UAVs[12] |
2013 first indications 2021 Won simulated dogfights[13] 2021 seen readiness for SEAD operation[14] |
1. Cooperate with PLA to develop “Intelligence Victory” air combat
AI 2. Contract a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System provider[15]
and build the core system. |
|
Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle |
Swarming attack copter: The Golden Eagle 150B Swarm drone is an
unmanned attack aircraft manufactured by China North Industries Group.[16] |
2017 IDEX as 500 artillery fire control 2018 AirShow China 500 with air to ground missiles[17] 2020 150B with swarming features carrying bomblets[18] |
1. Acquire MOTS from China and deploy 2. Build own capability using Drone racing, FPV, sports[19] |
|
Suicide Combat Air Vehicle |
Air-to-Ground munition: The AeroVironment Switchblade is a
miniature loitering munition that locks onto and tracks a target once
selected.[20] |
2011 prototype 2012 deployed in ISAF 2015 unarmed variant 2020 anti-armour variant Development est. $10M, an M300 costs est. $6000[21] |
1. Acquire MOTS products and deploy with PG to replace Artillery,
Helicopter, and CAS support. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Air Vehicle Logistics |
Autonomous delivery drone: UAV transport packages, medical
supplies, food, or other goods. |
2013 concept for rapid delivery[22] 2014 prototypes 2015 Ali Baba started delivery 2016 first fully autonomous delivery in the US 2021 Delivery networks based on UAVs[23] |
1. Align with regulations, buy COTS drones, and start delivering
small goods[24] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unmanned Air Vehicle Medical |
An autonomous VTOL UAV for evacuation: Dragonfly manufactured DP-14 Hawk[25],
a rotary-wing craft that uses relative positioning enabling self-launch and
self-recover with 8-inch accuracy [26] |
2016 US Army seeking potential evacuation drone 2017 they found DP-14 Hawk, an industrial UAV[27] |
1. Acquire an industrial cargo UAV, modify it for evacuation and
deploy it widely to recover lost people, replace emergency helicopters, and
evacuating vehicles. |
Links:
[1] https://www.thenationalnews.com/mena/2022/01/31/us-tests-drone-boats-that-can-sail-for-12-months-on-solar-power/
[2] https://www.saildrone.com/technology/vehicles
[3] https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/15/us-navy-unmanned-saildrone/
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JARI_USV
[5] https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Aerospace-Defense/China-s-latest-fighter-jets-drones-display-war-making-capability
[6] https://www.defenceview.in/inside-chinas-unmanned-surface-vessel-fleet/
[7] https://navalpost.com/china-launches-unmanned-warship-named-jari/
[8] https://sgp.fas.org/crs/weapons/R45757.pdf
[9] https://www.dynautics.com/products-unmanned-surface-vehicle/marine-autopilots/spectre-autopilot-autonomous-underwater-vehicles/
[10] https://milremrobotics.com/defence/
[11] https://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/estonian-made_milrem_themis_ugv_unmanned_ground_vehicle_in_service_with_11_countries.html
[12] https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2021/10/20/china-shows-off-drones-recycled-from-soviet-era-fighter-jets/
[13] https://www.businessinsider.com/china-pits-fighter-pilots-against-ai-aircraft-in-simulated-dogfights-2021-6?r=US&IR=T
[14] https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41386/flanker-fighter-appears-among-unmanned-aircraft-at-chinas-secretive-drone-test-base
[15] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210309005661/en/Reliable-Robotics-Remotely-Pilots-Aircraft-from-Private-Control-Center-a-First-for-Commercial-Aviation
[16] https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Aerospace-Defense/China-s-latest-fighter-jets-drones-display-war-making-capability
[17] https://defencehub.live/threads/china%E2%80%99s-cr500-%E2%80%98golden-eagle%E2%80%99-unmanned-helicopter-finds-export-customer.3265/
[18] https://www.militarydrones.org.cn/golden-eagle-150b-uav-p00306p1.html
[19] https://www.fai.org/drone-sports?upcoming=1&f%5B0%5D=fai_event_year%3A2022&display=list
[20] https://www.avinc.com/tms/switchblade
[21] https://www.avinc.com/images/uploads/product_docs/201215_AV_Product_Catalog_R09.pdf
[22] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delivery_drone
[23] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/11/drone-delivery-supply-chains/
[24] https://airsupply.com/
[25] https://www.aeroexpo.online/prod/dragonfly-pictures/product-181533-26559.html
[26] https://www.dragonflypictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DPI-DP-14-Hawk-Spec-Sheet_v11.pdf
[27] https://taskandpurpose.com/gear-tech/army-drone-helicopter-medevac/
