Unmanned aircraft have changed the world many times before, and they continue to evolve to meet new challenges. The new era of unmanned aviation is being led by larger, more capable aircraft that are suitable for more and different missions than ever before. At the same time, they cost less and require fewer personnel to support them.
The best example is the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. The aircraft is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI). This next-generation remotely piloted aircraft is not only familiar and proven – it comes from a fleet with more than eight million flight hours – but it’s also bigger, better and more versatile than ever. By using a proven and mature platform, MQ-9B can be expanded in many ways at comparatively low cost and risk compared to a completely new aircraft. MQ-9B is not only larger than its predecessor, but also has a longer wingspan than its predecessor, which means it can carry more fuel and therefore has a longer range than previous models. In some configurations, MQ-9B can fly for 30 hours or more. This significantly increases the distance it can fly in a straight line, for example from one point to another, or the time it can spend in the air for reconnaissance.
Such long-haul flights are what make unmanned systems so valuable. The aircraft stay in the air much longer than manned aircraft ever could, giving authorities many more options for important missions. Civilian authorities can use MQ-9Bs to cover a large area, for example for search and rescue missions or disaster relief. In recent years, unmanned systems have also played an important role in fighting forest fires. The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) can remain above the ground for long periods of time and provide live video of events on the ground in color and in full motion. This is done using an electro-optical and infrared targeting sensor in the front of the aircraft, which works both day and night. With its synthetic aperture radar, the aircraft can also see through smoke, clouds, haze, fog or other obstacles.
Humanitarian aid and civil protection
The forest fire example highlights another valuable role that MQ-9B plays as a durable, extremely stable platform for a variety of different payloads. A drone flying over a forest fire, for example, can have communication systems on board. This allows firefighters on the ground to use the information from the aircraft not only to coordinate their efforts and monitor the operation for their safety, but also to establish radio links with teams that would otherwise not be able to stay in contact due to terrain or other factors. https://militaeraktuell.at/general-atomics-niederlande-modernisieren-mq-9a/ Remotely piloted aircraft have also been used in hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters. They have become indispensable for search and rescue operations, customs checks, border patrols and other missions. The horizon for new applications is endless. These include the rescue of avalanche victims and support for mountain rescue operations. MQ-9B is leading the way not only because of its great endurance and versatility, but also because it utilizes new technologies. The aircraft is the first of its kind to be built from the ground up for certification by national aviation authorities. With its detection and avoidance system, MQ-9B can use civil airspace like any other aircraft, revolutionizing the way it interacts with other aircraft. Until now, national aviation authorities had to issue special permits for unmanned aircraft. This required a manned pursuit aircraft or a special corridor in the airspace for unmanned air traffic, which was closed to other air traffic. With the MQ-9B, this is no longer necessary. The detection and avoidance system uses cameras, sensors and communication devices to provide the pilots of the aircraft with the same or better information about the surrounding air traffic than the pilots in a conventional cockpit during manned flight. MQ-9B pilots communicate with air traffic controllers via radio in the same way as conventional pilots. It is a proven system that is gaining more experience every day. For example, British air traffic control has already worked extremely well with SkyGuardian in 2021. The aircraft are regularly used by the Royal Air Force, the Japanese Coast Guard and the Indian Navy. In addition, there is a growing number of users around the world. Another advantage of SkyGuardian is the high level of interchangeability and interoperability it enables between allied nations.
Technical innovations
The MQ-9B’s long wings, lightweight composite construction and economical propeller turbine engine ensure maximum endurance with minimum fuel consumption. This not only makes the system considerably cheaper than a conventional reconnaissance aircraft, it is also much more environmentally friendly. The advanced software, also developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, enables even more innovation and versatility. The next stage in the use of these aircraft is to reduce the number of people needed to operate them. Another step is to increase the number of aircraft that can work together, as well as the work they can do. Until now, every unmanned aerial vehicle in the air had a crew of pilots and other specialists in a ground control station who took care of its operation and deployment.
However, the new functions of GA-ASI significantly reduce this workload. Fewer and fewer human crew members are required to fly increasingly independent aircraft. In doing so, the aircraft and the software used to support them can take over more and more of the often monotonous work that is part of the toolkit of unmanned systems. The following scenario: National police authorities have been informed that a certain blue van is transporting contraband – the officers now have to track it down. While an unmanned aircraft used to patrol the ground, human specialists kept an eye out for the vehicle on their monitors. This was done the old-fashioned way, by continuously searching for it in the area in question until they spotted it – if they spotted it! Thanks to new aircraft and software functions, the system was able to search for and find the blue vehicle on its own. Operators are then notified that the van has been found, allowing the authorities to move on to the next phase of their operation – such as deploying officers nearby to stop the van.
A high degree of automation in the aircraft, machine learning in the supporting software and artificial intelligence in the workflows for processing, utilizing and forwarding the information make all of this possible. The development of unmanned systems is not just about state-of-the-art aircraft – although these are necessary. It is also about combining these aircraft with state-of-the-art software functions and other systems. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is a leader in this area. That’s why the MQ-9B is in such high demand from competent authorities around the world.
