These Next Gen Military Drone Helicopters Will be Controlled by Smartphones
- Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:21pm by
Buck Sexton
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Imagine this: a marine squad is pinned down in a valley in Afghanistan, running low on ammo and surrounded by Taliban. A manned helicopter would risk even more lives, but instead, a drone copter hovers in overheard, drops a few crates of ammo, and the marines are able to shoot their way out and return to the Forward Operating Base– all with the touch of a button on a smartphone.
That is the vision for the next generation of drone controls on the growing vertical takeoff unmanned fleet, led by the K-Max (pictured below). And if a few enterprising marines can get the technology right, it will be a reality within a few years.
Just a month ago, marines flew their first drone helicopter resupply flights with the K-Max drone. As an overview of the K-Max, Wired writes that:
“The Marines’ K-MAX is a pilotless version of a popular twin-rotor helicopter. The GPS-guided robo-K-MAX weighs in at just 2.5 tons, but can carry 3.5 tons of cargo some 250 miles. The K-MAX beat out Boeing’s smaller A160 Hummingbird unmanned helicopter for the Marine Corps demonstration contract. And the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force are all considering buying robot supply aircraft in large quantities.”
So now the Marines are working on a next generation of drone-copters with a new update that would make Steve Jobs proud: touch-screen, smartphone controls.
The vision is that a single U.S. Marine or other serviceman will be able to call in resupply and even med-evac drones with the iPhone he or she carries in a pocket. This would revolutionize the modern battlefield, allowing an increased rate of resupply with no risk to human pilots.
Called the Autonomous Aerial Cargo Utility System (AACUS), it will allow resupply in harsh or dangerous climates in the dead of night without possibility of human error.
It’s a military program designed to save lives, and dollars, at the same time. Much of this hinges on the ability to control the newly developed rotor UAV fleet and upgrade their onboard technologies. This new synching of controls and onboard electronics, according to Wired, will be:
“the brains of many models of robot. The idea is to produce a set of sensors, software, computers and controls that can be installed aboard almost any Vertical-Take-Off-and-Landing aircraft, including helicopters and potentially tiltrotors or even ducted-fan vehicles.”
Here is a video of the K-Max during a test flight, showing off some of its capabilities, courtesy of Kaman:
Former Navy F/A-18 jet fighter pilot and Director of the AACUS program Missy Cummings told Wired two years ago that its undergirding philosophy is that:
“humans have important jobs they need to do, and should not worry about low-level housekeeping, telling a UAV to go from point to point,” she told Danger Room. “UAVs are smart, and can do that on their own these days….We want to show that we can plug-and-play across different rotorcraft and VTOL aircraft and get some level of guaranteed performance.”
If it all works as planned, the AACUS will fly between combat outposts with no direct human control, scan surroundings, detect obstacles, and enemies. There will be no need for resting a crew, and mission will be mostly conducted at night, in an automated fashion.
It’s warfare logistics updated for the iPad age.
There will eventually be civilian uses of this technology as well. While drones have already been featured tools of domestic surveillance efforts, they could also be used for supply and rescue in harsh climates such as the Klondike, Rockies, or ships caught in a squall.
Completely automated version of the K-Max drones will start tests in 2014, and 2018, whichever developer gets the contract is scheduled to begin combat production.
(h/t Wired)
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Comments (69)
Farmer John
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:09pmLet‘s hope the Taliban isn’t smart enough to buy cheap Chinese GPS jammers.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:31pmSeriously guys… I know there is a lot of issues and questions floating around the crap with the black hawk in Afghanistan and the drone in Iran, but that doesn’t mean we should stop military research for fear that someone might steal it… Especially the kind like this that is driven by an in-house group of guys…
This system is a great idea and will free up manned assets for other missions….
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:53pmI would say it is safe to assume that the designers of this system and the Marines are both well aware of what it would take to disrupt operation. They usually take that kind of thing into account.
However, if you disagree, you should probably send them an urgent email notifying them of this crippling weakness. Maybe they’ll just drop the whole project.
Report Post »TROONORTH
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 8:30pmIf we are seeing this in the popular press then it is safe to assume that this project is finished and has been for some time. The military is not in the habit of displaying it’s most cutting edge projects in the public forum. The ‘real stuff’ is well hidden and we will read about it in a few years. We will know soon enough, as a certain Vulcan said, “military secrets are the most fleeting of all.”
Report Post »Freedomtothink
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 9:51pmWe spend billions upon billions of dollars figuring out how to do things without people that we have always done with people. If there aren’t any civilian or military jobs for people the elites will need to get rid of a lot of unemployed people. Be prepared.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 6:27amI’m sure there are backup navigation systems, like inertial guidance, etc.
Plus, if the destination/route is programmed at launch, then it becomes an autonomous drone with very little need for any additional communication enroute.
I can see how it could be made to work.
What I’m wondering, is, will they be ordering up pizza and beer with it?
Report Post »Will they get a 30 minutes or less guarantee?
LOL
sWampy
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 10:04amFreedomPurveyor Generally they don’t, they rely on some contractor to cover their ass. Often the contractors are foreign nationals, and could give a **** less.
Report Post »schroeder123
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:35pmBout Time !
Report Post »ThePostman
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:28pmWhen drones and IED’s are both operated by smartphones, do you think there is any chance that terrorists might get control of the helos? Duh! What about chinese hackers?
Report Post »Riddled
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:20pmThat’s great! Now were going to have to work on our pretty please give our chopper back speech to Iran when they get this drone..
Report Post »jb.kibs
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:27pmrecipe for disaster :
1 Military Drone Helicopter
1 Smart Phone
1 Global Network accessible by anyone anywhere.
Mix together in a brain with an IQ under 70 and get a “good idea”.
Report Post »Structure21
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:00pmWhat kind of App and data plan do you have to have for this??
Report Post »clemV
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:16pmWho gives a crap about this non-news? Where‘s the coverage of the polish attorney’s “suicide”? I’m so sick of this diluted MSM “news” that we’re fed. PFFFTTTT.
Report Post »amtsoundsmith
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:46pmclemV- Nobody’s forcing you to stick around.
Report Post »Sr Newk
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:42pmThe double rotor counter rotation is a good design because it eliminates the torque situation which simplifies flying a craft with a rotating wing and it is also easier to land during windy conditions. Cell phone technology is great, but if someone can decipher the digital code that controls the drone, then it can be used as a weapon against our own troops especially if it carries rockets and automatic weapons fire, like a mini gun.
As always this can be one big problem if security information becomes available to the enemy. So far the existing drones haven’t been hacked into to gain access, but I bet the hackers are trying their best.
Report Post »bpodlesnik
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 9:58pmI was wondering about that rotor design, and what its purpose was. Really cool if you ask me.
Report Post »jasmer
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 7:25amI‘m betting it’s an evolution of the design for the Huskie, which we’ve been using for a long time –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HH-43_Huskie
Report Post »moparcar
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:36pmThink about it, who is going to make money on these things? Follow the money and we will find out. What do we not do give a drone a Medal of Honor? Honestly this is a waste of money. If we fought war the way we were supposed to fight we’d not get in situations where we are out numbered and under supplied. We have the tools, bombs, power to take a country off the face of the earth, lets do it.
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 7:33pmThis is not a waste of money. Logistics have been the bane of every combat force since Genghis Khan. I can’t even count how many support, resupply, and medivac missions get canceled because it’s far to dangerous to fly a manned helo into a combat zone. I know a lot of Marines that would love to press a button and get beans, bullets, and band aids…..instead of making a call for support that is denied.
Report Post »TrooperTyree
Posted on January 11, 2012 at 4:34am@eagle2715: Yes, logistics is very important. The problem here is that this is like the donkeys & wooden carts that fueled the Blitzkreig. Except that, instead of dropping bombs on a donkey, this packmule is an ideal target for the emerging cyber-warfare frontier.
With the overwhelming temptation for the “new proprietor” to strap on a mini-gun or two.
The problem is that it’s easily submissive to something so everybody-has-it as a smart phone. Have you heard of any anti-viruses designed for smart phones (which do “think” differently than normal computers)? ‘Cause I sure haven’t.
Report Post »war7412
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:23pmAre we gonna give IRAN one too???????????Who’s piloting the DRONE ?? it has WINDOWS ..????????????????????
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:21pmNeed to dust off my cell phone jamer.
Report Post »FlamingFartSyndrome
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:16pmWhat a great idea! Now we can have more of our technology be stolen through means of cyber warfare!! Anyone feel like the government wants that to happen again so we can justify war to the American people. Actually our naval carrier will probably just say they were shoot at like when we got into Vietnam. Anyone who thinks this technology is well spent money on our national security is a sheep.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:03pmGovernment Bullets… are paid for… by the Tax Payers… even if used against Citizens!
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:54pmIs president Zero ,also gonna land this one in Iran ???????????????
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:26pm@RISEANDWHINE- Oh so you are a “truther”? What don’t you morons get about 9/11? We were attacked by muslim terrorists. PERIOD! You think those planes were an illusion? I guess intense hatred of Bush can make you believe anything no matter how ridiculous !
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 5:09pmOf course planes hit the towers….and building 7′s plane went down in Pennsylvania.
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:18pmWhy does a drone have windows?
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:30pmIt’s a modified piloted aircraft. Similar to the old F-4s that the Air Force uses for target practice.
Report Post »mike821504
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:53pmA friend is one of the leaf piolts for the K-max, the windows are there so a piolt can board the aircraft for some flight testing.
Report Post »Kaoscontrol
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:08pmI believe George Soros controls the Oval Office using his “Smart Phony”.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:59pmReminds me of the Terminator HK’s.
Report Post »NOBAMA201258
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:15pmAre all the components made in the U.S.A.? We don’t want Ahmadickajerk getting another high tech toy to share with his Chinese masters BTW we should have traded those Iranian fishermen for the captured C.I.A agent[s],but I guess that would be barbaric like them
Report Post »eagle2715
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:36pmNOBAMA201258
The Helo itself is built in the US, but as for the components who knows. You can’t even get parts of trucks that are actually built here… The pilotless system itself is being designed by the Marines in house as far as I can tell…
Report Post »fldammy
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 11:28amYou may see HKs once the Army decides on their Apache replacement. Removing pilots from payroll and training cost will be a major perk for the Army to go with automated close air support. One stepping stone at a time for humans to be replaced. As an example, Boeing is working on a semi-autonomous bomber: http://www.dailytech.com/Boeing+Unveils+Phantom+Ray+an+Autonomous+Unmanned+Stealth+Fighter/article18381.htm
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:56pmWHile you’re dropping ammo, can you stop by pizza hut and deliver a large pepperoni with wings!
Report Post »ipsphxaz
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:54pmYa! The Iranians will get that to!
Report Post »HoggKilla
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:16pmJust ask Iran how good our drones are after China duplicates it.
Report Post »JLGunner
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:53pmGod that thing is ugly.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 6:12pmSometimes form follows function.look at the A-10.It is the ugly duckling of the Air force and was the most feared plane of the first Gulf War.
Report Post »TheMaestro
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:50pmI hope they won’t be using Iphones on the ATT network. That’d be one expensive dropped call. BTW, didn’t know they had many cell towers in Afghanistan???
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:35pmGotta get a smart phone.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:48pmGot the phone , now I need the app, help any 1 ?
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:35pmHow long until our enemies learn how to jam or take over the signal?
Report Post »justangry
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:49pmYeah that concerns me too, considering they can’t remove the virus from the drones we already have in service.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:56pmThey probably already do …
Report Post »Phoneguy
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:29pmI wonder if they will powered by the Microsoft “Avoid the Ghetto” software app.
Report Post »mohavegreen
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:40pmNike Store + GPS App = Ghetto
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:27pmFirst – as long as it does what it is designed to do for supporting our troops great.
How long until Obama gives this tech to Iran and China?
Report Post »How long until Obama’s forming private militia “AmeriCorp” will use these on fellow Americans?
How long until Obama orders them turned upon his ‘enemies of the state’ within America?
TXPilot
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:32pmNow, this is an app I can really use. When my annoying neighbors make too much noise, I can use my smartphone to call in an airstrike.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:25pmObama and Panetta’s remote control war(s).
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on January 9, 2012 at 3:30pmReminds of Sept. 11, 2001
Report Post »Bonnieblue2A
Posted on January 10, 2012 at 11:57amNow we know what App Steve Jobs had loaded onto Obama’s iPad2.
Want to bomb Libya from your bathroom throne? Yes, we have an App for that.
Report Post »