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The NASA IKHANA UAS Platform

Introduction to UAV. The NASA IKHANA UAS Platform. Content provided by: V. Ambrosia, G. Buoni, B. Cobleigh, K. Howell, M. Rivas. Ikhana History. Vision:. NASA’s Predator-B is a rapidly reconfigurable test system that

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The NASA IKHANA UAS Platform

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  1. Introduction to UAV The NASA IKHANA UAS Platform Content provided by: V. Ambrosia, G. Buoni, B. Cobleigh, K. Howell, M. Rivas International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  2. Ikhana History Vision: NASA’s Predator-B is a rapidly reconfigurable test system that develops and demonstrates advanced HALE technologies leading to ROA applications that improve life here. In the Native American Choctaw language, the word Ikhana means intelligent, conscious, or aware. This made it the perfect word to represent the aircraft NASA has selected to demonstrate technologies seeking to make unpiloted aircraft more intelligent and autonomous. In FY05, NASA initiated the procurement of a Predator-B aircraft (fig. 1 and 2) with a plan to host the flight demonstration of these advanced autonomy technologies, namely: Intelligent Mission Management (IMM) and Integrated Vehicle System Management (IVSM). The demonstrated reliability of the Predator-B allowed experimenters to focus on research instead of the platform and permit FAA-approved operations in the National Airspace (NAS). International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  3. Ikhana in Construction in 2006 International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  4. Ikhana Specifications Platform Specifications: Wing Span 66 ft Load (fuel+payload+ballast) 6400 lbs Ballast/Payload Offset Up to 800 lbs Operational Altitudes Up to 45,000 ft Max Endurance Up to 30 hours Internal Payload Bay Yes External Pod Mounts Yes Electrical Power 4.9 KW @ SL; 2.8KW @ Alt Delivered: Early FY 2007 @NASA-DFRC Experience on Predator UAS: NASA - none as of 2006 DOD - substantial International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  5. Ikhana History Aircraft ordered 4/05 Delivered 11/06 GCS Delivered 12/06 Fire Payload Integrated 6/07 CY 2007 CY 2006 CY 2005 COA Issued Western States Fire Mission Ground Station Modifications Crew Training International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  6. Ikhana Modifications 10 12 8 4 6 14 13 2 3 9 1 7 5 11 Back-up battery power increased to 3 hours 8 L1/L2 GPS antenna connections Wiring connections from pod to power distribution, GPS antenna, and SatCom system Payload Areas Infrared Wildfire Scanner International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  7. Ground Systems • Mobile Ground Control Station • Dual pilot control station • Electronic navigation charts • Weather • 6 Engineering/Science workstations • Range safety workstation • Intercom system throughout • Overhead mission displays • Telephones • Remote video from aircraft start-up/shut-down site • Downlink video and data recording • C-Band LOS Com-Link • Link to ~300 miles • Mobile 2.4m Ku SatCom Antenna • Dual redundant receiver/transmitters • Worldwide International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  8. Ikhana Communcations

  9. Ikhana Ground Control Station International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  10. Pilot Situational Awareness

  11. Ikhana Performance Chart

  12. Operations Concept Chase aircraft required below 18k in the U.S. National Airspace (NAS) Air traffic control (ATC) used for collision avoidance above 18,000 ft NASA Dryden uses restricted airspace to climb to cruise altitude before exiting into the NAS Since Ikhana not qualified for Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM), operations are limited to 18,000 ft to 29,000 ft or above 41,000 ft Transponder and radio communication required Mission phase FL430 FL410 Class A RVSM FL290 FL230 18,000 Restricted airspace Restricted airspace Chase Aircraft required International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  13. Ikhana Instrument Pods Western States Fire Mission Pod Specifications Mounts to MAU-12 adaptor Supportable on GA-ASI Altair & NASA IKHANA Currently supporting Wild Fire Sensor One unit in fabrication Capable of carrying up to 1000 lbs Dimensions ~ 10 ft x 2 ft Available late FY06 International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  14. Fiber Optic Wing Shape Sensors (FOWSS) Ikhana Fiber Optic Wing Shape Sensors (FOWSS) Project In June 2003, the Helios Prototype unpiloted aerial vehicle (UAV) experienced significant pitch instability during low-altitude flight that lead to a catastrophic structural failure and in-flight break-up. One of the most significant lessons learned from the mishap investigation was the requirement to provide real-time measurement of wing shape. It was decided that lightweight and low profile fiber optic wing shape sensors (FOWSS), in conjunction with computationally efficient algorithms, was a promising approach to providing very accurate wing measurement calculations for eventual input to the flight control system for aero elastic motion control. FO channel covered for So. CA firestorm missions (Oct. 2007) International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  15. Pilot Camera and Sensor Pod Sensor Pod and Fairing Forward / Downward - Looking nose camera (VIS / IR) International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

  16. Nose Camera Video Taxiing Landing Banking International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment

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