Technical Paper
Air-Launched Expendable Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Increasing Power and Extending Endurance to Meet Operational Needs
2010-11-02
2010-01-1799
The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has driven the requirement and technology development of expendable, air-launched, Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) for the past six years. As the Air Force lead command for SUAS, AFSOC intends to use this capability to extend the range of on-board sensors, see below the weather, track multiple targets, increase target acquisition accuracy and provide direct support to ground teams. Today, state of the art technology for Group 1 (0-20 lbs) and Group 2 SUAS (21 - 55 lbs), provides approximately 25 - 60 minutes of endurance with conventional lithium ion / lithium polymer batteries. However, to make air-launched expendable SUAVs viable for multiple mission scenarios, technology must be developed to allow for a mission endurance of a minimum of four hours. Additionally, Size, Weight And Power (SWAP) considerations challenge even the best solution when trying to provide up to 150W for peak consumption.
