Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are rapidly transforming military capabilities. Their ability to operate autonomously offers significant advantages. Compared to manned aircraft, UAS can perform dangerous missions without risking human life. They deliver improved precision, speed, and endurance, all at a lower cost. This makes them ideal for tasks like reconnaissance, target acquisition, and even precision strikes.
The growing importance of UAS is evident in the recent wars and the focus of European militaries. The European Defence Agency is actively developing an Action Plan to prioritize development, foster collaboration between defense and civilian sectors, and accelerate innovation in Autonomous UAS. This highlights the strategic focus on UAS as a force multiplier in modern warfare.
In particular, with respect to Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems, these are poised to revolutionize modern warfare. Their ability to operate independently offers a compelling advantage. These systems can undertake high-risk missions without endangering personnel, a significant benefit compared to traditional manned aircraft. Additionally, autonomous UAS boast superior precision, speed, and endurance, constituting a great capability and force multiplier in the field.
Capability Development Priorities
The Air Domain paramount role of Autonomous UAS is highlighted in most of the ground-related 2023 Capability Development Priorities are four:
- Air Combat Platforms and Weapons
- Airborne Command and Inform (C4ISTAR and AEW) Capabilities
- Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD)
The AIR Domain CAP DEV Priorities have a very strong focus on Autonomous Systems. Below the list of the most relevant ones, listed per Priority. At the completion of the definition of the Implementation Roadmaps, many of those line will become (if not already) an actionable CAP DEV project:
Air Combat:
- fixed/rotary wing collaborative/wingmen drones
Airborne Command and Inform C4ISTAR and AEW Capabilities:
- Multi Mission / Reconfigurable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Integrated Air and Missile Defence:
Air Transport :
- Tactical Cargo Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
- Air-To-Air Refuelling (AAR) UAS
- Next Generation Multipurpose Helicopter, optionally piloted
Challenges
While Autonomous Systems offer exciting potential, they also come with significant challenges in the air domain, e.g.:
Military Integration:
- Rethinking CONOPS and CONUSE: autonomy and automation will continue to grow bringing new challenges on how best conduct Air Operations. Taking full advantage of these disruptive technologies will require an open mindset, a full understanding of implications, and a Multi Domain awareness.
- Command and control: Establishing clear lines of command and control for autonomous systems during missions is crucial to ensure effective decision-making and prevent unintended actions.
- Interoperability: Seamless communication and data exchange between autonomous UAS systems and other military systems (manned and unmanned) is essential for coordinated operations.
- Human oversight: Despite growing autonomy, human oversight will likely remain important for mission planning, ethical decision-making, and intervention in case of malfunctions.
- Adoption of Civil Technology: Integrating civil UAS technology into military operations. Dual Use: Facilitating dual-use technologies that can serve both civil and military purposes.
Airspace Integration of MIL platforms:
Safety Considerations: a) Automated Collision Avoidance: Ensuring UAS can autonomously avoid collisions with other aircraft. b) Occurrence Reporting: Establishing clear guidelines for reporting incidents involving UAS. c) CNS (Communication, Navigation, Surveillance): Integrating UAS into existing communication and navigation systems. d) Weather Mitigations: Addressing weather-related challenges for safe UAS operations. e) Counter-UAS Measures: Developing effective countermeasures against unauthorized UAS.
Operational Differences: depending on their size, UAS can operate differently from manned aviation, necessitating changes to existing rules of the air and technical requirements; Managing the complexities of operating multiple UAS simultaneously under the control of a single pilot.
Regulatory Challenges: a) Taxonomy: the need for a common and comprehensive taxonomy on AS; b) Risk Assessment: Ensuring comprehensive risk assessments for UAS operations; c) Training and Licensing: Establishing clear licensing procedures for UAS operators and pilots; d) Rules for access to the air: clear guidance on the rules for access to the airspace; e) Social acceptance; f) Cost Sharing: Allocating costs related to UAS integration.
Research and Technology (R&T) approach
Research and TechnologyR&T) activities in the d (omain of the Unmanned Aerial Systems are implementing in the framework of the CapTech Aerial Systems (https://eda.europa.eu/what-we-do/all-activities/activities-search/captech-air). The work of CapTech Air is generally of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) in the range of 1 to 6, although work in higher TRLs is not ruled out. The activities of CapTech Air are generated by Technology Push through information provided by technology watch and foresight, but also by Capability Driven Pull, including the Capability Development Plan (CDP), and the CDP Priorities related to the Air Defence domain.
There are two Technology Building Blocks (TBBs) related with Unamended Aerial Systems, these are:
TBB 01 – Autonomous Air Vehicle Operation
Autonomous air vehicle operation technologies can be incorporated in nearly all air-platforms and support a mission spectrum from information gathering/relay to engagement, as well as logistical missions (e.g. airlift and air-to-air refuelling). Current systems can typically only fulfil one specific task, for example autonomous approach and landing and need to be pre-programmed for all possible development paths of a mission, and thus the performance is limited to the acceptable planning effort. Current systems have minimal or no ability to adapt to unforeseen or dynamic development during execution without human intervention, which is in turn dependent on a continuous command-and-control link, and timely and effective human decision-making.
The relevant technologies for TBB 01 can be structured into four broad technology clusters:
- Avionics systems concerning electronic onboard systems,
- Airframe systems concerning propulsion, electric energy generation and management,
- Mission systems concerning overall situation assessment functions,
- Test and simulation environment concerning a framework of standards, methods and tools to certify autonomous system functions.
TBB 02 – Cooperative Air Vehicle Operation
Technologies that enable cooperative air vehicle operation are highly relevant to focus air campaign efforts through faster and more effective real-time coordination for manned and unmanned military aviation. They can support a mission spectrum from information gathering/relay to engagement, as well as logistical missions (e.g. airlift and air-to-air refuelling). Current systems are typically limited to the integration of a platform in an information exchange network during mission execution. Adaption of the behaviour of one system based on mission developments of other systems is limited to the coordination efforts among the human operators (i.e. aircrews, RPAS operators), and frequently require a central node (e.g. AWACS).
The relevant technologies for TBB 02 can be structured into five broad technology clusters:
- Command & Control (C2) including communication capabilities,
- Sensors, including the full array of information-gathering components necessary for future air operations,
- Platforms, including an intermediary class of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV),
- UAV-Mothership components, including an on-board-system for military transport aircraft,
- MUM-T, including interface and interaction means for man-in-the-loop.
- R&T projects linked to Unmanned Aerial Systems currently in execution in the CapTech Air, are:
- EDA/OB: "Feasibility Studies in Support to CapTech Air TBBs Implementation" (FS2CATI) programme (2021-2025)
List of projects:
Ongoing:
Next Generation Small RPAS (NGSR) | PESCO (europa.eu)
European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems – MALE RPAS (Eurodrone) | PESCO (europa.eu)
Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) | PESCO (europa.eu)
European High Atmosphere Airship Platform (EHAAP) – Persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Capability | PESCO (europa.eu)
Rotorcraft Docking Station for Drones | PESCO (europa.eu)
Small Scalable Weapons (SSW) | PESCO (europa.eu)
Military UAS Risk Assessment
MALE UAS Accommodation-Integration
U-space study and impact to the military
Remote Pilot Station Core Layer Standardization
Enhanced RPAS Automation 2
Concluded:
Safe Autonomous Flight Termination (SAFETERM)