Drone Integration Systems

ADS Drone Integration Systems combine drone-control software, computing hardware, communications and system interfaces into an integrated defence capability. The objective is to allow unmanned aircraft to operate as part of a wider information environment rather than as a disconnected standalone application.

Depending on the programme requirement, the capability can support:

• Drone control through dedicated software
• Handheld tablet-based operation
• Integrated communications
• Target-position computation
• Target and point-of-interest data exchange
• Interface with battlefield-management systems
• AS4000 integration
• Forward Observer integration
• Configurable platform interfaces

Software is at the centre of the ADS drone-integration approach. Dedicated control software provides the operator with a focused interface to the unmanned platform — the control layer through which the drone is incorporated into the wider system architecture. This allows the aircraft, communications and information interfaces to be considered together rather than treating each as an unrelated subsystem.

The ADS architecture provides a single software interface to the drone. Bringing relevant drone interaction into a common interface simplifies the relationship between the operator, aircraft and connected systems. The final interface is configured according to the selected unmanned platform and the technical interfaces available for integration.

The drone-control capability can be operated using a handheld tablet computer running the ADS control software. A portable computing approach provides flexibility for applications where the operator must work away from a fixed command workstation. The selected computing hardware is defined according to the environmental, communications and programme requirements.

ADS drone-control software includes functionality for calculating target-position information, allowing relevant positional information derived through the drone environment to be made available within the configured system. The public website intentionally describes this capability at system level; detailed operational methods and procedures are provided only within authorised programme documentation.

The architecture also supports the uploading and downloading of target or point-of-interest information, allowing authorised data to move between the drone environment and connected systems where the required integration has been configured. The result is a more connected information architecture in which relevant drone-derived information can be used by other authorised elements instead of remaining isolated within the drone-control application.

Drone programmes may begin with an existing aircraft, existing communications equipment or an established battlefield-management environment. ADS defines the integration requirement around existing equipment where suitable technical interfaces are available — assessing the unmanned aircraft platform, existing control interfaces, communications equipment, operator computing hardware, target and point-of-interest data, battlefield-management interfaces, AS4000 connectivity and existing customer infrastructure.

This is particularly important for drone systems because aircraft, communications, control interfaces and mission-system architectures vary significantly between platforms. Before a final architecture is established, ADS assesses platform compatibility, communications requirements and the intended integration environment so that the solution is shaped around the actual programme rather than assuming that every customer requires an identical platform.

Drone integration requires more than a flight-control application. ADS treats the aircraft, control software, computing hardware, communications, target/point-of-interest information and battlefield-management interfaces as part of one architecture — helping avoid the creation of another disconnected battlefield application.