Airbus Achieves LOI 5
In April 2018, the team of Airbus Helicopters and Schiebel achieved LOI 5 MUM-T flight using an Airbus H145 and a Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAS.
Flying over Austria’s Allentsteig Training Area with the support of the Austrian Armaments and Defence Technology Agency, an operator onboard the H145 piloted and operated the S-100 as the two hunted for ground-based items that are usually too difficult to spot from normal helicopter altitudes. The S-100 was also controlled from the ground for a time, to simulate the H145 being diverted for refueling. To reach full LOI 5 status, the H145 even controlled the S-100 during takeoff and landing.
“Based on this test, which required S-100 control systems to be installed on the H145 and a dedicated crew member to be taken aloft, we have learned that we
need to develop a high level of automation for the command of the unmanned helicopter,” said Mark R. Henning, senior program manager at Airbus Helicopters. To successfully operate unmanned helicopters in a demanding environment from manned platforms without carrying an extra crew member, Henning says, “We will need to implement Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the manned helicopter to reduce crew workload, in terms of flying their helicopter and operating the H/C systems safely while managing the unmanned aircraft at the same time.
“We also need to improve the robustness of MUM-T data links. And we have to work out the certification process for MUM-T operations, because very little has been done in this area to date.”
At this point, Airbus is working on easing the MUM-T crew workload through automation and AI, and improving the data links between the H145 and UAV. This latter work includes relocating antennas on both helicopters, and determining the best frequencies for these data links. Once these two areas are ironed out, Airbus will
develop a MUM-T product that can be certified by government authorities.
Looking beyond this point, Airbus is exploring how MUM-T missions can meet the needs of the military and para-public organizations (EMS, fire, police). One such possibility is “swarming,” where a group of unmanned rotorcraft can work in tandem with a manned helicopter to provide enhanced surveillance and response in real-time; with the swarm managing itself with overall direction from a human operator.
As futuristic as swarming sounds, it is technically feasible. “We are working closely with our friends at Airbus Defence & Space, who did a swarming demonstration using five unmanned systems being controlled from one manned fixed-wing aircraft,” said Henning. This demonstrated capability is now being explored for military reconnaissance helicopter missions. Eventually, it could be used for police operations in civilian areas as well, pending certification.
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