28-02-2006, 08:07 PM
by David Crane
Se video her: http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-...unship.mpg
DefenseReview.com has received video footage of a weaponized version of the AutoCopter self-stabilized unmanned mini-helicopter being tested for the first time in sunny Huntsville, Alabama (The download link for this video is further down in this article.). The AutoCopter is made by Neural Robotics Incorporated (NRI), and the weapon portion of the package is a 12-gauge Military Police Systems (MPS) Auto Assault-12 Full-Auto Shotgun (a.k.a. AA-12 Full-Auto Shotgun), which DefRev first reported on back in June of last year (2005). NRI is calling the newly-weaponized AutoCopter the "AutoCopter Gunship". Catchy.
This is a very important event. Let us explain:
First, to Defense Review's knowledge, the basic NRI AutoCopter is currently one of the most advanced/innovative unmanned mini-helicopters in the world, and the uncontested best unmanned mini-helicopter for under $100,000. What's so innovative about it? Well, for starters, the AutoCopter is...
self-stabilized, using patented "intelligent" neural network-based flight control algorithms (fancy engineer-speak for "automated flight controls") to allow anyone to fly the AutoCopter with little to no previous remote-control (RC) piloting experience. These automated flight controls make the AutoCopter the easiest mini-unmanned helicopter to to fly, and the hardest to crash. Basically, the AutoCopter's neural networked-based automatic flight control system won't allow the pilot to do anything catastrophic (a.k.a. stupid).
The AutoCopter has two flight modes--semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. In semi-autonomous, the operator (RC pilot) is "in control" of the aircraft. We put "in control" in quotes because the real control lies in the AutoCopter's computer, which interperets the operators commands and translates them into flight surface movement via servo motor activation, similar to a modern fighter jet's fly-by-wire system. Basically, the operator tells the AutoCopter what he wants it to do, and the AutoCopter's computer figures out exactly how to make that happen.
For the fully-autonomous flight mode, the AutoCopter utilizes a GPS system, where the operator uploads a flight plan to the AutoCopter via a laptop computer, using GPS waypoints. In this mode, the operator "starts the AutoCopter, engages the Flight Control System, commands the AutoCopter to takeoff and turns all flight operations over to the FCS." The operator can regain manual control of the AutoCopter at any time by going back to the semi-autonomous mode. If the AutoCopter flies out of RC range, it will turn around and come back within range. If it runs out of gas (it's gasoline-powered), a parachute will automatically deploy and guide the AutoCopter back to the ground slowly and safely.
However, as cool as all this is, before the AA-12 shotgun came along and turned it into the "AutoCopter Gunship", the AutoCopter was limited to applications like aerial photography, surveillance, pipelineand utility line inspection, (unarmed) convoy escort, and mine detection--all worthwile applications to be sure, but not exactly anything "transformational" (i.e. paradigm-shifting). However, with the addition of a single AA-12, the AutoCopter Gunship's virtual pilot can not only see and photograph the enemy, he can now seek out, locate, identify, and destroy/terminate (i.e. kill) the enemy with extreme prejudice at 300 rounds-per-minute (and potentially tens of thousands of actual projectiles per-minute), and he's got a rather large 12-gauge ammunition suite at his disposal (a vertitable ammo smorgasbord, if you will) with which to accomplish this. This capability is transformational, and indeed constitutes a true paradigm shift in lethality and force multiplication, especially when you have swarms of these AutoCopter Gunships flying throughout the battlespace.
For instance, let's he spots a bunch of enemy insurgents/terrorists trying to gun it out with U.S. forces on an Iraqi city street, or sticking their heads out of buildings and shooting at our forces from an elevated position, he can fly at them at approx. 60-mph and engage them with standard 2.75-inch 12-gauge shotgun ammo or 3-inch FRAG-12 grenade rounds (since the AA-12 is currently being modified to function with this round) at 300 RPM (rounds-per minute). Just to give the reader an idea of the kind of firepower an AA-12-equipped AutoCopter is capable of delivering on target at up to 100 yards, the AA-12 can deliver aprox. 1900 18-Cal. BBs within 4 seconds out of its 20-shot drum. With #4 shot, the operator can place approx. 3,500 projectiles on target(s). And, with #6 Hevi-Shot (made by the good folks at Environmental Metal, Inc.) the operator can accurately unload approx. 5,000 projectiles on the target(s), and kill those targets (out to a distance of approx. 67 yards). If the enemy is inside a car or light-armored vehicle, the operator can fire on that vehicle with 20 AP (armor-piercing) FRAG-12 rounds (capable of penetrating up to 1/2 of rolled homogenous steel), an operator can, according to our understanding, engage the enemy with 200-300 yards, especially from an elevated position (unconfirmed/unverified). The standard high-explosive (HE) FRAG-12 round will punch through a standard vehicle's skin, and explode inside the vehicle, releasing 90 ball projectiles at very high velocity, in all directions, shredding the occupants. The FRAG-12 round can also be used to engage targets inside buildings.
The AA-12 Shotgun effectively turns the AutoCopter from a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into an incredibly lethal unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), or "unmanned combat armed rotorcraft (UCAR)". Previously limited to surveillance, the AutoCopter can now seek and destroy. Previously relegated to "convoy escort", the AutoCopter can now be tasked with convoy security/force protection. This constitutes a significant leap in mission capability, and is has the potential to be a significant force multiplier in multiple combat environments, including urban warfare/MOUT environments.
Oh, and here's the kicker: The AutoCopter Gunship can also be outfitted with a thermal/IR sight, giving the system day/night/all-weather capability, so the operator can engage the enemy in any conditions the AutoCopter can handle from a flight perspective, even in total darkness. With an AA-12-outfitted AutoCopter Gunship loaded with FRAG-12s, once the weaponized system is fully developed/realized, the enemy may be able to run, but they're (most likely) just going to die tired. There will be very fiew places they can hide--even on a high floor inside a building.
The AutoCopter can reportedly fly forward at 60 mph, and sideways at 35 mph. Maximum "comfortable" payload weight for the AutoCopter is reportedly 20 pounds. Since a loaded AA-12 (wth 20-round drum mag) weighs approx. 13 lbs, that allows for approx. 7 pounds of additional payload. DefenseReview does not yet have solid numbers of the AutoCopter Gunship's flight envelope or flight time, but we will get that information for our readers ASAP.
.....når bare man har nok penge og krudt.....så går det ikke aldrig helt galt :-)
Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)
Se video her: http://www.defensereview.com/stories/aa-...unship.mpg
DefenseReview.com has received video footage of a weaponized version of the AutoCopter self-stabilized unmanned mini-helicopter being tested for the first time in sunny Huntsville, Alabama (The download link for this video is further down in this article.). The AutoCopter is made by Neural Robotics Incorporated (NRI), and the weapon portion of the package is a 12-gauge Military Police Systems (MPS) Auto Assault-12 Full-Auto Shotgun (a.k.a. AA-12 Full-Auto Shotgun), which DefRev first reported on back in June of last year (2005). NRI is calling the newly-weaponized AutoCopter the "AutoCopter Gunship". Catchy.
This is a very important event. Let us explain:
First, to Defense Review's knowledge, the basic NRI AutoCopter is currently one of the most advanced/innovative unmanned mini-helicopters in the world, and the uncontested best unmanned mini-helicopter for under $100,000. What's so innovative about it? Well, for starters, the AutoCopter is...
self-stabilized, using patented "intelligent" neural network-based flight control algorithms (fancy engineer-speak for "automated flight controls") to allow anyone to fly the AutoCopter with little to no previous remote-control (RC) piloting experience. These automated flight controls make the AutoCopter the easiest mini-unmanned helicopter to to fly, and the hardest to crash. Basically, the AutoCopter's neural networked-based automatic flight control system won't allow the pilot to do anything catastrophic (a.k.a. stupid).
The AutoCopter has two flight modes--semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. In semi-autonomous, the operator (RC pilot) is "in control" of the aircraft. We put "in control" in quotes because the real control lies in the AutoCopter's computer, which interperets the operators commands and translates them into flight surface movement via servo motor activation, similar to a modern fighter jet's fly-by-wire system. Basically, the operator tells the AutoCopter what he wants it to do, and the AutoCopter's computer figures out exactly how to make that happen.
For the fully-autonomous flight mode, the AutoCopter utilizes a GPS system, where the operator uploads a flight plan to the AutoCopter via a laptop computer, using GPS waypoints. In this mode, the operator "starts the AutoCopter, engages the Flight Control System, commands the AutoCopter to takeoff and turns all flight operations over to the FCS." The operator can regain manual control of the AutoCopter at any time by going back to the semi-autonomous mode. If the AutoCopter flies out of RC range, it will turn around and come back within range. If it runs out of gas (it's gasoline-powered), a parachute will automatically deploy and guide the AutoCopter back to the ground slowly and safely.
However, as cool as all this is, before the AA-12 shotgun came along and turned it into the "AutoCopter Gunship", the AutoCopter was limited to applications like aerial photography, surveillance, pipelineand utility line inspection, (unarmed) convoy escort, and mine detection--all worthwile applications to be sure, but not exactly anything "transformational" (i.e. paradigm-shifting). However, with the addition of a single AA-12, the AutoCopter Gunship's virtual pilot can not only see and photograph the enemy, he can now seek out, locate, identify, and destroy/terminate (i.e. kill) the enemy with extreme prejudice at 300 rounds-per-minute (and potentially tens of thousands of actual projectiles per-minute), and he's got a rather large 12-gauge ammunition suite at his disposal (a vertitable ammo smorgasbord, if you will) with which to accomplish this. This capability is transformational, and indeed constitutes a true paradigm shift in lethality and force multiplication, especially when you have swarms of these AutoCopter Gunships flying throughout the battlespace.
For instance, let's he spots a bunch of enemy insurgents/terrorists trying to gun it out with U.S. forces on an Iraqi city street, or sticking their heads out of buildings and shooting at our forces from an elevated position, he can fly at them at approx. 60-mph and engage them with standard 2.75-inch 12-gauge shotgun ammo or 3-inch FRAG-12 grenade rounds (since the AA-12 is currently being modified to function with this round) at 300 RPM (rounds-per minute). Just to give the reader an idea of the kind of firepower an AA-12-equipped AutoCopter is capable of delivering on target at up to 100 yards, the AA-12 can deliver aprox. 1900 18-Cal. BBs within 4 seconds out of its 20-shot drum. With #4 shot, the operator can place approx. 3,500 projectiles on target(s). And, with #6 Hevi-Shot (made by the good folks at Environmental Metal, Inc.) the operator can accurately unload approx. 5,000 projectiles on the target(s), and kill those targets (out to a distance of approx. 67 yards). If the enemy is inside a car or light-armored vehicle, the operator can fire on that vehicle with 20 AP (armor-piercing) FRAG-12 rounds (capable of penetrating up to 1/2 of rolled homogenous steel), an operator can, according to our understanding, engage the enemy with 200-300 yards, especially from an elevated position (unconfirmed/unverified). The standard high-explosive (HE) FRAG-12 round will punch through a standard vehicle's skin, and explode inside the vehicle, releasing 90 ball projectiles at very high velocity, in all directions, shredding the occupants. The FRAG-12 round can also be used to engage targets inside buildings.
The AA-12 Shotgun effectively turns the AutoCopter from a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into an incredibly lethal unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), or "unmanned combat armed rotorcraft (UCAR)". Previously limited to surveillance, the AutoCopter can now seek and destroy. Previously relegated to "convoy escort", the AutoCopter can now be tasked with convoy security/force protection. This constitutes a significant leap in mission capability, and is has the potential to be a significant force multiplier in multiple combat environments, including urban warfare/MOUT environments.
Oh, and here's the kicker: The AutoCopter Gunship can also be outfitted with a thermal/IR sight, giving the system day/night/all-weather capability, so the operator can engage the enemy in any conditions the AutoCopter can handle from a flight perspective, even in total darkness. With an AA-12-outfitted AutoCopter Gunship loaded with FRAG-12s, once the weaponized system is fully developed/realized, the enemy may be able to run, but they're (most likely) just going to die tired. There will be very fiew places they can hide--even on a high floor inside a building.
The AutoCopter can reportedly fly forward at 60 mph, and sideways at 35 mph. Maximum "comfortable" payload weight for the AutoCopter is reportedly 20 pounds. Since a loaded AA-12 (wth 20-round drum mag) weighs approx. 13 lbs, that allows for approx. 7 pounds of additional payload. DefenseReview does not yet have solid numbers of the AutoCopter Gunship's flight envelope or flight time, but we will get that information for our readers ASAP.
.....når bare man har nok penge og krudt.....så går det ikke aldrig helt galt :-)
Favourite Quote: Vi løser ikke vore problemer ved at tænke på samme måde, som da vi skabte dem.....(Albert Einstein)
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