Request for Proposal for a Disaster Response UAS
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
assisting in disaster response is developing into a relatively common prospect.
In this RFI, the focus is on designing a UAS that exhibits design and
functionality that supports wildfire response. The ultimate goal is for the UAS
to contribute invaluable assistance when manned resources are limited during
the aftermath of a natural disaster and provide crew on the ground assistance
in critical decision-making that potentially could save homes, businesses, and
even lives.
The
derived requirements for the UAS are presented below followed by the test
requirements. The derived requirements are based off of the baseline
requirements and the test requirements are based off of the derived
requirements. Both the derived and test requirements emphasize payload,
data-link and support equipment.
Requirements
Payload
·
1. Payload – Shall be
capable of color daytime video operation up to 500 ft AGL
o
1.1 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall provide daytime color video.
o
1.2 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall operate at altitudes up to 500 ft AGL.
o
1.3 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment.
o
1.4 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be of comparable size to allow for model
upgrades.
o
1.5 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be equipped with a COTS video compression
subsystem.
o
1.6 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be capable of being mounted in air
vehicle.
o
1.7 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall not be made of flammable material.
o
1.8 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be protected from high heat exposure by a
heat shield.
·
2. Payload – Shall be capable
of infrared (IR) video operation up to 500 feet AGL.
o
2.1 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall provide IR video.
o
2.2 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall operate at altitudes up to 500 ft AGL.
o
2.3 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be (COTS) equipment.
o
2.4 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be of comparable size to allow for model
upgrades.
o
2.5 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be equipped with a COTS video compression
subsystem.
o
2.6 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be capable of being mounted in air
vehicle.
o
2.7 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall not be made of flammable material.
o
2.8 [Derived
requirement] – Video equipment shall be protected from high heat exposure by a
heat shield.
·
3. Payload – Shall be
interoperable with C2 and data-link.
o
3.1 [Derived
requirement] – Software/Firmware shall be compatible with C2.
o
3.2 [Derived
requirement] – Software/Firmware shall be bi-directional with C2.
o
3.3 [Derived
requirement] – Software/Firmware shall tolerate upgrades.
o
3.4 [Derived
requirement] – Payload shall transmit via air vehicle data-link.
o
3.5 [Derived
requirement] – Payload shall receive via air vehicle data-link.
o
3.6 [Derived
requirement] – Payload shall be received by ground control data-link.
·
4. Payload – Shall use
power provided by air vehicle element
o ·
3. Data-link – Shall use
power provided by air vehicle element.
o
3.1 [Derived
requirement] – Data-link equipment shall be entirely powered by the air vehicle’s
power plant.
Support Equipment
·
1. Support Equipment –
Design shall indentify any support equipment required to support
operation.
o
1.1 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain an air compressor.
o
1.2 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain cleaning products for air
vehicle elements.
o
1.3 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain cleaning products for payload.
o
1.4 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain spare parts for all components.
o
1.5 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain necessary tools for maintenance.
o
1.6 [Derived
requirement] – Support equipment shall contain necessary tools for repair.
System Test Requirements
·
1 Component Testing – (Individual
component separate of the system)
·
1.1 Payload
o o
1.1.1 Verify daytime
color video equipment has the capability of providing daytime color video.
o
1.1.2 Verify IR video equipment
has the capability to provide IR video.
o
1.1.3 Verify all video
equipment specifications show the capability to operate at altitudes up to 500
ft AGL.
o
1.1.4 Verify all video
equipment is considered COTS
o
1.1.5 Verify all video
equipment’s size is comparable to allow for model upgrades.
o
1.1.6 Verify all video
equipment specifications consist of COTS video compression subsystems.
o
1.1.7 Verify all video
equipment specifications reflect inflammable material.
·
1.2 Data-link
o
1.2.1 Verify
software/firmware is compatible with C2.
o
1.2.2 Verify
software/firmware is be bi-directional with C2.
o
1.2.3 Verify
software/firmware tolerates upgrades.
o
1.2.4 Verify payload
transmits via air vehicle data-link.
o
1.2.5 Verify payload
receives via air vehicle data-link.
o
1.2.6 Verify payload
shall be received by ground control data-link.
·
1.3 Support Equipment
o
1.3.1 Verify support
equipment contains an air compressor.
o
1.3.2 Verify support
equipment contains cleaning products for air vehicle elements.
o
1.3.3 Verify support equipment
shall contain cleaning products for payload.
o
1.3.4 Verify support
equipment contains spare parts for all components.
o
1.3.5 Verify support
equipment contains necessary tools for maintenance.
o
1.3.6 Verify support
equipment contains necessary tools for repair.
·
2 Integration Testing – (Once
entire system is integrated)
·
2.1 Payload
o o
2.1.1 Verify daytime
color video equipments capability of providing daytime color video.
o
2.1.2 Verify IR video
equipments capability to provide IR video.
o
2.1.3 Verify all video
equipment compression subsystems properly compress video data.
o
2.1.4 Verify all video
equipment is mounted in the air vehicle.
o
2.1.5 Verify all video
equipment is protected from high heat exposure via a heat shield.
·
2.2 Data-link
o
2.2.1 Verify
software/firmware is compatible with C2.
o
2.2.2 Verify
software/firmware is bi-directional with C2.
o
2.2.3 Verify payload
transmits via air vehicle data-link.
o
2.2.4 Verify payload
receives via air vehicle data-link.
o
2.2.5 Verify payload
shall be received by ground control data-link.
o
2.2.6 Verify payload is
entirely powered by the air vehicle’s power plant.
o
2.2.7 Verify air vehicle
element contains two data-link antennas.
o
2.2.8 Verify air vehicle
element contains two data-link transceivers.
o
2.2.9 Verify ground
control equipments contains a two data-link transceiver.
o
2.2.10 Verify ground
control contains two data-link antennas.
o
2.2.11 Verify if main
data-link antenna fails then load automatically transfers to secondary antenna.
o
2.2.12 Verify if main
data-link transceiver fails then load automatically transfers to secondary
transceiver.
o
2.2.13 Verify ground
station antenna height is at 10m.
o
2.2.14 Verify data-link
equipment is entirely powered by the air vehicle’s power plant.
·
3 In Flight Testing
·
3.1 Payload
o o
3.1.1 Verify daytime
color video equipments capability to provide daytime color video successful in
altitudes up to an including 500 ft AGL.
o
3.1.2 Verify IR video
equipments capability to provide IR video successful in altitudes up to an
including 500 ft AGL.
o
3.1.3 Verify all video
equipment compression subsystems properly compress video data.
o
3.1.4 Verify that with
exposure to high heat the payload remains functional.
·
3.2 Data-link
o
3.2.1 Verify
software/firmware is compatible with C2.
o
3.2.2 Verify
software/firmware is bi-directional with C2.
o
3.2.3 Verify payload
transmits via air vehicle data-link.
o
3.2.4 Verify payload
receives via air vehicle data-link.
o
3.2.5 Verify payload
shall be received by ground control data-link.
o
3.2.6 Verify payload is
entirely powered by the air vehicle’s power plant.
o
3.2.7 Verify air vehicle
element contains two data-link antennas.
o
3.2.8 Verify air vehicle
element contains two data-link transceivers.
o
3.2.9 Verify ground
control equipments contains a two data-link transceiver.
o
3.2.10 Verify ground
control contains two data-link antennas.
o
3.2.11 Verify if main
data-link antenna fails then load automatically transfers to secondary antenna.
o
3.2.12 Verify if main
data-link transceiver fails then load automatically transfers to secondary
transceiver.
o
3.2.13 Verify ground
station height clears small ground obstacles.
o
3.2.14 Verify at low
power data-link functionality is not limited.
The development process
that will be utilized in the UAS design and implementation is the 10-phase
waterfall process. Figure 1 depicts the break down of each phase and the
respective time required (in months). The final product has a projected
production release of two years after the concept design phase begins. Some phases overlap others by a month or
by a few months as in the case with certification. With the goal of efficiency, preparations for certification
can be made prior to the required amount of flight time is achieved.
Another
overlapping phase is component test. Component testing begins once components
are available to test. Without assembly required and only the design decision
needed, a known component can be tested prior to the detail design phase is
complete. The test cases are broken down into component, integration, and in
flight testing. The ultimate goal with the three layers of testing is by the
time the system is ready for in flight testing, the majority should be
regression testing. The earlier in the development that issues can be found the
easier they are to solve without detrimental delays to the schedule. Many of
the test cases have potential for being combined or listed as a sub-test but
for clarity and to ensure thoroughness; each test case was listed individually.
Not emphasized in the test case nor the process schedule is the test site. The
in flight test site would be dedicated to the western region of the United
States in order to simulate real mission terrain and weather.
When preparing the derived requirements,
the main focus was on eliminating all ambiguity and avoiding any assumptions.
Beginning with the payload requirements, the basis for the decision to use COTS
video equipment was to decrease development time as well as increase the
potential for system upgrades to be compatible with the current equipment. The
goal was to encourage a lengthy life cycle of the UAS. Due to rapid design cycles of UAS, a
benefit with choosing COTS equipment is that they provide reliability and
deployable enabled technologies to development (Young, 2011). The equipment’s
materials must not be made from flammable material, as during the mission,
exposure to high heat will be certain. The heat shield was decided on in order
to prevent heat damage to the equipment while on a mission. The COTS video
compression subsystem was a decision made to utilize the benefits of the
equipment being COTS as well as the compression of the video data to preserve
bandwidth. An example of a complete subsystem that is currently being utilized
by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Dryden Flight
Research Center for atmospheric research is the daq8580 (Young, 2011).
The data-link requirements are closely
related to what would be command and control (C2) requirements as well as air
vehicle element requirements. The derived requirements are pretty straight
forward with the exception of the ground station antenna height. While on a mission,
the terrain and obstacles on site have the potential to interfere with
line-of-sight data-link communications. Therefore, a requirement was written for
the antenna height to be 10m (rough estimate) in order to allow for clearance
of small ground obstacles.
Lastly, the support equipment
requirements were identified based on what would be necessary to repair the UAV
on site and with time restrictions during a mission. An air compressor was
deemed necessary to re-inflate the UAVs tires and cleaning products in order
for the system to remain functional during a mission. With wildfires, operators
can expect heavy smoke and ash that will inevitably build up on the UAV.
Regular cleaning of the sensors and mechanical components would be critical to
ensure the life expectancy the UAV was designed for as well as proper
functionality of the payload to report accurate data.
While only exploring three of seven major
base requirements, one can imagine the complexity of the design document. The
requirement document would remain a living document while the development
process progresses through the 10 phases. Changes are made when issues are
found or when customers change their operational needs and in order to maintain
the schedule, the process must be fluid to allow for the necessary adjustments.
Young,
D. (2011, October 12). COTS technologies ready for UAV deployment. Military Embedded Systems. Retrieved
from http://mil-embedded.com/articles/cots-technologies-ready-uav-deployment/
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