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Boeing Phantom Eye Promoted to Experimental Status by US Air Force

The Phantom Eye could change the future of ISR forever.

The Phantom Eye could change the future of ISR forever.

I’m sure I sound like a broken record with how much I talk about Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) being one of the most exciting and interesting topics of discussion in aviation, but they are.  Right now the focus is really on their value as an ISR asset, and I think that is largely where the focus will stay for quite a while.  One of the most intriguing stories is the development of the Boeing Phantom Eye.

I have written about the Phantom Eye in the past and all of the incredible goals they have set.  It is a high altitude long endurance (HALE) airframe that is designed to cruise at 60,000 feet for anywhere from 7 to 10 days at a time.  Yes you read that right, over a week which is made possible by the liquid-hydrogen powered engines.

The platform has only performed six flight tests, but was just promoted from unproven to experimental status by the US Air Force 412th Operations Group.  That upgrade was based on the recommendation of NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center.

This promotion allows the Phantom Eye development team to expand testing by flying to a nearby test range instead of strictly flying in the protected airspace over Edwards Air Force Base.  The team will now be able to really push the altitude and endurance limits that they are shooting for.

Military use is often the first thing people think of when they talk about UAVs, but there are so many other uses for a platform like this.  What other uses can you think of for the Phantom Eye, or other similar platforms?  Please share in the comments below.

February 12, 2014 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

X-47B Continues Flight Tests Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt

X-47B performs flight tests aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

X-47B performs flight tests aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

I was a little bit surprised a few months back when the Navy stopped flying the X-47B UCAS-D with plans to send it to the Smithsonian.  I didn’t understand why you would send perfectly capable aircraft to pasture when there is still so much more they could do.

Apparently, the Navy came to the same realization as the two aircraft that have been part of testing returned to service aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt on Nov. 10.  The aircraft will continue testing in the carrier environment to ensure interoperability with the complex operations that occur there.

How quickly the testing came to an end initially made it feel like the whole thing was just to generate proof of concept rather than actual long-term solutions.  However, the release that the Navy put out regarding these test flights makes it feel much more real.

Earlier testing included flight deck operations aboard the USS Harry Truman and catapult take-offs and landings aboard the USS George H. W. Bush.  While those may have been some of the more challenging aspects, it is telling that the Navy is spending more time working on how these aircraft will integrate with regular operations rather than just individual test events.

Not having ever observed actual flight deck operations, unfortunately, I am curious as to what specific testing is taking place.  What types of integration will be necessary to ensure functionality?  Does the lack of a pilot on-board make it more difficult, or maybe even easier?  It will be fun to see how the program develops over the years.

November 15, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Are UAVs the Next Disruptive Technology in Aviation?

Like many of you, I’m a bit of an aviation junkie.  Of late my favorite drug has been UAVs for a variety of reasons.  Admittedly they are not as sleek and sexy as big airliners or even private jets.  They don’t carry the pure speed and maneuverability of military jets, but they sure are a major point of debate right now.

The predator has been in use since 1994 by the military but is quickly finding other users.

The predator has been in use since 1994 by the military but is quickly finding other users.

Everyone is starting to have an opinion on UAVs, whether it be as an aviation nut, or as someone concerned with privacy issues (honestly an aspect of the debate I really don’t understand, but I have nothing to hide).  There was even an article on CNN this week

about a group that is working towards having commercial aircraft with no pilot.

Personally I don’t know that that will ever happen for a number of reasons.  The largest being I think it will be a hard sell to most people to trust a computer at 40,000 feet.  I also don’t really see the point as you will still need someone to control it.  Even if one person could control two or three from the ground you are still talking about a person that will garner quite a hefty wage, but that is likely a debate for another article.

A few months back I remember reading an article about disruptive technology in aviation.  Even with all of the advances made over the years, you could argue that the last truly disruptive technology development was when jet engines were first used.  It completely altered the possibilities of aviation.  You could carry substantially more, at a much faster rate, across much longer distances.  It truly raised the ceiling on aviation.

But since that time, everything else has simply been essentially enhancing what we already have.  GPS has had a tremendous impact, but it is just another form of navigation, and let’s be honest, could there be anything more potentially disruptive than taking the pilot out of the airplane?

There were various forms of lighter than air travel in the forms of balloons and gliders in full size and model form, but until the Wright Brothers successfully achieved manned, powered flight the floodgates of aviation had been held back.  We may very well be at the point of such a flood again.

Just imagine the possibilities.  In the small-scale you have police agencies and farmers that are already utilizing this technology to enhance their efforts.  Random people are securing small UAVs just for recreational purposes, and finding any number of different capabilities.

If a UAV can takeoff and land on a carrier, what can't they do? (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis/Released)

If a UAV can takeoff and land on a carrier, what can’t they do? (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis/Released)

On a much larger scale the military is already utilizing UAVs all over the world.  They provide essential intelligence gathering capabilities to the war fighter that would other wise put people in great danger.  I could even see future cargo aircraft having no crew on-board.  Imagine how much more time and cost efficient operations would be if you didn’t have to worry about duty days, hotels, and per diem.

Naturally that would translate to the civilian cargo sector where the benefits could be even larger.  FedEx and UPS pilots are some of if not the highest paid pilots in the industry.  I am sure that they would both be happy to eliminate large numbers of pilots that they are paying $300,000 plus a year.  The planes are already capable of doing  a lot of the work themselves anyway, so how hard will it be to take the next step?

I honestly feel like we are at least 15-20 years away from any of this happening on a large-scale, but technology is adapting at a faster rate than it ever has before, so I could be wrong.  Whether it is 5 years or 50 years the one thing that is certain is that UAVs have already created quite a disruption and I have a feeling they will continue to do so for a long time.

September 17, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Aviation Community Just One More Victim of Media Imposing Their Will On UAV Debate

It’s no secret that I am a big supporter of UAVs and all of their varied uses.  There are very real issues that need to be addressed when it comes to airspace usage, and how they will fit into the National Airspace System.  That being said, there are other issues being covered in the media that appear to not really be much of an issue.

One of the most common articles I can find as it relates to UAV complaints is the privacy issue.  People seem to be under the impression that everyone who flies a UAV is just looking to be a peeping tom with really nice equipment.

Something that I find really interesting is that every article I have read complaining about privacy issues created by UAVs cites different examples of criminals being caught because of a UAV.  It is never a story about some normal person having their picture taken, but of somebody breaking the law, that gets caught on accident.

Honestly, that just reaffirms how important I think UAVs are.  Maybe we will be able to catch even more criminals, and maybe some of those people will even think twice about committing a crime in the first place.

Apparently, people aren’t nearly as worried about their privacy as the media would like you to believe.  In one article from a local paper in Syracuse, NY they repeatedly mention that there has been little to no objection from the locals.  The article says that after the paper wrote two separate articles about drone training in their county the readers, “…barely batted an eye.”

Now if the media would stop wasting our time trying to make us worry about something that does not concern most people maybe we can focus on the real issues, and make UAVs a safer and more effective part of the aviation world.

August 27, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

A Video History of the X-47B UCAS-D Naval Unmanned Aircraft System

One of my biggest obsessions recently has been UAV’s, and the X-47B in particular.  As incredible as I find UAVs it is even more incredible to me that the Navy has pursued an aircraft like this.  Naval aviation just carries so many unique attributes that I never thought they would even be interested in this technology.

After two and a half years of development the Navy recently achieved arguably the biggest milestone in making the UCAS-D a reality.  On July 10 they successfully performed an arrested landing on an aircraft carrier with the X-47B on board the USS George H.W. Bush.  When I saw the video, which can be found below, the only thought I had was, WOW!

Maybe it is just the nature of aviation, but it seems like they continue to make advances where other industries crawl along at a snail’s pace.  This is the type of technology that really sparks innovation in the world.  Like many technologies we may not fully appreciate its impact until far into the future, but there is no doubt it will have a tremendous impact.

The Navy has a great timeline of events on their website describing the development process, and Northrop Grumman, the lead developer, gave a nice description of the first arrested landing in their press release.  More information about previous milestones can be found here, here, and here.

But, if all you want is some high quality video footage, that can be found below.

July 24, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Idaho Drone Bill Outlaws Spying From the Sky

This 4-rotor UAV helo designed to aid farmers was featured on FarmWeekly.com.

This 4-rotor UAV helo designed to aid farmers was featured on FarmWeekly.com.

Legislation relating to drones is starting to actually get put into place, and so far I think it has all be pretty reasonable.  The most recent law was signed into law by Idaho’s governor, Butch Otter.  According to an article on the Capital Press website:

The new law, which prevents any person, entity or public agency from using a UAV to conduct surveillance or observation of private property, requires law enforcement to obtain warrants in most cases before using drones to collect evidence.

This legislation is exactly the type of level-headed, fair lawmaking that we need to see.  It protects people from unlawful searches, but at the same time still allows for increased drone usage on private property.  This is extremely important as more and more farmers start to utilize UAVs to better monitor their crops.

I have written previously about the many uses of UAVs, and agriculture is one area that can benefit greatly from this rapidly evolving technology.  Farmers can better monitor the growth of their crops and more efficiently use things like fertilizer and pesticides.  For those farmers with livestock it is easier for them to monitor their herds without using excessive amounts of time, or using expensive tools like manned planes or helicopters.

This small UAV from Headwall Photonics can be used by farmers to better monitor their crops.

This small UAV from Headwall Photonics can be used by farmers to better monitor their crops.

What really makes this law important is protecting the farmers from groups like PETA who could use drones to spy on farmers and create unnecessary legal issues.

This is one of countless laws that we will continue to see popping up over the coming years relating to drones, and it is a very important one.  We can only hope that the rest of the new laws will be equally moderate and allow the technology to grow and evolve while at the same time protecting the rights and privacy of everyone.

What types of legislation do you think we need to see as it relates to drones?

May 21, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

X-47B Performs First Ever Catapult Launch for a UAV from USS George H.W. Bush

The X-47B leaving the carrier deck for the first time. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis/Released)

The X-47B leaving the carrier deck for the first time. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony D. Curtis/Released)

The Navy’s UCAS-D, X-47B, took another huge step forward in its development today and I had to at least mention it because it is a pretty pivotal day in the future of aviation.  I have previously written about the X-47B performing simulated aerial refueling, as well as its first arrested landing on ground, but today it took a major step forward when it performed its very first catapult launch from the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Planes have been landing on ship decks for over 100 years, and today the USS George H.W. Bush was the first carrier to see a plane take off without a person actually in it.  It really leaves me kind of speechless to think about that.

Aviation has always been a breeding ground for innovation, and the Navy has often been heavily involved with that.  Personally I thought carriers were the one place we may never see a UAV, but I have definitely been proven wrong.  It is interesting how my views on UAVs have changed in less than a year.

I wrote that first article about the refueling a little over a year ago, and I was relatively skeptical about where UAVs would actually go, but now I am willing to believe they can do just about anything.  Next up on the agenda for the X-47B is to make an arrested landing on a moving carrier, which they are planning to attempt in the next few weeks.

May 14, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

X-47B UCAS-D Performs First Arrested Landing

There are a few things that I have become completely obsessed with recently in aviation.  One of the biggest ones is the development of UAVs.  There are so many amazing new technologies and new applications that we haven’t even considered yet.  How about using them on aircraft carriers?

It is hard enough for a pilot in the seat to land on a carrier, so how good will a computer do?  Only time will tell, but the Navy is getting one step closer.

Northrop Grumman has been working with the Navy on developing the X-47B, an Unmanned Carrier Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D).  The first flight took place a little over two years ago on land, and then over this last weekend it performed its first arrested landing, also on land.  According to NavalDrones.com this is leading up to carrier flight tests that are scheduled to start later this month on the USS George H. W. Bush.

 

 

NavalDrones.com has a great collection of videos of the X-47B that follow its development from the beginning.

It will be interesting to continue to follow the development of this and other carrier-borne systems.

May 6, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Utah Valley University Bidding to Become UAS Test Facility

Unmanned aerial systems(UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV), remotely piloted aircraft(RPA), drones…whatever you want to call them, I’ll go with RPAs, are one of the biggest topics of discussion in aviation these days.  Whether you like them or not, they are rapidly becoming more common all over the country, and in ways that we may not have previously considered.

I’ve recently posted about the Boeing Phantom Eye that is designed to provide long periods of surveillance, likely for military and civilian use.  There are the well documented Predators and Reapers that can provide surveillance as well as weapons employment, which was the topic of Rand Paul’s filibuster last week, wasting half a day of work for Congress.  These three are only an incredibly small sampling of all the RPA’s out there, and the list just continues to grow.

With the rapid growth of RPAs it is becoming increasingly important for the FAA to create rules and regulations to govern their use, and how they will fit into the National Airspace System (NAS).  Some would say it is as simple as making them all fly under instrument flight rules, but with a system that relies heavily on a “see and avoid” mindset, it really can’t be that simple.  Though it doesn’t need to be super difficult either.

Whatever the FAA decides to do with regulation, they are asking institutions to put in bids to become one of six sites across the nation that will conduct tests to aid in the development of future regulations as RPAs get integrated into the NAS.  From what I have read recently, many of the groups applying are based around universities, which makes a whole lot of sense.  Today I read about one such university that I think would be a perfect fit.

Utah Valley University(UVU) is leading an alliance of universities, and private companies that are involved in research and development of RPAs.  The name of their alliance is the Mountain West Unmanned Systems Alliance or MWUSA.  UVU supports a well-respected aviation program, that is rapidly growing along with the university.

With their campus in Provo, Utah, they are in a great position to conduct all kinds of different research into RPA’s and how they will interact with other aircraft in the NAS.  Provo itself has only a small airport which will be good when it comes to basic testing of atc and other radio communications.

However, Provo is only a short distance from Salt Lake International Airport which is a relatively busy airport, being one of Delta’s larger hubs.  This would allow researchers to interact with relatively busy airspace, while not interfering with the major operations that would be going on at LAX, O’Hare, or Atlanta.  Ultimately, the major hubs will have to be included, but initially I would think researchers would rather have busy, but not overwhelming airports to conduct their research.

The other great feature that UVU has at their fingertips is the geography of the State of Utah.  There are not many places that have mountains climbing up to over 10,000 feet(Wasatch Mountains) within 20-30 miles of some of the flattest ground in the world(Bonneville Salt Flats).  As an Air Force aviator, terrain is something that we talk about on every single flight, so I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be a major factor in understanding how RPAs will interact with the current system.

The FAA isn’t planning on naming the sites until later this summer, but whoever gets the nod will certainly have their work cut out for them.  The FAA is under a mandate from Congress to integrate RPAs into the NAS by 2018.  5 years may seem like a long time, but with as fast as technology is changing, and as slow as government agencies generally work, I think they will need all of the time they can get.

March 14, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Phantom Eye by Boeing Flies for Second Time

The Phantom Eye takes to the skies for the second time.

The Phantom Eye takes to the skies for the second time.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the Boeing Phantom Eye performing taxi tests in preparation for its next flight.  That second test flight took place yesterday, and it was a great success according to the developers.

In this second flight, the Phantom Eye flew to an altitude of 8,000 feet and lasted for 66 minutes, doubling the parameters of its first flight.  The longer flight allowed technicians to collect a lot more quality data to further the development process.

The other happy outcome from this flight was that the plane landed successfully.  After the first flight, the gear collapsed causing some damage to the aircraft.  In this second attempt the landing was picture perfect.  What is really interesting about this plane’s landing is that it only has two sets of gear, so once the plane comes to a stop, it leans to the side and rests on its own wingtip.

In watching the video below this thing just looks almost graceful in flight.  With most of my recent flying experience being around military planes, it is a nice change of pace to see something look so clean and smooth in flight.

I have yet to see any kind of expected release date for the Phantom Eye, but if it lives up to its goals of 65,000 altitude, and up to four days of continuous flight, it is sure to be useful in all different types of applications.

 

 

February 26, 2013 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.