Barnard Microsystems Limited

Above: InView overhead.

The advantages of using an Unmanned Aircraft, relative to use of a manned light plane, such as a Cessna Skylane, are that the Unmanned Aircraft:

• uses less fuel per km travelled. Excellent! Saves on operational costs…
• can stay in the air for up to 30 hours , performing a precise, repetitive raster scan of a region, that would drive a pilot to distraction, day-after-day, night-after-night in complete darkness, or, in fog, under computer control:

• performing a geological survey
• performing visual or thermal imaging of a region
• measuring cell phone, radio, or, TV coverage over any terrain

• supports a “fly and loiter” capability, in which the UA flies to a destination, where it then flies slowly in small circles to conserve fuel. The UA then uses its computer controlled imaging system, to maintain a watch on a particular target.
• is more environmentally friendly, since it:

• requires less materials to build
• uses less fuel per kilometre flown
• creates less pollution (CO ₂ , for example) per kilometre flown
• makes less noise in flight
• is easier to dispose of at the end of its operational life

• can readily be stored, in large numbers if need be and is easily transported
• can fly in dangerous situations:

• over active volcanoes
• in the vicinity of, or, in the eye of, hurricanes and tornadoes
• in adverse weather conditions, such as fog, heavy rain and thunderstorms
• through poisonous gas clouds and over regions of high radioactivity
• in challenging regions of the world: over the Arctic, over the Sahara desert…

• has unique flight capabilities:

• can take off, fly and land, completely under computer control
• can very precisely follow a flight path, enabling many UAVs to be used in close proximity, without concern for any mid-air collisions
• can safely fly “low and slow,” following ground contours, at a height of only 20 m above ground level, for high resolution “drape” geomagnetic surveys

• can use high bandwidth Free Space Optics relay links between the UA performing the reconnaissance or survey work and the Ground Control System, to enable imagery and measurement data from several UAVs to be downloaded, as it is gathered, to a computer server, in a Network Centric system. The Network Centric model allows multiple users connected to the Internet to access data from the UA, as soon as it is automatically processed, by fast computers.

Aerosonde UA from http://www.aerosonde.com/

Cessna Skylane manned light plane from www.cessna.com

costs less since:

• the Unmanned Aircraft itself is less expensive to purchase
• it has lower flight worthiness certificate and insurance costs
• it is easier to transport from one place to another
• it has lower operational costs, because:

• it has lower landing and parking fees and can often be landed onan unprepared strip
• it uses less fuel per kilometre flown
• no pilot’s salary needs to be paid

• it can fly day and night, entirely under computer control
• there is less damage and consequences from any crash (lower insurance):

• lower property damage in UA crash, due to the lower Kinetic Energy
• no pilot injury, or, pilot death in an accident
• lower chances of civilian injury, or, death in a crash (again, lower K.E.)

• a lower upkeep, smaller airport, with low quality runway, can be used