Insitu ScanEagle Reaches 2,500 Combat Flight Hours with Heavy Fuel Engine

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UNITED STATES - 6 AUGUST 2009

BINGEN, Wash., August 6, 2009 – Insitu, Inc. announced today it has reached more than 2,500 combat flight hours and more than 300 shipboard sorties with its heavy fuel engine (HFE). ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) successfully implemented the HFE aboard U.S. Navy ships, flying more than 11 hours daily. ScanEagle is currently deployed aboard a U.S. Navy Destroyer and completed deployment aboard the Mahan and Milius.

Since flight-testing began in 2006, Insitu has tested, developed and refined the ScanEagle HFE. Insitu is able to meet the system safety and logistics required aboard maritime vessels, while increasing system endurance and capabilities. In 2007, Insitu demonstrated these capabilities with a 28-hour, 44-minute endurance flight and in March 2008, the company deployed ScanEagle HFE.

“Since we met the challenge and developed an HFE-capable UAS for the Navy, the ScanEagle was able to provide critical intelligence aboard a U.S. Navy vessel which assisted in rescuing the captain of a freight ship who was taken hostage by pirates last April,” said Insitu Chief Technology Officer Charlie Guthrie.

Used as a safer alternative to auto gas, heavy fuel refers to the kerosene-based diesel fuel (JP5) commonly used in jet aircraft engines. This technology, which enhances overall engine performance, was a critical requirement of the U.S. Navy when deciding to place the UAS on DDG class ships.

Insitu—in partnership with combustion system experts Sonex Research, Inc. (Annapolis, MD)—developed the HFE for ScanEagle. The HFE system offers significant enhancements, including simple starting and operation, a wider weather envelope, improved reliability and increased endurance.

“The ScanEagle has a tremendous record on mission availability and responsiveness and we are proud to have partnered with Insitu,” said Sonex Research Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technical Officer Dr. Andrew A. Pouring.

ScanEagle®

The ScanEagle® Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) for military and homeland security applications comes from the teaming of Insitu and The Boeing Company. ScanEagle is an economical, long endurance unmanned aircraft (UA) and can be an enabler of network centric warfare. ScanEagle is the only UA in its class with with an inertially stabilized camera turret, designed to track an object of interest for extended periods of time, even when the object is moving and the aircraft nose is seldom pointed at the object. The turret can house either an electro-optical daylight or infrared camera.

ScanEagle differentiates itself from other UAS due to:

20+ Hours of Endurance Both Day and Night
No Need for a Runway — Unconditioned Terrain and Shipboard Operations Made Easy
High Level of Stealth — Even at Low Altitudes
Reliable During Many Adverse Weather Conditions
Small Size and Autonomous Operations Keep Personnel Requirements Low
Many Components Replaceable While in the Field
Space for Upgraded Avionics Components
Inertially Stabilized Camera with Persistent Staring Capability
Selective Expendability due to Low Cost

Source: Insitu

 

[Righteous_Fire]

Nice, please post a few more pix

 

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A ScanEagle in its catapult launcher

 

[Righteous_Fire]

Wow Nice! that thing is so teeny

 

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Insitu Integrator Flies Heavy Fuel Engine with EFI
UNITED STATES - 3 FEBRUARY 2010

BINGEN, Wash - Insitu Inc., successfully flight-tested an electronic fuel injection (EFI) heavy fuel engine (HFE) on its Integrator unmanned aircraft. This technology is being incorporated into Insitu’s entire family of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) enhancing overall mission performance, especially in extreme temperatures and at high altitudes, including mountainous terrain.

“We have now demonstrated HFE/EFI engine performance on both of our Insitu unmanned aircraft, ScanEagle and Integrator. Our team continues to focus on providing the best capabilities for our commercial and military customers. This is yet another critical enabling technology demonstrated in support of our STUAS (small tactical unmanned aircraft system)/Tier II effort,” said Vice President of Emerging Programs Bill Clark. “Heavy fuel with electronic fuel injection provides a 40 percent improvement in mission endurance over the previously demonstrated capability. It represents the next generation of our HFE technology, providing a more reliable, safer and easier to operate and maintain engine, and positions us well for our initial deployments later this year.”

Integrator continues to demonstrate key capabilities such as a communications relay payload, which enables mobile ground units to exchange secure voice and data where line-of-sight obstructions exist, and a ROVER 4 and ROVER 5 compatible encrypted digital data link, allowing ground forces to securely view real-time data streams on small laptop devices. The company also demonstrated a runway-independent launch and recovery system for its entire family of UAS, reducing the overall operational footprint and total ownership costs.

The mature design of the Integrator evolved from ScanEagle—the field-proven UAS serving in theater for more than five years. Building from this strong foundation, Integrator provides expanded plug-and-play payload capacity and a modular design. Integrator can fly multiple mission payloads simultaneously, providing high-quality information to forces on land and at sea.

Insitu’s ScanEagle HFE recently logged more than 3,800 operational flight hours meeting the system safety and logistics requirements aboard maritime vessels, while increasing system endurance. The HFE technology was a critical requirement of the U.S. Navy when deciding to place Insitu UAS on DDG-class ships.




Source: Insitu

 

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Insitu Announces Availability of NanoSAR—Synthetic-Aperture Radar Payload
UNITED STATES - 23 FEBRUARY 2010

(Bingen, Wash., February 23, 2010) -- Insitu Inc. announced today the availability of NanoSAR, a tactical-level, synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) payload, for its ScanEagle dual bay and Integrator unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The NanoSAR payload module provides high-resolution imagery that can penetrate adverse weather conditions, battlefield obscurants, camouflage and light foliage, allowing radar-enabled area searches over land and sea.

"Warfighters now have an enhanced capability to identify and locate threats, which will save the lives of U.S. and allied forces," said Insitu Chief Technology Officer Charlie Guthrie. "This technology will allow mission commanders to own and control SAR assets at the tactical level."

Insitu's unmanned aircraft (UA) are equipped to accommodate many intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets including electro-optic cameras, infrared sensors, communications relay payloads and customer-specified payloads while maintaining long endurance. The NanoSAR payload can be integrated into ScanEagle dual-bay UA in the field without changing current ground control station hardware or support equipment. It will also be available as a payload option for Integrator.

Insitu has been working with ImSAR LLC in the development of NanoSAR for four years including two years of flight-testing.

"NanoSAR's point-and-click geo-location feature provides rapid cross-queuing to on-board optics systems, which will allow Insitu's UAS to conduct wider area searches even in extreme weather conditions," said NanoSAR program manager at ImSAR, Adam Robertson.

The NanoSAR payload is ideal for adverse weather conditions, capturing high-quality imagery in challenging conditions such as fog, haze, sandstorms and smoke. Manmade objects appear bright in imagery even in the worst atmospheric conditions. Like traditional radar, SAR uses echo waveforms to resolve targets. A radar pulse is emitted and the echo of that pulse is used to detect objects and to identify range. Multiple radar returns are then used to create high-resolution imagery.


Source: Insitu

 

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Insitu’s ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System Achieves 300,000 Combat Flight Hours
UNITED STATES - 29 APRIL 2010

BINGEN, Wash., April 29, 2010 — Insitu Inc. announced today that its ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) recently exceeded 300,000 combat flight hours, making it a leader in Group 2, the small tactical class of UAS.

Insitu’s ScanEagle accounted for approximately 22 percent of the 550,000 hours that the U.S. Department of Defense estimated unmanned aircraft flew last year supporting combat missions for the U.S. armed services.

“Through these in-theater operations, we’ve proven the reliability of ScanEagle and consistently demonstrated that our systems are ready to execute any mission over land or sea. Our continual commitment to advance our technology contributes to this milestone, distinguishing Insitu within the UAS industry,” said Vice President of Emerging Programs Bill Clark.

Since ScanEagle’s first operational flight in 2002, Insitu has rapidly developed and delivered tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions to better serve the warfighter. In response to requests for enhanced nighttime imagery, ScanEagle can be converted to NightEagle to include a cooled mid-wave infrared imager. Other aircraft configuration advancements include a heavy fuel engine for improved safety and ease of military supply chain logistics integration and a muffled engine for reduced acoustic signature. Upgrades to Insitu’s family of UAS include a mode C transponder for airspace deconfliction and an automatic identification system for maritime vessel identification. Most recently, Insitu introduced the NanoSAR payload, which penetrates adverse weather conditions, battlefield obscurants, camouflage and light foliage, allowing radar-enabled broad-area searches over land and sea.

Future deliveries to the warfighter will include digital video data encryption, single-channel ground-to-air radio relay and heavy fuel engine electronic fuel-injection. These advancements will enable ground forces to see real-time encrypted, secure video and metadata from Insitu UAS using small laptop devices. Additionally, ground forces will be able to relay voice and data with an extensive end-to-end reach. Engine performance will also improve, especially in extreme temperatures and at high altitudes.

“Serving warfighters over the past five years has helped us fine-tune our engineering, production and field services operations. The result has been increased agility and enhanced ability to deliver our systems rapidly anywhere in the world,” said Vice President of Sales and Marketing Alvin Jackson. “We’ve come to better understand the unique needs of the armed forces and we’re responding with advanced solutions to fulfill those requirements.” To learn more about Insitu’s technologies visit Booth 217 at Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition at the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.


U.S. ScanEagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)



Source: Insitu Inc.

 

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Insitu Demonstrates ScanEagle Capabilities at Fort Rucker
UNITED STATES - 13 MAY 2010

BINGEN, Wash. --- Insitu Inc., in coordination with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, recently demonstrated its heavy fuel engine-configured ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to U.S. Army personnel at Fort Rucker, Ala. It was the first UAS demonstration at Fort Rucker in six years.

Insitu successfully demonstrated the interoperability between ScanEagle video with metadata and the U.S. Army’s One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT). The demonstration was conducted in conjunction with the Joint Systems Integration Laboratory (JSIL).

Insitu also showcased its digital video, encrypted data feed, enhancing situational awareness and surveillance of threats. Other technologies on display included a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensor that provides high-quality intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data and imagery at night, as well as Insitu’s airborne target tracking system that displays stabilized video and remote video terminal functionality.

“We’re gratified by the strong interest in ScanEagle that we received from participants in the Fort Rucker demonstration. In our view, this unmanned system provides the Army with the optimal combat-proven ISR solutions it needs to protect warfighters on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Insitu Vice President of Business Development Alvin Jackson.


Source: Insitu Inc

 

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Boeing Conducts Test Flight of ScanEagle Compressed Carriage
UNITED STATES - 26 MAY 2010

ST. LOUIS, May 26, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] successfully flew its ScanEagle Compressed Carriage (SECC) unmanned airborne system (UAS) at a testing facility in eastern Oregon on May 12. The 75-minute flight evaluated the aircraft's airworthiness and flight characteristics in a simulated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission.

The SECC -- powered by a six-horsepower, heavy-fuel engine -- was launched from a ground vehicle, flew an autonomous flight plan at various altitudes and provided streaming video from its electro-optical/infrared sensor package to a nearby ground station. The SECC was recovered using the same runway-independent SkyHook recovery system used by the ScanEagle and Integrator unmanned airborne systems. The SECC system will complete additional tests in the coming months.

"This is a big step toward adding another aircraft with additional capabilities to Boeing's UAS stable," said Ron Perkins, director of Boeing Phantom Works' Advanced Unmanned Airborne Systems. "The vehicle's 132-inch wingspan and folding aero surfaces allow it to be carried on an aircraft pylon or in a container, giving the warfighter the choice of operating it from air, underwater, ground or surface platforms."

The SECC is a long-endurance, autonomous UAS designed to provide ISR, targeting, and battle-damage assessment.


Source: The Boeing Company

 

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Boeing to Demo UAV Cooperative Control Technologies for U.S. Air Force
UNITED STATES - 10 JUNE 2010

(St. Louis, June 10, 2010) -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) has received a three-year, $9.8 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to further develop and demonstrate technologies that will enable multiple small unmanned aerial vehicles to coordinate with each other and a manned airborne control station to more safely and effectively carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The Foxhunt Multi-Small Unmanned Aerial System Cooperative Control Demonstration will leverage Boeing's networked systems expertise and technology advancements to directly support an emerging and challenging U.S. Air Force need.

"The focus of the Foxhunt program is the airborne control of a varied mix of unmanned aerial vehicles," said Patrick Stokes of Boeing Research & Technology, the company's advanced, central research, technology and innovation organization, who will manage the research effort. "It's part of a grander vision outlined by the Air Force Research Laboratory to include the air launch, command-and-control and airborne recovery of unmanned aerial systems - all from an airborne mothership."

Stokes said the unmanned aerial systems are intended to be an extension of the manned mothership's sensor and weapon suites, improving situational awareness and intelligence, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance reach, allowing for safer stand-off distances.

The team working on this effort includes researchers from the Boeing Research & Technology and Boeing Test & Evaluation groups of Boeing's Engineering, Operations & Technology organization; Boeing Defense, Space & Security's Phantom Works organization; and Insitu, a wholly owned independent Boeing subsidiary. Jonathan How, a renowned researcher from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the area of unmanned aerial vehicle cooperative planning, also is on the team.

"This research project is a good fit within Boeing's overall research-and-technology strategy," said Jim Paunicka, a Boeing Technical Fellow and the program's principal investigator. "It supports research and technology roadmaps in many Boeing programs, helping to further the development of technologies involving airborne communications and networking, unmanned aerial systems, control station architecture, multi-mission planning, and command-and-control."


Source: The Boeing Company

 

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Boeing Flight Demonstrates Narrowband Communications Relay on ScanEagle
UNITED STATES - 20 JULY 2010

SEATTLE --- The Boeing Company and its subsidiary Insitu Inc. announced today that they successfully demonstrated a high-performance Narrowband Relay communications system aboard a ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in June. The relay was designed to meet the needs of small distributed forces operating in areas where Line of Sight (LOS) communications would not normally be possible.

The U.S. Defense Department has widely deployed handheld narrowband radios as the primary method of communications among small, distributed forces. However, these radios are limited in range and cannot communicate where the radios do not have a direct path to one another. The Boeing-developed Narrowband Relay, deployed aboard a small UAV, will provide a dramatically longer range and LOS capability over hills and buildings.

"This technology can make a dramatic difference in providing key communications capabilities to warfighters operating in geographically challenging environments around the world," said Nancy-Kim Yun, director, Integrated Shipboard Systems, Boeing Network and Tactical Systems (N&TS). "Our Payloads team has demonstrated the best of Boeing – they took on a challenge and found a solution that is easy to implement and cost-effective for potential customers."

To demonstrate the capability, two Thales PRC-148 JEM-compatible radios were driven more than 1,100 miles around central Washington state and northern Oregon, an area that has geography similar to the terrain in Afghanistan – hilly, with many obstacles preventing direct radio contact. As a ScanEagle UAV, outfitted with the Narrowband Relay, flew above the Boeing Boardman, Ore., facility, testers were able to use the relay to communicate with the radios.

"This flight demonstration was the culmination of a number of laboratory- and land-based tests, in many environments and with other radios, including PSC-5, PRC-117, and PRC-152," said Dick Paquette, Boeing Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence [C4I] Payloads Program manager. "This capability expands on our previous in-flight demonstrations that integrated C4I payloads and UAVs in support of the warfighter."

The U.S. Special Operations Command, the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command have expressed interest in the results of the Boeing-funded demonstration.


Source: The Boeing Company

 

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Insitu Awarded STUAS/Tier II Contract
UNITED STATES - 29 JULY 2010

Insitu Inc. today announced it has been awarded the Small Tactical Unmanned Air System (STUAS)/Tier II contract from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for its Integrator unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

In partnership with The Boeing Company, Harris Corporation, Corsair Engineering and Black Ram Engineering Services, Insitu will begin the 24-month engineering, manufacturing and development phase to build and test its Integrator UAS satisfying STUAS/Tier II system requirements.

Under the contract, Integrator will support two operational assessments. The first will determine if an early operational capability option will be exercised leading to the fielding of up to five systems in fiscal 2011. The second will support low-rate initial production of two systems, one each for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Initial operating capability is expected in fourth quarter fiscal 2013. Integrator is then expected to move to full-rate production of up to 56 systems.

"I'm looking forward to fielding the capabilities of STUAS to our forward deployed forces," said Capt. JR Brown, PMA-263 Program Manager. "This critical system will greatly increase their intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in theater."

Integrator provides battlefield commanders with 24/7, real-time, actionable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) products via Hood Technologies' electro-optic and infrared sensor package. High-resolution imagery is transmitted through an encrypted line-of-sight digital data link provided by L-3 Communication Systems-West. Harris Corporation will provide the next generation communications relay payload to support secure ground communications.

"We are extremely honored to be awarded this contract and we look forward to partnering with NAVAIR PMA-263," said Insitu Vice President of Emerging Programs and STUAS/Tier II Program Manager Bill Clark. "Integrator provides unsurpassed growth capability for expanding into new and future missions. With the award of this contract, Integrator will continue the Insitu legacy of supporting our troops in harm's way."

The field-proven Insitu ScanEagle UAS has served the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps since 2004 and will continue supporting U.S. and allied forces as customer needs require.

"ScanEagle has played a vital role in protecting our warfighters by providing them with the ISR products they need," said Director of Unmanned Airborne Systems for Boeing Vic Sweberg. "We see the STUAS contract as a big step forward as Boeing expands its presence in the UAS market."


Source: Insitu Inc.

 

[Hyde]

This is another picture of ScanEagle i took in Farnborough Airshow 2010

and this is ScanEagle Compressed Carriage

I noticed Google does not have many pictures of this machine, so better share it here