ARMY AL&T
An armed MQ-9 Reaper UAS sits in a shelter on Joint Base Balad, Iraq, before a mission. The MQ-9 Reaper Predator UAS underwent extensive testing at YPG. The proving ground has more than 2,000 square miles of restricted airspace, plenty of room for UAS evaluators to test their platforms to the limit without the possibility of crashing into populated areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt Erik Gudmundson.)
Thus, if developers want to modify the UAS in response to testing, they must get a new COA after every change. Achieving these stringent conditions is unrealistic for an untested UAS in the early stages of development.
Additionally, an important part of the developmental process is testing worst- case scenarios. It is unlikely that the FAA would allow such testing in the national airspace. YPG’s restricted airspace, on the other hand, covers miles and miles of land far from any populated area.
‘Without a Doubt, It’s the Future’
Although the government remains the primary consumer of UAS, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) predicts that the number of these cutting-edge craft in civilian hands will more than quadruple in the next 5–10 years, performing a variety of missions with less risk, cost, and pollution than a conventional manned aircraft.
Futurists look to the day when the military technology will be adapted to the commercial marketplace. The
31 OCTOBER –DECEMBER 2010
Flying is one thing. Once you have achieved flight, what is your purpose for flying? We have everything you need to demonstrate a platform’s utility.
technology transfer between military and civilian applications goes both ways, too. One portable UAS used for surveillance by Soldiers was originally used by commercial fishing operators as a low-cost, long-endurance aircraft for spotting schools of tuna.
Despite UAS’ vast potential, the same GAO report identified a lack of airspace for test and evaluation as an impediment to progress, a void that YPG is filling for both government and private industry.
YPG’s UAS workload reflects the state of the art. Recent tests evaluated new composite materials that seek to improve an airframe’s fuel efficiency and aerodynamics, as well as advanced acoustical sensors and micro-aircraft systems that can easily be carried and deployed for short distances by ground
units conducting operations, such as house-to-house searches.
“Without a doubt, it’s the future,” Weaver said. “The day is soon coming when there will be an even ratio of manned and unmanned aircraft. Eventually, one ground controller will be flying multiple unmanned aircraft simultaneously. There are already several initiatives that do this.”
YPG is firmly poised to continue UAS testing for military and industry customers. “At YPG, there is significant room for future site expansion,” said Test Officer Jerry Crump.
MARK SCHAUER is a public affairs writer at YPG. He holds a B.A. in his- tory from Northern Arizona University and is pursuing an M.A. in English, also from Northern Arizona University.
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