Use Of Unmanned Systems Research Articles

Evacuation of the Injured Using Unmanned Systems

This article explores the use of unmanned systems for evacuating wounded personnel from the battlefield. It focuses on conclusions drawn from conventional medical evacuation methods, particularly when wounded soldiers are still in the enemy’s operational zone, following the principles of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC). Then, general conditions of the injured were determined, which would require evacuation to a safe zone. This allowed us to define the critical capabilities needed for unmanned systems to perform these tasks. The ability of the unmanned system to pick up an injured person who is unconscious and unable to cooperate was identified as crucial. In the further part of the work, existing unmanned systems intended for rescue tasks were collected and critically analysed.

Multi-Criteria Evaluation of UAV Control Efficiency in Hybrid Communication Networks

Currently, there is an active growth in the use of unmanned systems in various spheres of activity. The qualitative fulfillment by unmanned systems of their target tasks depends on the efficiency of information exchange channels for their control, which consists of several criteria, which makes the problem of its evaluation a multi-criteria one. This article presents the corresponding evaluation methodology, which is based on the use of the probability of achieving a set of functioning goals as a generalized efficiency indicator. To determine the probability, the widely used Rosenblatt-Parzen nuclear estimation method is used. The main stages of the methodology are described and recommendations for its use in the framework of ensuring qualitative fulfillment by unmanned systems of their target tasks are offered.

Environmental safety problems of swarm use of UAVs in precision agriculture

Digital technologies are an integral part of the functioning of many sectors of the state, which applies, in particular, to the agricultural sector, which plays a significant role in shaping the state’s economy, ensuring food independence and export potential. One of the promising areas of digital transformation is the swarm use of unmanned aerial vehicles in precision agriculture, the use of which significantly increases productivity while reducing production costs. Analysis of the transport and technological cycles of UAVs allows us to identify a number of existing problems in the swarm use of UAVs that are associated with anthropogenic impact. The article examines the potential impact of unmanned aerial vehicles on the environment, analyzing such aspects as noise and vibration emissions, air and soil pollution, electromagnetic radiation, and the impact on biodiversity and ecosystems in general. The study is aimed at identifying key environmental problems, identifying ways to minimize and solve them. The authors offer recommendations for ensuring environmental safety and sustainable development of precision agriculture with the swarm use of unmanned systems.

METHODOLOGY OF THE RATIONALE OF AN AMOUNT OF UNMANNED CARGO DELIVERY SYSTEMS

It is possible to reduce human losses during the cargo delivery to units on the battlefield with the use of unmanned systems (UMSs), including logistical unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) of various groups carrying capacity and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The urgent task is to determine the required number of unmanned cargo delivery systems in the interests of the mechanized infantry battalion. The method of determining the number of unmanned cargo delivery systems for the logistical means (LM) transportation to the units of the mechanized infantry battalion is described. The optimality criterion of the selected composition of the system is the maximum efficiency-cost ratio (ECR) under the condition of transporting the maximum weight of LM required for the battle day from the combat supply point to the units of the mechanized infantry battalion. In this case, the efficiency indicator is the share of the total weight of LM that must be delivered to the units. In order to calculate this indicator, it is necessary to estimate the probability of successful delivery of LM to different battalion units for each UMSs. The cost indicator is the product of the masses of the cargo and energy costs on the delivery route, purchase costs and total costs for operating the UMSs during the forecasted average life of operation in terms of 1 kg of cargo. Two transport tables are built based on the results of the calculations. The first table includes probability weighting factors, and the second includes weighting factors of the cost of delivering LM from a combat supply point to units by various UMSs. For each of these transport problems, the optimal solution is obtained by linear programming methods, and for the ECR, by methods of optimization of problems with a nonlinear objective function, which is illustrated by an example using the "Solver" add-on in the Excel spreadsheet processor. Keywords: logistic support, unmanned systems, logistical unmanned ground vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems, load capacity, cargo delivery, efficiency-cost, optimization of an amount.

ASSESSING THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPROVING RESCUE OPERATIONS WITH THE USE OF UAVS. CASE STUDIES FROM WIELKOPOLSKIE PROVINCE

The growing intensity of fire hazards is increasing the need for incorporating aerial vehicles including unmanned aerial vehicles, which are now becoming a valuable tool in the hands ofvarious state bodies and institutions, including the State Fire Service (SFS) in Poland, in supportingactivities aimed at saving human life, health or property. The article presents the characteristicsand purpose of the SFS and the range of tasks performed by it, as well as key problems in thisarea. Examples of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in firefighting activities werealso presented. It was pointed out that improving the ability of SFS to carry out tasks should bea priority, especially in an era of cyclical threats arising from human activity or environmentalforces, and the continued growth of technology means that unmanned aerial vehicles can provideincreasing support. The purpose of the article was to present the scale and level of a fire threat andto indicate the potential of UAVs in combating it. The research was conducted on the exampleof a selected region. The article uses the case study method: 3 examples are presented to supportrescue operations using unmanned aerial vehicles. Descriptions of cases are supplemented byoperational conclusions and recommendations. It was assumed (research hypothesis) that thelarge-scale use of unmanned systems for search and rescue operations in the SFS would not onlyaffect the speed and effectiveness of the response, but also enhance the level of safety of the officersinvolved. The authors also emphasise the need of creating a new unit in the structures of theState Fire Service, which would deal exclusively with the implementation of tasks related to theprocessing, management, analysis and placement on the map of the necessary data on the hazards.This would make preventive measures more effective.e

Model for calculating quantitative indicators for assessing the efficiency of protecting a critical infrastructure object from impacts of unmanned aviation complexes

The growing potential for the use of unmanned systems, which are designed to perform combat missions in the air, on the ground, on/under water than ever before, leads to an increase in threats to the defense landscape of defense forces. This is the reason for the rapid growth of interest in technologies that neutralize threats of this type. For the party that protects a critical object from an air attack by an unmanned aircraft complex (or group), the issue of guaranteed effectiveness or economic proportionality of methods of protection against low-cost attacks that can be carried out by such complexes is always relevant. The answer to this question begins with the availability of a device for calculating quantitative indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of protecting a critical infrastructure object from an air attack. The process of functioning of a critical infrastructure object, which includes a deployed protection system, a control point and subsystems with critical equipment, through which the general purpose of this object is carried out, is proposed to be described by analogy with the model of the process of functioning of a renewable system with limited element reliability. In order to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of the protection of a critical infrastructure object from air attacks by unmanned aerial systems, it is proposed to take a comprehensive indicator of the reliability of the functioning of the renewable system, which consists of the following components: the readiness factor, the vulnerability factor and the protection from air attacks. Expressions of calculation formulas are given in accordance with the proposed process description model. The obtained indicators for the quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of the protection of a critical infrastructure object from air attacks will be converted into specific proposals for persons who make decisions on the selection of the necessary types of countermeasures against unmanned aircraft systems for the expansion of the defense system, and which are required for the justification of financial and economic costs when overcoming this type of threat. The directions of further research in order to ensure the specified indicators of the protection of a critical infrastructure object will be the method of calculating the reservation of protection means.

Killing from a Safe Distance

Unmanned systems bring risk asymmetry in war to a new level, making martial virtues such as physical courage by and large obsolete. Nonetheless, the dominant view within the military is that using unmanned systems that remove the risks for military personnel involved is not very different from using aircrafts that drop bombs from a high altitude. According to others, however, the use of unmanned systems and the riskless killing they make possible do raise a host of new issues, for instance the question to what extent the willingness to take risks is part of the military profession. This article addresses that existential question, but also the question of whether the elimination of all risk would make the military profession a less moral one. To that end, it juxtaposes the military viewpoint that riskless killing by means of drones is morally uninteresting with the more critical viewthat such riskless killing is in fact highly problematic.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The 2019 attacks on the oil processing facilities in Saudi Arabia and the effectiveness of combating Armenian long-range anti-aircraft systems have highlighted the nature and scale of the challenges for air defense posed by unmanned aircraft systems. The aim of this article is to summarize the lessons learned from the use of unmanned systems in recent conflicts, to assess the development of trends in such systems, and to discuss the implications of those developments for air defense. This article discusses the impact of the development of unmanned aircraft systems on air defense concepts, their organization, and the effectiveness of this defense for the defended assets. It also tries to highlight how unmanned aircraft systems may reduce the survivability of air defense systems. This research is based on publicly available documents related to air defense and unmanned aircraft systems as well as selected analytical studies on the implications of the development and use of unmanned aircraft systems for air defense. As such, this research identifies the possible challenges related to ensuring effective air defense against attacks by unmanned aircraft systems, resulting from the costs of defense despite the availability of technological solutions. It also raises the issue of survivability of air defense systems if attacked by unmanned aircraft systems.

“Open” Category Unmanned Aerial Systems Harmonized Standards and Requirements Complex

Abstract The steadily increasing use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is an important factor for the military and civil aviation safety on a global scale. One of the critical conditions for the efficient functioning of the European aviation safety system is the establishment and implementation in practice of a comprehensive regulatory framework for the use of unmanned systems in the Common European Airspace. The aviation authorities and industry strive to introduce a set of rules and requirements that adequately and flexibly guarantee a high level of safety without limiting the development of the UAS market. This article proposes a set of standards that should be met by “Open” category UAS with the intention to execute operations in the European airspace.

Cognitive Design of an App Enabling Remote Bases to Receive Unmanned Helicopter Resupply

This paper reports on a research project that combined cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods with innovative design processes to develop a handheld device application enabling a non-aviator to interact with a highly autonomous resupply helicopter. In recent military operations, unmanned helicopters have been used to resupply U.S. Marines at remote forward operating bases (FOBs) and combat outposts (COPs). This use of unmanned systems saves lives by eliminating the need to drive through high-risk areas for routine resupply. The U.S. Navy is investing in research to improve the autonomy of these systems and the design of interfaces to enable a non-aviator Marine to safely and successfully interact with an incoming resupply helicopter using a simple, intuitive handheld device application. In this research, we collected data from multiple stakeholders to develop requirements, use cases, and design storyboards that have been implemented and demonstrated during flight tests in early 2014.

Drones and Targeted Killing: Costs, Accountability, and U.S. Civil-Military Relations

There is widespread interest in how armed drones are used, how targets are chosen, and what frameworks of legality and political accountability exist. Less addressed is how use, targeting, justification, and accountability affect the people and the organizations being asked to operate the drones. This article examines the costs to the operators and the military organization of increased reliance on drones. It argues that the government and the public need to come to terms with the human costs—both foreign and American—of increased use of unmanned systems. It concludes that the government needs to find a way to make its employment of drones transparent and accountable enough that it will not harm the overall well-being, morale, and loyalty of the force.

Killer drones: The ‘silver bullet’ of democratic warfare?

This article sets out to probe the peculiar nexus between democracy and the military use of unmanned systems. To this end, it draws on a critical, ‘antinomic’ reading of democratic peace theory. Tying into the theoretical scope of research conducted within the democratic distinctiveness programme that emerged out of the democratic peace debate, this entails fathoming out the ways in which democracies are distinct from other regime types. It includes acknowledging that democracies deal with conflicts aggressively too, rather than naïvely taking their supposed general peacefulness at face value. We demonstrate that the same distinctly democratic set of interests and norms that is conventionally taken to be pivotal for democratic peacefulness yields both peaceful and belligerent behavior. That same democracy-specific set of interests and norms is also constitutive of the special appeal unmanned systems hold for democracies. While armed and eventually autonomous systems may thus seem like a ‘silver bullet’ for democratic decisionmakers today, we argue that, by relying on these systems in an attempt to satisfy the said interests and norms, democracies may end up thwarting them in the long run and render themselves only more war-prone.