Preparing Mission-Ready Operators
Written by Marty Kauchak
More capable systems provide UAS operators with rigorous
and high-fidelity training scenarios and environments.
UAS training systems must also allow this training audience to accurately replicate the tasks of defeating hostile teams on the ground, which are emplacing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other missions supported by current, in-theater aerial systems.
The good news for UAS community learners is that the industry team is providing ever more capable databases, image generators and other components to support the systems’ training programs. Evolving trends will continue to enhance the community’s training.
TRENDS
One development that allows the industry team to meet the services’ UAS training requirements has been the dramatic advances in databases.
W. Garth Smith, president, MetaVR, presented one challenge of delivering a high-fidelity environment when he noted that UAS crew operators must be able to spot individuals on the ground and decide, with a degree of rigor, whether they are friend or enemy.
The 3-D character model must be of sufficient detail so that the operator could even discern a high-value target in an intelligence photograph from among other simulated characters. “So you are at altitude and may be flying relatively fast, or slow, and the camera operator must experience the same trouble spotting the target in the simulation as they would with the real system. The terrain area of interest can’t be a small area of detail—it must be a large geospecific urban area such that the UAS, JTACs [joint terminal attack controllers] and jet pilots must have trouble even locating and then agreeing upon the target. If the target area is small, it is negative training because the operator can easily find the area that they must look at.”
Indeed, MetaVR’s government customers suggested the company update its high-resolution, 3-D Baghdad (Green Zone) database, fielded in 2006, because “the A-10 pilots said that it was too easy to spot targets,” Smith recalled.
MetaVR responded to the rapidly evolving requirement for training databases with its recently released virtual 3-D Afghanistan Village, a geospecific database. The database was designed for use with MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) and helps different learning audiences identify and defeat IEDs. Fidelity and rigor are imparted through a database with over 500 buildings in a high-resolution village also composed of roads and fields, set within mountains and other complex terrain of varying elevation, including a tunnel network. The current version of the Afghanistan database includes among its library of 3-D models several UAS models, such as the Shadow 200 and ground control station entities. The Shadow, described later in more detail, is one of four DoD UAS programs supported by MetaVR (Hunter, Warrior ERMP and Insitu UAS are the others). AAI is the prime contractor for these UAS systems.
MetaVR is out in front of another community trend—by building its visualization software and its terrain products for interoperability with other communities’ PC hardware and simulators. In one instance, the company’s Afghanistan database may be integrated and streamed from a UAS simulator to a remotely operated video enhancement receiver (ROVER) terminal used by JTACs. “So the correlation between the high-flying database and the ground is more critical because the JTACs need multiple confirmations of the target. This is really pushing the fidelity because of the requirement for the people on the ground to see what the people in the air are seeing—the views have to match up. And to make the target hard to find, you have to model very large, geospecific urban areas,” Smith pointed out.
MT2 viewed L-3 Link Simulation and Training’s HD World simulation product line in several scenarios during 2008 I/ITSEC. The product provides a highdefinition, dynamic training environment that supports day/night, adverse weather, geospecific content for unmanned as well as manned training audiences. This summer, L-3 Link will deliver its HD World product enhancement to U.S. Air Force’s Predator Mission Aircrew Training Systems (PMATS).
Jeff Schram, director, domestic business development, L-3 Link, told MT2 that operational training experience using HD World is achieved by adding rich, physics-based dynamic behaviors that are representative of indigenous civilian, insurgent populations, and natural vehicle movement. “Adding this realism to the training environment allows the quick construction of complex scenarios that are not predictable. The scenario is inserted into a complex, persistent environment that is always changing,” Schram said. So, every action from the operators and entities generated affect the ultimate outcome of the mission. Schram continued, “For example, if a road is blocked, a building collapses, or a crowd assembles, these will be presented as obstacles to the mission and adjustments will be required. All actions stimulate reactions and change the progress of the mission. This forces the same type of adjustments required in combat when everything does not go as planned.”
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
For its part, Quantum3D has three product lines that support UAS training. The systems increase the fidelity of the training scenario and address another DoD training community item of interest—increasing opportunities to embed training.
One of the company’s flagship products—Independence image generators—support high-quality visual and sensor simulation of UAS payload operation. “Independence leveraged commercial graphics technology to deliver superior scalable image generation encompassing many realistic effects such as weather, ephemeris, special effects, cultural features and enhanced dynamics,” said Snyder. He noted that sensor simulation is a particular strength of Independence, mirroring the trend to embark increasingly capable cameras and other sensors on UAS platforms. “The system can do physics-based simulation, based on material classification, time of day, etc., in various sensor bandwidths.”
Thermite enhances Quantum3D’s embedded training solutions. The device “is a smaller, embeddable, visual computer that may be used to accomplish embedded training for UAS platforms. Using Thermite, UAS training may be embedded on the same device used for actual UAS operation,” Snyder said.
The company’s IData is a human machine interface (HMI) package that may be used to support reuse of UAS operator control elements in the UAS training domain. Snyder pointed out that IData supports the complete life cycle for UAS operator control system development, including both the embedded HMI and training versions.
Commercial off-the-shelf products allow UAS training systems to achieve interoperability and other attributes sought by government offices and industry integrators.
Presagis is one provider of COTS tools. Robert Kopersiewich, vice president, product and program management, Presagis, noted that in order to create simulated training environments, organizations like Northrop Grumman’s Cyber Warfare Integration Network (CWIN) leverage COTS tools from Presagis to generate advanced, physics-based simulations of high- and low-altitude scenarios, detailed urban environments and sensors that track weather effects, heat sources and radar reflectors. “The integrated scenarios enable Northrop to train operators to analyze the visual output of the unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] sensors [such as night-vision and infrared sensors] as well as fly the aircraft through a multitude of scenarios.”
Kopersiewich observed that as the demand for UASs continues to increase, so will the need for cost-effective and safe training environments. “COTS tools provide a cost-effective approach to developing UAV training programs that ensure organizations like Northrop stay at the forefront of innovative and successful training programs,” he added.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
These technologies support a number of frontline UAS training systems, including those for the Army National Guard’s (ARNG) Shadow program.
In July 2008, AAI received an award from PEO STRI to provide its Shadow training aids, devices, simulators and simulations (TADSS) to the ARNG. AAI delivered its first Shadow Crew Trainer (SCT), the core component of the Shadow TADSS suite, in January 2009 to the ARNG in North Carolina. Subsequent deliveries were made to garrisons in five more states. Additional deliveries are scheduled to five additional states by the end of this year.
The SCT allows users to benefit from AAI’s status as the Shadow unmanned aircraft original equipment manufacturer. “Based on commercial, off-the-shelf components, the SCT utilizes the aircraft’s own embedded software for a high-fidelity training experience, as well as to maintain concurrency with aircraft modifications and upgrades. This is beneficial for the customer, ensuring parallel development of system and trainer upgrades with a minimum of cost and time required,” Glenn Monrad, managing director, Training Systems Business Development, AAI Corp., told MT2.
AAI’s Shadow portfolio represents another industry trend—providing a total unmanned aircraft solutions capability to its customers. “The company can not only provide aircraft to meet the customer’s mission requirements, but also can deliver robust, interoperable ground control technologies, classroom training and instruction for operators and maintainers, and simulators to enhance the training experience,” Monrad remarked.
The scope of SCT’s training infrastructure is noteworthy, as it approaches the rigor and fidelity of systems for manned aviation platforms. The SCT is equipped with an instructor/operator station, role-player station and launchand- recovery computer-based trainer to support individual, crew and mission rehearsal training for air vehicle operators, mission payload operators, mission commanders, and launch and recovery crew. Monrad continued, “Incorporating an extensive database including semi-automated forces and a variety of terrain and environmental geo-specific locations, the system also enables instructors to insert malfunctions and emergency activities to customize the training activity. The SCT includes a data logging function for facilitation of a robust after-action review, as well as a performance assessment function to identify student task proficiency.”
Plans moving forward include creating a mobile SCT to further increase the system’s asset utilization rate by bringing training to the units when and where they need it; currently, the systems permanently reside in classroom environments. The company’s primary focus is maintaining concurrency with the Shadow aircraft and its ground control system technologies.
L-3 Link also remains a major player in DoD UAS training, as it has been awarded initial and follow-on contracts to build 25 PMATS units. Fourteen PMATS units have been delivered to Air Force installations, and an additional two units remain at the company’s Binghamton, N.Y., facility for development work. At press time, L-3 Link was scheduled to deliver two additional PMATS units to the Air Force. “Seven additional PMATS units will begin delivering in February 2010,” Schram remarked.
This summer, L-3 Link is also scheduled to deliver HD World product enhancements to fielded PMATS units. “PMATS visual systems will be integrated with our Physics Based Environment Generator HD, which will add 500 dynamic entities to the simulated operational environment,” Schram explained. He continued, “This initial enhancement will give Predator pilot and sensor operator training a new level of realism, flexibility and fidelity for simulated urban environments. The reduction of scenario development from hours to minutes will instantly provide readiness improvements and training agility.”
L-3 Link’s envisioned outcomes summarize the direction of DoD UAS learning. “The separation between real and simulated will continue to narrow as the simulation continues to evolve with insertion of emerging technologies, moving to a zero real flight requirement for training and readiness,” Schram concluded. ♦