many drones make light work themed competition 22 September 2016

Many drones make light work

Centre for Defence Enterprise

themed competition

UK OFFICIAL © Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

September 2016

2011 , cc-by-2.0

Adapted from an image by J Chrisostomo.



September 2016

Introduction

Military context

Technology challenges

Integration

Exploitation

Questions and answers

© Crown copyright 2005

Military context


September 2016

Future operations

© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl

September 2016

• increasing urbanisation,

globalisation and interconnectivity

• baseline to encourage innovation

and adaptation

• describes UK and global context

UK OFFICIAL

Future Operating Environment 2035 [2014], DCDC. Available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-operating-environment-2035








Urban/littoral operating environment


September 2016

Image by Vitaly V. Kuzmin CC BY-SA 4.0, Image © Robert Campbell CC BY-SA 3.0

Image © Ngô Trung CC BY 3.0 Image © Ana Paula Hirama CC BY 2.0

Image © ISM PalestineCC BY-SA 2.0

Congested

Connected

Constrained

Contested

Cluttered

Use case - preparation for operations


September 2016

• understanding

– physical

– human

– information

– infrastructure

• reconnaissance

• surveillance

• mapping

Image © Alicia Nijdam CC BY 2.0

Why swarming?

• multi-spectral mapping and understanding

• dispersed sensing opportunities

– multi-aspect mapping and imagery

• population continues normal pattern of life


September 2016

Use case - high value target


September 2016

• establish and maintain

positive ID in a highly

congested environment

• discrimination

• overwatch

UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?

Flexibility

• multi-spectral surveillance

• multi-aspect imagery

• cooperation

Quantity

• redundancy

• saturation of defences

• splitting capability between a number of systems


September 2016

Use case - deliberate operations


September 2016

• find/track adversaries

• minimise civilian casualties

• maintain overwatch

• cueing

UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?

Contested environment

Layered defence

• quantity presents targeting problem

• redundancy

• loss of any drone provides understanding

• responsive re-tasking


September 2016

Use case - counter-sniper


September 2016

• establish and maintain positive ID

• external cueing

• overwatch

• electro-magnetic (EM) suppression

UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?

• “see” inside the urban canyon

• multi-spectral sensor cueing

• intelligent swarm response

• multiple mission capability


September 2016

Use case - littoral


September 2016

• beach/landing reconnaissance

• overwatch

• layered defence

• complex operating environment

– target identification

– collateral damage considerations

– minimise impact on critical infrastructure/economy

UK OFFICIAL

Why Swarming?

Quantity

• redundancy

• multi-mission capability

• cooperation

• saturation of defences

Multi-sensor/multi-aspect


September 2016

Technology challenges


September 2016

Challenge 1: open modular UAS platforms


September 2016

We’re looking for:

• modular carrier platforms

• rapid integration of technology

• common mission systems

• use of common open systems

architectures†

• low purchase and through life cost

• platforms to demonstrate swarming

capability †e.g. European Component Oriented Architecture (ECOA)

http://www.ecoa.technology

http://www.ecoa.technology/


Challenge 1: open modular UAS platforms


September 2016

We expect key outputs to be:

• approach systems integration

• indicative costs for 10, 15, 20

platforms

†e.g. European Component Oriented Architecture (ECOA)

http://www.ecoa.technology



Management/command of swarm concepts

• autonomous behaviours of swarming UAS

• human-machine interfaces

• information fusion and exploitation

approaches

• verification and validation approaches for

concepts

• delivery of military effect with a swarm of

UAS

Challenge 2: mission management of UAS Swarms Technologies and approaches to enable a single operator to manage 20+ platforms


September 2016




• system use concepts

• proof-of-concept demonstrations

Challenge 2: mission management of UAS Swarms Technologies and approaches to enable a single operator to manage 20+ platforms


September 2016



We’re looking for:

Utilisation of UAS swarming and/or fractionated systems

• system concepts and payloads

• sensing concepts

• effects across the EM spectrum

• low cost enabling technologies;

payloads


September 2016

2011, cc-by-2.0

Image © Geoff Gallice

Image © Oliver Dodd

2014 , cc-by-2.0

Challenge 3: developing technology enablers

for UAS swarms


• military utility

• size, weight, and power requirements

• proof-of-concept demonstrations


September 2016

2011, cc-by-2.0

Image © Geoff Gallice

Image © Oliver Dodd

2014 , cc-by-2.0

Challenge 3: developing technology enablers

for UAS swarms

What we want


September 2016

• willingness to collaborate with others

• projects that consider a system approach and integration requirements

• proposals that demonstrate understanding of cost implications

• proof-of-concept technology demonstration

• novel and innovative approaches

• solutions which can be exploited into integrated phase-2 demonstrations

• solutions which can easily be reconfigured, upgraded or updated

• consider ECOA – European Component Orientated Architecture

What we don’t want

• single solution from a single supplier

• projects that can’t demonstrate feasibility within the phase 1 timescale

• demonstrations of existing ‘off-the-shelf’ products

• solutions that don’t offer significant benefit to defence

• generic swarming models or algorithms

• marginal improvements in capability

• consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews


September 2016

Integration

• aspiration to establish ad-hoc, virtual teams

• we think it’s unlikely that phase 1 projects will seamlessly fit together

and cover the solution space

– introduce other technology suppliers

– support to integration

• only phase-1 suppliers can be funded in phase 2 but can sub-

contract new technology suppliers


September 2016

Exploitation


September 2016

• networking events [Jan/Feb and May/June]

• stakeholder demonstration [July]

• phase 2 competition

• possible opportunity to participate in the TTCP ASC

Cardigan Bay trials in 2017 and 2018

• integration into research programme



TTCP: The Technical Cooperation Program

ASC: Autonomy Strategic Challenge

http://www.acq.osd.mil/ttcp/

Important information

• total budget for phase 1 up to £1 million

• projects typically between £40,000 to £80,000

– we will not accept proposals over £100,000

• stakeholder event July 2017 for successful phase-1

projects to demonstrate their technology

• up to an additional £2 million available for phase-2

funding


September 2016

Important dates

• webinar 12.30pm 3 October 2016

• competition closes at 5pm Thursday 3 November 2016

• proposals must be submitted using the CDE online

submission service

• contract placement initiated and feedback provided mid-

January 2017

• phase-1 projects to complete by 1 August 2017


September 2016

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/centre-for-defence-enterprise-submit-your-research-proposalhttps:/www.gov.uk/government/collections/centre-for-defence-enterprise-submit-your-research-proposal

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/centre-for-defence-enterprise-submit-your-research-proposalhttps:/www.gov.uk/government/collections/centre-for-defence-enterprise-submit-your-research-proposal



September 2016

Technical questions

[email protected]

General enquiries

[email protected]

Proposals submitted via the CDE online submission

service – no later than 5pm Thursday 3 November 2016

mailto:HD&[email protected]



mailto:[email protected]


September 2016

How will the competition work?

Innovation Network event

22 September 2016

Emma Howe

CDE Themed Competition Manager

Intellectual property

Online bid submission

Assessors

Technical partners

www.gov.uk/dstl/cde

Challenge 1

Open modular UAS platforms

Challenge 2

mission management of UAS swarms

Challenge 3

Developing technology enablers for UAS

swarms


What we want


What we don’t want

Phase 1

Up to £1 million

Typically £40 - 80,000

Research complete by August 2017

Proof-of-concept

Phase 2 proposal

Phase 2

Up to £2 million available

Longer research projects

Collaborations encouraged

Competition dates

Webinar:

3 October 2016

Technical queries

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

November

Competition closes

3 November 2016 at 5pm

5 3

Questions