SkyForce
A Revolutionary Distributed Management System for Unmanned Aircraft

SkyForce is a Distributed Management System (DMS) for control of multiple unmanned air vehicles (UAV), enabling the achievement of Group Tactical Goals. It provides communications connectivity to ground and other assets and consists of Proxy’s mission oriented software system, a primary mission-management ground control station; and mobile ground control user terminals. Although the system is designed to work with Proxy’s two optionally piloted vehicles (OPV) – SkyWatcher and SkyRaider – the SkyForce system can be adapted to work with other UAVs and manned vehicles. With its advanced capabilities and multiple applications, the SkyForce Distributed Management System stands in a class of its own-- a revolutionary Distributed Management System (DMS) for unmanned aircraft.

Concurrent Cooperative Flight

SkyForce’s advanced capabilities, including single point management of an autonomous fleet of aircraft with various payload types, network-centric cooperative flight in constellation formation, and end-user tasking with full coverage of the areas of interest, enable users to assign UAV’s specific tasks, requiring fewer resources and personnel than existing UAVs.

A unique virtual pilot and distributed management architecture enable the planning and launching of multiple aircraft managed cooperatively in flight. The mission management ground control station allows a user to task UAVs to fly in a constellation formation over a designated area. The aircraft are preloaded with a flight plan, which can include tactical objectives, for self-management of the mission over an extended period of time. The optionally piloted operation allows for rapid deployment of aircraft in theater or across civil airspace.

The system automatically generates a queue of the available aircraft and their corresponding payloads for the user to select the appropriate aircraft and payload types for the mission at hand. The user controls the payload and the virtual pilot manages the aircraft flight based on operator inputs to the payload.

Applications

The versatility of SkyForce’s network-centric mission-management configuration and full coverage end-user tasking enables the system to be implemented in a variety of applications. These mission types can include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, battle damage assessment (BDA), urban warfare, communications data relay and others.

With payload control from the user terminal, the operator commands the payload to execute mission requirements. The aircraft will follow the necessary flight path to carry out mission requirements while avoiding any defined threat locations and remaining within a pre-defined geographic area.

Components

Proxy Aviation’s UAVs and ground control stations are tied together by a communications mesh network and SkyForce Distributed Management System (DMS). The system is designed for use with Proxy’s aircraft, but can also be used in other manned or unmanned vehicles. These essential components give the mission commander a high performance, flexible, highly autonomous, unmanned aircraft system that can be configured with various payload types.

Proxy Aviation’s Aircraft

Proxy Aviation’s aircraft are based on fully composite OPV designs with an AVGAS FAA certified engine. The company also offers a heavy fuel propulsion option for lower fuel consumption and increased endurance. The platforms have a large payload bay with payload carriers that can be quickly changed out to meet varying mission requirements. The aircraft can also be flown with a pilot.

Proxy Aviation’s optionally piloted aircraft currently include:

• SkyWatcher (2900 lb GTOW): designed for medium-endurance, low- and medium- altitude, multi-payload intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) mission

• SkyRaider (4000 lb GTOW): designed for long endurance, heavy payload ISR missions and equipped to carry external stores

Mission-Management Ground Control Station

The fully equipped ground control station is the primary mission-management unit for the SkyForce system. From this location, a mission manager can task multiple aircraft and coordinate with other ground system nodes, including remote and mobile user terminals and other mission-management stations. Three computer workstations inside the ground control station enable the mission manager to simultaneously supervise the entire system, control and monitor sensors, view and analyze the status of all aircraft, relay vital information, and communicate with the nodes on the system and other privileged systems when necessary.

Mobile Ground Control User Terminal

The mobile ground control user terminal enables authorized users within the theater of operation to employ available aircraft within the area of interest based on limits set by the mission-management ground control station. The operator at the user terminal can direct the appropriate payloads while the aircraft automatically adjusts its flight to accommodate the commanded payload operation. The information can be gathered and then disseminated among the nodes on the system and to other privileged systems -- regardless of location or proximity to the area of interest.