MAGIC

Abstract

The Medium Altitude Global ISR and Communications (MAGIC) project is an Air Force led technology and concept development to demonstrate the ability for a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to stay aloft in the medium altitude structure for a multiple day duration mission with a minimum of 1,000 pounds payload capacity of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensor systems. The MAGIC concept was initiated by OSD/DDR&E in FY 2010 in response to the COCOMs ranking this type of initiative as the highest priority for a Joint Concept and Technology Demonstration (JCTD). In FY 2011, the Air Force accepted this initiative as the sponsor and MAGIC was subsequently removed from consideration as a JCTD and transitioned into the Air Force as a developmental project. Persistent ISR supports both regular and irregular warfare. The MAGIC project will provide the USAF with critically needed data regarding sensor and aircraft performance parameters at a multiple day duration at medium altitude flight. The objectives laid out in the JCTD competition and selection of Aurora Flight Sciences' Orion RPA is being honored by the Air Force. In FY 2010, OSD/DDR&E (now ASD/R&E) provided $5M of initial funding to AFRL to initiate the MAGIC project. In FY 2011, ASD/R&E provided an additional $5M to keep the MAGIC project development moving forward. The Air Force followed suit and provided $10M of FY 2011 Below Threshold Reprogramming (BTR) to allow the Aurora Flight Sciences' Orion RPA development team to set up an operational endurance engine bench test and software integrations lab in preparation for a future long duration flight demonstration of the Orion RPA. Congressional Adds of $19M in FY 2012 and $50M in FY 2013 provided the Endurance UAV program manager with the funding needed for the continuation of the Orion RPA development and initiation of the three phase flight testing series. In January 2012, Aurora Flight Sciences (AFS) at their Manassas, VA headquarters facility initiated their testing profile by performing a 123 hour duration endurance engine bench test. Flight Test Series #1 (FT1, Basic Performance) was accomplished with five flights totaling 10.4 flight hours between 24 August and 16 November 2013. Basic automated take-off and landing procedures plus basic flight maneuvers were the test objectives for FT1. FT2, Envelope Expansion, was accomplished with eight flights totaling 35.9 flight hours between 1 June and 7 August 2014. Operating at increasingly highter altitudes and varying airspeeds to collect fuel flow data in determining best endurance airspeed, increasingly heavier take-off gross weights and landing energies plus continuing inflight maneuvers were the test objectives of FT2. FT3, Payload Integration, began in November 2014 and is projected to complete in March 2015. The objective of FT3 operates increasingly longer durations with nominal payloads representative of operational requirements and will prove the concept of multiple day endurance.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2016
• Source ID: 67A026_0305205F_7_3600_PB_2016

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.