Exploiting Remotely Piloted Aircraft: Understanding the Impact of Strategy on the Approach to Autonomy

Abstract

This thesis explores the strategic impact of human systems integration (HSI) developments on Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) technology to increase autonomy. A focus on HSI reveals strategic considerations to rethink the use of the Air Forces preferred organizational construct for the acquisitions. Considering the working relationship of the RPA community as it exists today, and identifying the potential drivers of increasing autonomy, provide for an alternate acquisitions model. Specifically, anticipated strategy motivates a technological development sequences towards two thrusts of effort. The first pertains to technologies that enhance platform-centric RPA autonomy. These innovations facilitate the ability of an individual machine to self-monitor critical functions and to devise its own missions. The second thrust encompasses the technologies that will enable a platform to contribute to RPA network objectives. By coupling the benefits of these two technological components, strategic opportunities emerge that sustain asymmetric advantage against rivals. Todays acquisitions approach contributes to heavy manpower requirements for platform operation, operator awareness limitations, and difficulties that hinder increasingly complex multi-vehicle missions. Although increased autonomy promises to alleviate some human burdens in near future innovation, the Air Forces acquisitions organizational construct threatens to constrain autonomous technology innovation if unaddressed. This thesis highlights the need for a predictable communication format and mechanism to link customer objectives with autonomous RPA research and development. The USAF must rethink working relationships to acquire a sustainable RPA network. An understanding of strategic purpose helps to inform acquisition development, thereby serving as a guide to prioritize interim objectives (ends) and approach (ways) that ultimately equips the warfighter (with the appropriate means).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2011
Accession Number
AD1019405

Entities

People

  • Eric B. Nelson

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Business Administration
  • Computer Programming
  • Control Systems
  • Employment
  • Engineers
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Ground Control Stations
  • International Relations
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Remotely Piloted Vehicles
  • Systems Engineering
  • Target Recognition
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Readers

  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.