Mission Engineering Methodology for Realization of Unmanned Surface Vessel Operations
Abstract
The Navy has included unmanned systems as a key enabler for the future fleet. Congress has mandated that the Navy (PMS 406) provide demonstrated testing and documentation sufficient to support transition of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) from prototype to operational. Commercial USV certification examples only address safety of navigation and do not provide certification requirements for autonomy, nor do they consider the operational mission context or requirements for the USVs. No current methodology exists that decomposes the certification metrics and standards, including the complexity of the intended USV missions. Mission engineering (ME) provides the systems engineering rigor and methodology to ensure that the USV prototypes are evaluated in their intended missions. The mission objectives were captured in Design Reference Missions (DRMs). The DRMs provided the operational sequence of events for the USVs to accomplish their mission in support of commanders intent. The DRMs decomposed into mission essential tasks (METs). The METs were mapped to the critical systems performing the METs. This methodology can be further analyzed to produce the complete complement of certification requirements for PMS 406. Analysis revealed several gaps. The communications systems and the human-in-the-loop interaction with the USVs need to be reevaluated based upon the mission analysis.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1200474
Entities
People
- Raffianne N. Doyle
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School