MISSION-BASED UAV SWARMS: BASE DEFENSE
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Authors
Escamilla, Casey G.
Subjects
unmanned air vehicle
UAV
swarm
Mission-based Architecture for Swarm Composability
MASC
unmanned
autonomous
Advanced Robotic Systems Engineering Laboratory
ARSENL
software in the loop
UAV
swarm
Mission-based Architecture for Swarm Composability
MASC
unmanned
autonomous
Advanced Robotic Systems Engineering Laboratory
ARSENL
software in the loop
Advisors
Davis, Duane T.
Giles, Kathleen B.
Date of Issue
2020-09
Date
Sep-20
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Forward Operating Base (FOB) defense is a manpower-intensive mission that takes valuable resources away from the operational mission. While increasingly capable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) might perform many of the mission tasks, current doctrine does not adequately address their inclusion. In particular, the assumed one-to-one ratio of operators to vehicles does not account for increasing UAV autonomy. This thesis describes the development and testing of an autonomous FOB defense capability using the Advanced Robotic Systems Engineering Laboratory (ARSENL) swarm system. Development leveraged the Mission-based Architecture for Swarm Composability (MASC) for development of complex swarm behaviors in a mission-focused, top-down manner. This approach enabled the development of a doctrinally grounded base-defense tactic in which arbitrary mixes of fixed-wing and quadrotor UAVs autonomously assigned and performed all required FOB defense roles: perimeter surveillance, key area search, contact investigation, and threat response. The tactic was extensively tested in a software-in-the-loop simulation environment and demonstrated during live flight field exercises. Experimental results are discussed using measures of effectiveness and measures of performance that were developed over the course of this research.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Computer Science (CS)
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. distribution is unlimited
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States