Development of a UAV track injection and imagery presentation system

Abstract

The Navy is increasingly using advanced Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) to perform critical missions. UAVs have grown in capability, while the Navy's underlying Command and Control structure has changed little to take advantage of the advances in technology. While UAVs are rapidly developing the potential to be effective combat tools, learning how to utilize this potential in an integrated Command and Control environment is hampered by a lack of UAV connectivity. This thesis develops a methodology for using UAV telemetry data packets to inject tracks of the UAV into a Command and Control system such as the Global Command and Control System (GCCS), and provide near-real-time imagery delivery from the UAV to tactical end users via a network such as the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET). Focus is on the development of a proof-of-concept system utilizing the Naval Postgraduate School's Systems Technology Battle Lab (STBL) and the Center for interdisciplinary Remotely- Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Altus UAV. Through the developing of this system, the Altus UAV can serve as a research tool for flirther development of Command and Control doctrine for operational UAVs.