PAE ISR’s Resolute Eagle UAS demonstrates full beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM capability on a tactical Group 3 UAS

The Resolute Eagle, a tactical Group 3 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), successfully demonstrated superior full high-throughput beyond-line-of-site (BLOS) capability at the White Sands Missile Test Range in January 2017, leveraging secure satellite communication capability for extended range large data transmission, PAE ISR LLC announced May 15.

During its demonstration, the Resolute Eagle proved its ability to provide BLOS operations with high definition full motion video and other sensor data by achieving data rates from the UAS to a fixed base satellite dish located at Lino Lakes, Minnesota of 11 Mbps, and 7.8 Mbps to a small tactical dish on site at White Sands. In addition, the system demonstrated its ability to send command and control data from a tactical GCS back to the UAS for both autonomous commands and manual fight control. The communications capability in this demonstration leveraged High Throughput Satellite Ka band SATCOM. Latency measured during the demonstration was in the order of 550-650ms.

“There is a need for a tactical Group 3 UAS to provide true BLOS capability with large data capacity, and the Resolute Eagle demonstration has proven that a SATCOM capability can be successfully integrated on an affordable, high performing tactical Group 3 UAS,” said Karl Williams, chairman of PAE ISR.

Glenn Beach, senior vice president of PAE ISR, stated the Resolute Eagle with this capability can perform long range operations needed for national security missions which are not possible with currently deployed tactical UAS. “Special Operations, the IC and DoD can all benefit from this advanced technology insertion and capability to penetrate denied airspace with an operational capability now possible out to 275 miles from the launch site. This is truly a disruptive technology development for the UAS industry.”

The Resolute Eagle has exhibited far superior performance characteristics compared to many other Group 3 class UAS. It carries multiple intelligence payloads and offers long endurance capability at an affordable price. The UAS is runway independent and may be rapidly deployed to remote locations worldwide with a throughput minimum expectation of 5 to 7 Mbps.

This capability is powered by a combination of the specialized high throughput service by Boeing Commercial Satellite services (BCSS) and a fully integrated compact SatCom aero terminal, which allows the Resolute Eagle to transmit a phenomenal 10-11 Mbps data rate in flight. The complete SatCom terminal with BUC and modem is ultra-compact, lightweight and when installed on the Resolute Eagle extends operational range from the current line-of-sight-limited 50 to 100 nautical miles to a BLOS range in excess of 275 miles. Customers of the Resolute Eagle with BLOS have the flexibility of operating the UAV anywhere in the world while viewing the video in a different part of the world over BCSS’s secure satellite network.

The Resolute Eagle UAS platform is owned by PAE ISR LLC, which has partnered with Boeing to integrate this mission-enabling technology. PAE ISR LLC is a joint venture of PAE and AOC that provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions and services to U.S. government agencies, NATO and other international organizations.

Source: PAE ISR