Las 19 Nov 2010 Briefing W

Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc.
Glenda L. Rogers, President and CEO
glrogers@carolinaunmanned.com
Mike Rogers, Project Manager
merogers@carolinaunmanned.com
4105 Graham-Newton Road
Raleigh, NC 27606, 919-851-9898
1
Lightweight Aerostat System
19 November 2010

CUV Inc. Raleigh, NC 919-851-9898 cuvinc@carolinaunmanned.com 2
LAS Briefing Outline
LAS Background
LAS Missions
LAS System Description
System Development
Summary / Questions

Typical Aerostat Missions /
Capabilities
Local Area Surveillance
Small / Remote Military Locations
Border Surveillance / Protection
Other Homeland Security (High Value Locations
/ VIP Events)
Communications
Relay Coverage To Convoys And Dispersed
Units
Coverage To Low Altitude UAVs and to UGVs /
USVs
Post Disaster Communications Coverage /
Translation Node
Persistent Intelligence Coverage
SIGINT / COMINT
Small Aerostat
Large Tower
Tower Line Of Sight (LOS) Is Limited
Aerostats Provides LOS Comparable To Aircraft Or
UAVS But Persistence Of Towers
Persistent Surveillance And Communications Relay Over
Large Coverage Areas
Even A Large Tower Is Limited To About 10 Miles
An Aerostat At 500 Feet Has A LOS Of 24 Miles, And
Can Operate At Much Higher Altitudes

Traditional Aerostat Limitations
17 Meter Long Aerostat
Traditional “Blimp” Aerostats Driven Into Ground by Winds,
Must Be Large, With 200 -300 Lb Lift, To Withstand Wind
These Large “Tactical” Aerostats Are Clumsy To Operate and
Require Large Crews
Big Ground Equipment, Not Very Mobile / Transportable
Not Suitable For Small Fixed Locations or Mobile Operations
Expensive, Limiting Number That Can Be Deployed
SOLUTION: A Lifting Aerostat
Uses Aerodynamic Lift to
Remain Aloft in Wind
– Even For Small Systems /
Payloads
Downsize the Ground System to
the Payload
21 Meter Long Aerostat

Lifting Aerostat Versus Traditional Blimp
With No Lift Surfaces, Wind Pushes Traditional Tethered Blimps Back and Down
Blimp Based Aerostat Systems Must Be Very Large To Cope With Wind Drag
Requires Large Ground Handling Equipment and Vastly Increases Operating Cost
They Cannot Capitalize On Modern Miniature Electronic Payloads
Lifting Aerostat Are Pushed Up By Wind, Counteracting Wind Drag
Even Small Units Can Operate In High Winds
LAS With Lifting Aerostat Can Be Sized To Available Modern Lightweight Payloads
Wind
Blimp
Lifting
Aerostat

Lightweight Aerostat System
HMMWV Compatible Carrier
Trailer
Helikite Lifting Aerostat
Helirest Protective Mount
Gyro –Stabilized Camera Payloads
Networked Communications
Payloads
Acoustic Gunfire Detectors / Other
Payloads

LAS Surveillance Mission
Persistent Video / IR Surveillance to 10km (Sensor
Limited)
Suitable For Small Dispersed Base Camps
Small Logistics Footprint
Rapidly Relocated
Operated by Only Two People
Towers Are Simple And Have Good LOS – Why
Aerostats For Local Surveillance?
Altitude Minimizes “Shadow Effect” Of Obstacles
Providing Hide Space For Enemy
Compare Shadow Effect Of A Two Story Building
500 Feet From A 100 Foot Tower And A LAS At
500 Feet
LAS Can Fly At 1000+ Feet To Reduce Hide
Space Even Further
180 Foot “Hide Zone”
25 Foot “Hide Zone”

LAS Communication Coverage
Communications Relay to 100km
Few Units Give Large Area Coverage
Greater Range by Relaying From One
LAS to Another.
No Convoys or Anti-IED Patrols
Need Be “Off-The-Net”
Continuous Communications Even in
Cluttered Urban Areas

Homeland Security Support
LAS Can Cover Large Disaster Areas
One-To-One Communication Relay
Network In The Sky For Multiple Users
Translation Bridge For Enhanced Multi-agency Interoperability
Mobile and Air Transportable To Get To Disaster Quickly
LAS To LAS Relay To Regional / State Command Center
LAS Coverage Example (North Carolina Hurricane Response)
1500 Altitude
1000 Altitude
750 Altitude

LAS Subsystems
Helikite
Performance
Safety / Survivability
Helirest
Protection / Storage For Helikite
Carrier
Military Off Road Trailer
Civilian Trailer
Typical Payloads
Electro-Optic / IR Sensors
Communications
Logistics
Two Person Operation
Minimum Helium and Fuel
Standard Spares

Helikite Lifting Aerostat
Patented Allsopp Helikite, Produced in England, is a “Lifting Aerostat” Combining Helium and Aerodynamic Lift
Flies On Buoyant Lift in Zero Wind, Aerodynamic Lift in Wind
Due to Aerodynamic Surfaces Helikites Will Fly At 45o
Even In High Wind (Lift To Drag = 1)
Helikite Allows Lightweight Aerostat System to be Smaller and Still Operate in Real World Weather Conditions
System Can Be Sized to Available Modern Lightweight Electronic Payloads
Safe and Survivable: Difficult to see, No IR or Radar Signatures, Helium Will Not Burn, Due to Low Pressure
Only Slowly Deflates Even if Hit By Multiple Bullets
LOS and Available Payload 35M3
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
1200
2400
3600
Altitude (Ft)
Payload(lb)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
LineofSight(NM)
Payload
LOS Nm
Sea Level - 120 F

Helikite Docking System
(Helirest)
Air Inflated Helirest Protects The Helikite During
Inflation / Deflation And Ground Storage
Prevents Helikite Movement In Wind During
Inflation / Deflation
Helikite Shape And Short Tether Attachment Allows
Bringing Helikite Down Close To Ground, For Safe
Tiedown And Restrain
Other Aerostats With Multiple Attachment Lines
Cannot Utilize Helirest, Must Remain Tens Of Feet
Above Ground In Turbulent Wind Zone
Helirest Allows Eliminating Clumsy Pivoting
Mooring System, Reducing System Size And
Complexity
A Key To Operation With Only Two People, With
All Work Done Safely Inside Helirest
1 Helikite Helium Fill Nozzle
2 Tiedown Lines
3 Deflation
Electronics
4 Helirest
3
2
1
2
4
Helikite With Helirest

Military Off Road Carrier
HMMWV Compatible Trailer
Electric Winch
Diesel Generator (JP-8 Fuel)
Elevates Payloads to 4000 Feet
Quick Inflation Helium Manifold
Helium Tanks Standard NSN Item
Operable by 2 Persons
C-130 Roll On – Roll Off Capable
“Turn Key” System Carries All Equipment Aboard Trailer

Commercial Trailer Version
Supports DOE Nuclear
Security Mission
Carries Camera and
Communication Relay
Payloads
Altitude to 1000 Feet in 20
Minutes From Stopping
Launches From Trailer Top
Launch Method Has Been
Adapted To Military
Versions
Delivered April 2006
Sandia National Lab Version
Photo By Sandia Lab

Typical LAS Payloads
Communications Payloads Are Mounted
Directly Under The Helikite Horizontal
Keel
Simple Strap Mounting Is Easily Adapted
To New Payloads
Payloads Or Battery Packs Can Be Changed
In Under Two Minutes
Camera (EO / IR) Payloads Are Mounted
Below The Helikite Keel Cloth On A CUV
Designed Support
Mounting Avoids View Blockage From Keel
Cloth
Payloads Can Be Changed In Under Two
Minutes

Minimum Logistics Burden
Single Trailer Carries Everything For Deployment
Two Person Operation
Cross-trained Mechanical / Electrical Techs Operate
System Including Payloads
Minimum Helium Requirements
Standard NSN 216 Cu. Ft. Tanks, No Special
Helium Trailer
Standard 35M3 Load Is 7 Tanks, For One Inflation
And 4 Weeks “Top-off” Helium
Can Carry Two Inflations, Or Enough Helium For
One Inflation And 6 Months “Top-off”
6 Tanks For Reinflation Is Less Than One
HMMWV Trailer Or Pallet Load
Low Fuel Consumption
Less Than 15 Gallons Per Month For The System
Automotive Spares (Tires, Brakes, Lights) In
Military Supply System35M3 Carrier Showing Tanks and Winch

System Design Options
Parameter Primary Effect Other Effects / Comments
Payload Weight Aerostat Size Tank Number, Carrier Size To Support
Helikite, Tether Strength, Winch Size
Operating Height Weight of Tether Affects Aerostat Size
Payload Power And
Endurance
Standard Or Power
Tether
Tether Weight, Winch Design (Slip
Rings)
Payload Type Mounting Provisions
Operating Conditions Helikite Size Affected By Ground Elevation,
Temperature
Mobility Of System Carrier Design
Safety / Regulatory
Features
Weight of Devices Lights, Deflation Devices

Summary - LAS Attributes
Mobile “Lifting” Aerostat for Security,
Communication Relay and Other Missions
Low Cost Solution to Persistent Wide Area
Surveillance Coverage
Good Adverse Weather Capability
Remains Aloft For a Week or More
Highly Mobile, Air Transportable by C-130
Two Person Crew
All Consumables and Most Spares in Supply
System
Adaptable To Varied Payloads
Adaptable To Homeland Security, Military and
Naval Operations
Deliverable in 6 Months From Start
Typical Cost $350K to $500K Plus Payload

End Of Briefing
QUESTIONS

END OF DOCUMENT

Las 19 Nov 2010 Briefing W

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