Decision-makers need reliable proof of life from downed pilots to inform rescue missions in a timely manner. AngelComms interviewed personnel recovery stakeholders and identified opportunities to automate proof of life reporting using biometric sensors and location reporting using communications devices. Their minimum viable product would provide automatic condition and location updates to decision-makers like the Joint Personnel Recovery Center and Rescue Mission Commander, reducing the time required in the report phase of a rescue mission. There is also potential for dual-use in civilian aviation given similarities in safety reporting challenges. Next steps involve demonstrating product-mission fit to the Air Force and exploring partnerships for deployment.

1. Mentors
● Craig Seidel
● LtCol Richard Lawson
● CDR Jack Souders
Sponsor
● Maj Richard Barnes (DIU)
● Mark Breier (In-Q-Tel)
TA: Sally Egan
Original Problem Statement
United States Air Force Combat Rescue
Officers need an improved communication
tool when conducting Personnel Recovery
in order to enhance situational awareness
and streamline mission execution.
Revised Problem Statement
Decision-makers need autonomous proof of life
from a downed pilot to inform the launch and
execution decisions of a rescue mission while
avoiding intercept and detection in a near-peer
environment.
Simon Acker
M.S. EE ‘22
B.S. EE ‘21
Johannes Hui
M.A. Intl Policy (ISEC) ‘22
B.S. CS (AI) ‘21
Deborah Jantz
B.A.H. Intl Relations
and Security ‘22
Kyle Thompson
M.A. Intl Policy (Cybersecurity) ‘22
Army Special Forces
108
Interviews
Team AngelComms

2. BENEFICIARIES
Primary
● Fixed and rotary wing pilots
● Personnel recovery
teams (PJs and
CROs)
● Servicemembers on combat
operations
Secondary
● Civilian SAR
● Police
● Firefighters
● Outdoor/Adventure
Enthusiasts
VALUE PROPOSITION
● Automated health
condition reporting from
biosensors will speed up
recovery and allow
recovery teams to know
needs of isolated person
● User-friendly
communications to ease
stress on IP and recovery
team
● Upgradeable hardware
through modular system

3. We talked to...
Tactical CSAR:
24
Civilian SAR:
9
Commercial Vendors:
26
Decision-Makers:
11
Pilots:
12
Procurement and
Deployment Experts:
19

4. Radio Specs:
• Size
• Weight
• Power
• User Interface
Personnel Recovery Isn’t Just About Pilot Preferences

5. Value Proposition
The radio is insufficient
Radio Size, Weight, Power
(SWaP)
Week
Enthusiasm
Lack of Automation = the Survival Radio is Insufficient
Combat Rescue Officers
(CROs, tactical CSAR units)
Automated Authentication,
Threat, Location, Condition
(ATLC)
“Confidence in reporting of an event can
determine the speed of the rest of the
operation.”
- Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)

6. Value Proposition
Automated Authentication,
Threat, Location, Condition
(ATLC)
Radio Size, Weight, Power
(SWaP)
Combat Rescue Officers
(CROs, tactical CSAR units)
Week
Enthusiasm
Who are the beneficiaries?
“Critical information is information which alters action.
Much of what currently gets reported doesn’t influence our actions.”
- Combat Rescue Officer (CRO)
The radio is insufficient
?

7. Building the Workflow
INCIDENT REPORTED
Is IP alive?
Yes No
Threat level?
Acceptable
EXECUTE
Too high
Abort
Rescue Mission
Commander (RMC)
How confident are
we on validity of
report?
Not
confident
Keep
gathering info
Authentication, Threat, Location, Condition of isolated person?
What friendly forces are nearby and what are their capabilities?
Immediate Deliberate
LAUNCH
Who should go/who is equipped? How many can we risk
for this? What support do they need? What medical
personnel/supplies should they take?
PR Event Declared
High
confidence
Joint Personnel Recovery Center
(JPRC)
Combined Forces Air Component
Commander (CFACC)
&
JPRC Director

8. Personnel Recovery Decisions
Joint Personnel Recovery
Center (JPRC)
Combined Forces Air
Component Commander
(CFACC)
&
JPRC Director
Terminal
Area
Objective
Insertion Point
Forward
Operating Base
Rescue Forces & RMC
Airborne
Communications
Platform
LAUNCH
EXECUTE

9. Value Proposition
Radio Size, Weight, Power
(SWaP)
Combat Rescue Officers
(CROs, tactical CSAR units)
Week
Enthusiasm
Beneficiary Clarity!
Beneficiary clarity!
The radio is insufficient
Automated Authentication,
Threat, Location, Condition
(ATLC)
CFACC, JPRC Director &
RMC

10. Mission Achievement
Risk to
Isolated
Person
4hrs
Isolating
Event
Time
“According to numerous historical studies, after
four or more hours on the ground,
the chance that a survivor in combat will be
successfully rescued is historically less than
twenty percent.”
- JP 3.50 (Personnel Recovery Publication)
Launch
Launch
Decision-
Maker
Execution Decision-
Maker
Time! Confidence!

11. Execution Decision by Rescue Mission Commander (RMC)
Joint Personnel Recovery
Center (JPRC)
Combined Forces Air
Component Commander
(CFACC)
&
JPRC Director
Terminal
Area
Objective
Forward
Operating Base
Rescue Forces & RMC
Airborne
Communications
Platform
When you don't know [proof of life]...it makes it extremely difficult
to decide to risk anyone, much less a helicopter full of five member
rescue team.
- Air Force Brig Gen
Report Needed
Updated Report
Needed
Automation
Needed
LAUNCH
EXECUTE

12. Value Proposition
Radio Size, Weight, Power
(SWaP)
Combat Rescue Officers
(CROs, tactical CSAR units)
Automate Proof of Life and Location Reporting
Automated Proof of Life (PoL)
& Location Reporting
“Proof of life feeds into making a better decision, faster.”
- Air Force Brig Gen
Week
Enthusiasm
Automate Proof of Life &
Location Reporting!
The radio is insufficient
Automated Authentication,
Threat, Location, Condition
(ATLC)
Beneficiary clarity!
CFACC, JPRC Director &
RMC

13. BENEFICIARIES
Primary
● Decision-Makers (CFACC,
JPRC Director, RMC)
● Servicemembers at high risk
of isolation (i.e. downed
pilot)
Secondary
● Personnel recovery teams
(PJs and CROs)
Tertiary
● Civilian SAR
● Police
● Firefighters
● Outdoor Enthusiasts
VALUE PROPOSITION
● Provide reliable updates
of pilot’s condition to
inform risk and resource
management, reducing
time in report phase
● Provide automatic
condition reporting
capability without need
for manual action,
reducing time in report
phase.
● Provide objective
information on IP’s
condition to better
prepare the rescue team
at insertion point.

14. Biometric Sensor → Proof of Life/Condition
- Heart rate, SpO2, temp, BP, respiratory rate, body temperature
- 30 day battery life
Downed Pilot
End-User-Device → Authentication and Threat
- Two-way text
- Simple Graphical User Interface
- Moving map
Over-the-Horizon / Line-of-Sight Puck → Location
- LPI/LPD: spread spectrum frequency hopping, hide below noise floor
- 30 day battery life
Automation
- Auto-activation
- Interval tracking
Integrate and Automate Commercial Solutions

15. JPRC, RMC, and Rescue Teams Automatically Receive
Condition (Proof of Life) and Location
Condition
(Proof of Life)
Location
“Vitals information is game changing. Full set of vitals bounces
off on-board flight surgeon and back home”
- Rescue Mission Commander

16. Minimum Viable Product: Product-Mission Fit!
Downed Pilot
CFACC & JPRC Director
Rescue Mission Commander
End-User-Device
Biometric Sensor
Communications
Device (Puck)
Recovery Team
EXECUTE
LAUNCH

17. Week
Enthusiasm
How do we get our MVP into the hands of Pilots?
Product-mission fit!
Dual-use potential!
The radio is insufficient
Automate Proof of Life &
Location Reporting!
Beneficiary clarity!
Deployment Challenges...

18. Similar problem in civilian aviation...Dual-Use Potential!
Only 4% of 10,236
incidents in 2020
were actual distress
calls resulting in a
follow-on mission.
212,380
General
Aviation
Aircraft
3,735
Air Force
Aircraft
“I could absolutely see people going crazy over something like
that...I think you’re really onto something.”
- Career General Aviation Mechanic
Electronic Locator
Transmitter
responsible for
7,133 incident
alerts!
Market Share

19. Next Steps...Bring Technical Communications in
Personnel Recovery to the 21st Century!
Objectives:
- Air Force’s WEPTAC conference
- Get a solution into the hands of pilots
○ Partnership required?
Site Visits:
- JPRC located at Al-Udeid Air Force Base,
Qatar
Next Interviews:
- NorCal Aviation Service
- Artex (ELT manufacturer)

20. Mentors
● Craig Seidel
● LtCol Richard Lawson
● CDR Jack Souders
Sponsor
● Maj Richard Barnes (DIU)
● Mark Breier (In-Q-Tel)
TA: Sally Egan
AngelComms: angelcomms@lists.stanford.edu
Simon Acker
M.S. EE ‘22
B.S. EE ‘21
Johannes Hui
M.A. Intl Policy (ISEC) ‘22
B.S. CS (AI) ‘21
Deborah Jantz
B.A.H. Intl Relations
and Security ‘22
Kyle Thompson
M.A. Intl Policy (Cybersecurity) ‘22
Army Special Forces
Thank you to our interviewees, sponsors,
mentors, and TA!