many drones make light work themed competition 22 September 2016

Many drones make light work
Centre for Defence Enterprise
themed competition
UK OFFICIAL© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl
September 2016
2011 , cc-by-2.0
Adapted from an image by J Chrisostomo.

September 2016
Introduction
Military context
Technology challenges
Integration
Exploitation
Questions and answers
© Crown copyright 2005

Military context
September 2016

Future operations
© Crown copyright 2016 Dstl
September 2016
• increasing urbanisation,
globalisation and interconnectivity
• baseline to encourage innovation
and adaptation
• describes UK and global context
UK OFFICIAL
Future Operating Environment 2035 [2014], DCDC. Available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-operating-environment-2035

Urban/littoral operating environment
September 2016
Image by Vitaly V. Kuzmin CC BY-SA 4.0, Image © Robert Campbell CC BY-SA 3.0
Image © Ngô Trung CC BY 3.0Image © Ana Paula Hirama CC BY 2.0
Image © ISM PalestineCC BY-SA 2.0
Congested
Connected
Constrained
Contested
Cluttered

Use case - preparation for operations
September 2016
• understanding
– physical
– human
– information
– infrastructure
• reconnaissance
• surveillance
• mapping
Image © Alicia Nijdam CC BY 2.0

Why swarming?
• multi-spectral mapping and understanding
• dispersed sensing opportunities
– multi-aspect mapping and imagery
• population continues normal pattern of life
September 2016

Use case - high value target
September 2016
• establish and maintain
positive ID in a highly
congested environment
• discrimination
• overwatch
UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?
Flexibility
• multi-spectral surveillance
• multi-aspect imagery
• cooperation
Quantity
• redundancy
• saturation of defences
• splitting capability between a number of systems
September 2016

Use case - deliberate operations
September 2016
• find/track adversaries
• minimise civilian casualties
• maintain overwatch
• cueing
UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?
Contested environment
Layered defence
• quantity presents targeting problem
• redundancy
• loss of any drone provides understanding
• responsive re-tasking
September 2016

Use case - counter-sniper
September 2016
• establish and maintain positive ID
• external cueing
• overwatch
• electro-magnetic (EM) suppression
UK OFFICIAL

Why swarming?
• “see” inside the urban canyon
• multi-spectral sensor cueing
• intelligent swarm response
• multiple mission capability
September 2016

Use case - littoral
September 2016
• beach/landing reconnaissance
• overwatch
• layered defence
• complex operating environment
– target identification
– collateral damage considerations
– minimise impact on critical infrastructure/economy
UK OFFICIAL

Why Swarming?
Quantity
• redundancy
• multi-mission capability
• cooperation
• saturation of defences
Multi-sensor/multi-aspect
September 2016

Technology challenges
September 2016

Challenge 1: open modular UAS platforms
September 2016
We’re looking for:
• modular carrier platforms
• rapid integration of technology
• common mission systems
• use of common open systems
architectures†
• low purchase and through life cost
• platforms to demonstrate swarming
capability
†e.g. European Component Oriented Architecture (ECOA)
http://www.ecoa.technology

Challenge 1: open modular UAS platforms
September 2016
We expect key outputs to be:
• approach systems integration
• indicative costs for 10, 15, 20
platforms
†e.g. European Component Oriented Architecture (ECOA)
http://www.ecoa.technology

Management/command of swarm concepts
• autonomous behaviours of swarming UAS
• human-machine interfaces
• information fusion and exploitation
approaches
• verification and validation approaches for
concepts
• delivery of military effect with a swarm of
UAS
Challenge 2: mission management of UAS Swarms
Technologies and approaches to enable a single operator to manage 20+ platforms
September 2016

• system use concepts
• proof-of-concept demonstrations
Challenge 2: mission management of UAS Swarms
Technologies and approaches to enable a single operator to manage 20+ platforms
September 2016

We’re looking for:
Utilisation of UAS swarming and/or fractionated systems
• system concepts and payloads
• sensing concepts
• effects across the EM spectrum
• low cost enabling technologies;
payloads
September 2016
2011, cc-by-2.0
Image © Geoff Gallice
Image © Oliver Dodd
2014 , cc-by-2.0
Challenge 3: developing technology enablers
for UAS swarms

• military utility
• size, weight, and power requirements
• proof-of-concept demonstrations
September 2016
2011, cc-by-2.0
Image © Geoff Gallice
Image © Oliver Dodd
2014 , cc-by-2.0
Challenge 3: developing technology enablers
for UAS swarms

What we want
September 2016
• willingness to collaborate with others
• projects that consider a system approach and integration requirements
• proposals that demonstrate understanding of cost implications
• proof-of-concept technology demonstration
• novel and innovative approaches
• solutions which can be exploited into integrated phase-2 demonstrations
• solutions which can easily be reconfigured, upgraded or updated
• consider ECOA – European Component Orientated Architecture

What we don’t want
• single solution from a single supplier
• projects that can’t demonstrate feasibility within the phase 1 timescale
• demonstrations of existing ‘off-the-shelf’ products
• solutions that don’t offer significant benefit to defence
• generic swarming models or algorithms
• marginal improvements in capability
• consultancy, paper-based studies or literature reviews
September 2016

Integration
• aspiration to establish ad-hoc, virtual teams
• we think it’s unlikely that phase 1 projects will seamlessly fit together
and cover the solution space
– introduce other technology suppliers
– support to integration
• only phase-1 suppliers can be funded in phase 2 but can sub-
contract new technology suppliers
September 2016

Exploitation
September 2016
• networking events [Jan/Feb and May/June]
• stakeholder demonstration [July]
• phase 2 competition
• possible opportunity to participate in the TTCP ASC
Cardigan Bay trials in 2017 and 2018
• integration into research programme
TTCP: The Technical Cooperation Program
ASC: Autonomy Strategic Challenge

Important information
• total budget for phase 1 up to £1 million
• projects typically between £40,000 to £80,000
– we will not accept proposals over £100,000
• stakeholder event July 2017 for successful phase-1
projects to demonstrate their technology
• up to an additional £2 million available for phase-2
funding
September 2016

Important dates
• webinar 12.30pm 3 October 2016
• competition closes at 5pm Thursday 3 November 2016
• proposals must be submitted using the CDE online
submission service
• contract placement initiated and feedback provided mid-
January 2017
• phase-1 projects to complete by 1 August 2017
September 2016

September 2016
Technical questions
swarming@dstl.gov.uk
General enquiries
cde@dstl.gov.uk
Proposals submitted via the CDE online submission
service – no later than 5pm Thursday 3 November 2016

September 2016

How will the competition work?
Innovation Network event
22 September 2016
Emma Howe
CDE Themed Competition Manager

Challenge 1
Open modular UAS platforms

Challenge 2
mission management of UAS swarms

Challenge 3
Developing technology enablers for UAS
swarms

What we want

What we don’t want

Phase 1
Up to £1 million
Typically £40 - 80,000
Research complete by August 2017
Proof-of-concept
Phase 2 proposal

Phase 2
Up to £2 million available
Longer research projects
Collaborations encouraged

Competition dates
Webinar:
3 October 2016

Technical queries
swarming@dstl.gov.uk

November
Competition closes
3 November 2016 at 5pm
53

many drones make light work themed competition 22 September 2016

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