UAS Crew Member Selection

     A company has purchased the Scan Eagle and Ikhana Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for its use. The Insitu Scan Eagle is a small portable UAS capable of an operational range of over 100km and an endurance of over 24 hours. A typical Scan Eagle system consists of four air vehicles, a ground control station, a remote video terminal, the SuperWedge launch system, and the Skyhook recovery system. The Scan Eagle typically requires only one operator (Scan Eagle System, 2014). The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) Ikhana UAS is a sister UAS to the GA-ASI MQ-9 Reaper UAS. NASA originally expressed interest in the B-version of the GA-ASI Predator system and later purchased the company-named Altair variant, with a 20-foot longer wingspan and has enhanced avionics systems to better enable it to fly in FAA-controlled civil airspace and demonstrate "over-the-horizon" command and control capability from a ground station. The Ikhana is a high altitude, long endurance (HALE) UAS capable of operations longer than 24 hours at an altitude of over 40,000 feet and a payload capacity of over 400 lbs internally and over 2,000 lbs in under-wing pods (NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Ikhana/Predator B Unmanned Science and Research Aircraft System, 2014). The Ikhana requires two operators, a pilot and a sensor/payload operator, in addition to its support crew which consists of the maintenance, launch, and recovery personnel.

Crew Requirements

     The differences in operational requirements of these two UAS is a key indicator when considering crew positions which need to be filled for operations. While the Scan Eagle can be operated from start to finish by one person the Ikhana requires more personnel throughout its mission. Both UASs have more than 24 hours of endurance thus requiring at least two shifts of operators for a typical mission. Both the Scan Eagle and Ikhana should have a separate maintenance and/or launch and recovery (L&R) team from its mission operators – the air vehicle operator (AVO) and/or mission package operator (MPO) or sensor operator. The maintenance and L&R team performs preflight, launch, and recovery duties while the Mission Operations team (AVO and MPO) performs in-flight mission operations. This setup is usual in military operational use of the two platforms.

Training

GA-ASI and Insitu offers training for their respective UASs. GA-ASI’s Predator Mission Aircrew Training System (PMATS) is a highly sophisticated flight simulator that accurately reproduces MQ-9 Reaper™ pilot and sensor operator aircrew stations, allowing students to master the art of flying and operating a Predator-series UAS using actual flight hardware. GA-ASI also trains personnel on not only Predator/Gray Eagle®-series ground and airborne systems, but also flight line procedures, safety, standardization, Technical Orders (TO) utilization, and ancillary items such as first aid and CPR.  This training ensures that company and subcontract personnel are thoroughly prepared to provide quality system maintenance in any setting, from peacetime training to OCONUS warfighter support (Predator Mission Aircrew Training System, 2014).

     Insitu offers training for operators and maintainers tailored to the user’s needs. Certificate courses range from 5-weeks for maintainers to 10-weeks for operators. Additional courses in mission coordination, UAS familiarization, system upgrade, and emerging technologies are available along with Mission Employment and Instructor support packages and other additional services from Insitu (Training, 2014).

     Cross training and certifying personnel on duties such as maintenance, L&R, AVO, and MPO as well as between the Scan Eagle and Ikhana systems can be a force multiplier for the company. For example, a single maintenance crew can be trained and responsible for both systems and the AVOs and MPOs can be trained and responsible for both UAS operations.

Desired Applicant Qualifications

     Both UASs purchased by the company have been in use by the US Military for years. Veterans with training and experience on these platforms are desirable candidates for crew members. Certificates of training from each manufacturer are highly desirable, along with any FAA-mandated pilot licenses and ratings for the UAS and a minimum of 500 hours flight or maintenance/L&R time on each UAS or similar UAS.

Reference

NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: Ikhana/Predator B Unmanned Science and Research Aircraft System. (2014, February 28). Retrieved from NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-097-DFRC.html#.U8_0ePldWSp

Predator Mission Aircrew Training System. (2014, July 23). Retrieved from General Atomics Aeronautical: http://www.ga-asi.com/products/training_support/pmats.php

Scan Eagle System. (2014, July 23). Retrieved from INSITU: http://www.insitu.com/systems/scaneagle

Training. (2014, July 23). Retrieved from Insitu: http://www.insitu.com/services/training