It's a tactical UAV. Range isn't as important as payload and endurance. It's purpose is to see what a small-unit commander needs to see, not be a Global Hawk halfway around the world.
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USMC RQ-21A news
- Thread starter Swanee
- Start date
It's a tactical UAV. Range isn't as important as payload and endurance. It's purpose is to see what a small-unit commander needs to see, not be a Global Hawk halfway around the world.
Oh ok, LOS was the only reason I could think of but I just assumed everything was through satellites these days. Makes sense.
"Autonomous" doesn't mean launch it and forget about it. It means you tell it what to do (fly to waypoint X, climb to FLXX) and monitor the AV to make sure it follows instructions, as opposed to stick-throttle flying. Of the bigger UAVs, only the Preds still are flown that way, and the AF is decomming the last of theirs (CBP/Coasties will still fly them for a while).
There's always a pilot in the loop.
The autopilot is always flying the airplane. For the Blackjack a pilot can command altitudes, airspeeds, RPM/Throttle settings, and can use something called Control Wheel Steering to get the airplane to maneuver left and right to certain angles of bank, in addition to create routes, waypoints and orbits. However, the autopilot is always flying the airplane and it won't let you exceed certain parameters.
The launch process is pretty automated- you command ready to launch and when the PC hits the button on the launcher the thing follows the programmed logic to detect the launch and climb away. Recovery is a little less automated, but it is mostly preprogrammed- as in you edit and load recovery parameters for an approach then fly it. You have the ability to command a few things (for wave-offs) but the only thing you really hawk is airspeed. You essentially get one control (AS) to help manage glideslope, closure speed and crab angle. It's not a perfect system, but it works- and it's cheaper than training someone to hand fly.
Most of the brainpower is spent on the sensors (which is a good thing), and everything else is a scan. The hard part is having to be ahead of the little robot all the time, because you can't do any rapid maneuvering to get you out of a tight spot. That and learning that for better or worse the robot is going to do exactly what you told it to.
Yeah. It's #1 heartache of the MEU right now. Having the LPD within 50 miles of where you want your UAV coverage is not optimal.
Everything about being a Marine on a MEU is heartache.
My bad, I was under the impression that it had the same engine as the RQ-7, since the RQ-21 is built on the same body. If you are flying this above 7k and the noise isn't obvious on the ground then that's progress I suppose.
I don't think RQ-21 is built on the same body as the RQ-7.
It's not.
RQ-21 is more closely related to (and a derivative of) Scan Eagle. It's an Insitu product, whereas Shadow is AAI, and a derivative of the RQ-2 Pioneer.
Article would be funnier if the photo was of several Marines hoisting up a Tu-160.