Communicating with UAVs
Date 05 December 2007
Time
09:00 - Registration
17:00 - Close
Location
The IET, Savoy Place, London, UK
Sponsors
Co sponsored by the Aerospace Technical & Professional NetworkIntroduction
The the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) is growing significantly. Already commonly used in war zones and with a potential role in civil security, for example border control. The demand for communications with UAVs will increase either to control them or retrieve large amounts of data locally or globally.
UAV Operations will need to rely on different communication bearers to realise their missions utilising a combination of terrestrial and space assets.
About the seminar
This one day seminar will focus on the key issues related to terrestrial and space communication in supporting UAV operations. It will provide the right forum to debate security measures and areas of improvement and analyse operational challenges for urban combat communications and timeliness of information.
The event will also look into the current challenges and regulatory policies on the use of UAV’s in civil airspace.
Key speakers
- Gerard Donelan, Head of Public Projects, SES ASTRA, Luxemburg
- Nigel Simmons, Commander, Royal Navy, MOD, UK
- Neil Powell, Wing Commander, Royal Air Force; MOD, UK
- Frank Zeppenfeldt, Systems Engineer, ESA Satellite Telecommunications, The Netherlands
- Dylan Browne, Head of Sales & Marketing, EADS Astrium Services
- Tim Killam, 5 Eyes Defence, UK
- Professor Ian Poll, Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Cranfield University and Technical Director of Cranfield Aerospace Ltd, UK
- C Halliday and Dr Tony J Dodd , Department of Automatic Control & Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK
- Dr Joseph Barnard, Managing Director, Barnard Communications, UK
- Philip Haines, Managing Partner, Holycroft Associate, UK
- Setnam Shemar, Senior Scientist, and Andrew O'Keefe, Senior Systems Engineer, QinetiQ, UK
Key topics to be discussed
- Current UAV developments in the British aerospace and analysis of UAV roadmap to predict future needs
- Payload design / Constraints
- Communications system design / Responsive space
- Combining communication bearers
- Coalition Interoperability issues
- Operational challenges for urban combat communications and timeliness of information
- Control technology platforms for UAV autonomy
- Cooperative airspace
- UAV management and investment priorities
- Current regulatory policies on UAV’s in civil airspace
- Future directions and challenges – technical and political
Who should attend?
This event is interesting to all those who are responsible for Testing, Design, Command and Control Systems in Space and Defence Sectors; Government; Surveillance and Communication; Satellite Communications; UAV Business Development and Public Safety specifically:
Heads of Divisions, Directors, Managers and Specialists Responsible for Operations, Technology, R&D and Consulting including:
- VP’s, Directors and Program Managers in Plans, Policy, and Operations
- Project leaders and Systems Engineers
- Interoperability Division Chiefs
- Intelligence and surveillance specialists
- Head of acquisition
- UAV Pilots
- UAV Technical Developers
- UAV Flight Test Team Managers
You are no longer able to register for this event.
Programme
| 09.00 | Registration and refreshments |
| 09.25 | Chairman’s welcome |
| 09.30 | Overview of the Current and Future Challenges of UAVs in UK
Nigel Simmons, Commander, Royal Navy and Neil Powell, Wing Commander, Royal Air Force; MOD, UK |
| 10.00 | Space Segment for UAV - Is There Any Left?
|
| 10.30 | Use and Abuse of UAVs; a US Perspective
Tim Killam, 5 Eyes Defence, UK |
| 11.00 | Refreshments |
| 11.30 | UAV Satellite Datalink - The State of the Art
Dylan Browne, Head of Sales & Marketing, EADS Astrium Services |
| 12.00 | Specifying UAV Communications Systems
Setnam Shemar, Senior Scientist, and Andrew O'Keefe, Senior Systems Engineer, QinetiQ, UK |
| 12.30 | Lunch |
| 13.30 | Projects Related To UAVs within the European Space Agency
Frank Zeppenfeldt, Systems Engineer, European Space Agency - Satellite Telecommunications, The Netherlands |
| 14.00 | Satellite Communications with UAVs – Practical Lessons from High Speed Trains and Planes Philip Haines, Managing Partner, Hollycroft Associates, UK |
| 14.30 | UAVs as High Altitude Long Endurance Platforms – Are They A Realistic Possibility? The presentation will identify and consider the issues surrounding the use of fixed wing, lighter than air and combination vehicles to provide high altitude, long endurance platforms for a variety of sensors. Particular emphasis will be placed on the performance potential as determined, and limited by, the laws of physics. Current capabilities will be reviewed and future potential will be considered. Barriers to progress and areas in which research is required will be identified. Dr Ian Poll, Director Aerospace Division, Cranfield Defence, UK |
| 15.00 | Refreshments |
| 15.30 | Small UAV (< 150 kg TOW) Command, Control and Communication Issues Joseph Barnard, Managing Director, Barnard Communications, UK |
| 16.00 | Issues and Challenges for Cooperative UAV Missions Dr T J Dodd and C Halliday, Department of Automatic Control & Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK |
| 16.30 | Panel discussion |
| 17.00 | Closing remarks |
Download programme (PDF)