Agricultural Use of UAS

To set aside the well-known and commonplace military applications for UAS operations for a moment, consider the commercial applications.  After all, the civilian sector is the driving force behind the economy and experts believe that market is primed. “If the FAA relaxes its rules, says Mark Brown, the civilian market for drones-and especially small, low-cost, tactical drones-could soon dwarf military sales, which in 2011 totaled more than three billion dollars” (Horgan, 2013).

One mission profile in particular, which is fundamental to the growth and stability of any society, is agriculture.  UASs soon will be operating above the fields and ranches of the world performing tasks like, but not limited to: “field monitoring, crop monitoring, pesticide application, and precision watering” (Horgan, 2013).  “UAVs will soon become essential too [in addition to law enforcement] for agriculture (checking and spraying crops, finding lost cattle), journalism (scoping out public events or celebrity backyards), weather forecasting, traffic control” (Horgan, 2013).

The need for these systems already exists.  Farmland can be expansive, covering hundreds or thousands of acres of inaccessible terrain.  UASs can do in minutes what would require a landowner hours to do on horseback or ATV.  Already, farmers incur costs for using conventional aircraft to conduct aerial spraying or surveying, so use of a lower-cost UAS just makes sense. “Precision applications of pesticides, water, or fertilizers, which drones can help by identifying exactly where such resources are needed and delivering them there, is better for the environment and for a farmer's bottom line” (Handwerk, 2013).

Already, there are various platforms in play performing certain types of agricultural support missions.  There is the Yamaha RMAX, a 2.75 meter-long unmanned helicopter with a LOS range of 400 meters.  It offers a 246cc 2-cycle engine and a sprayer attachment to provide “precision crop dusting” and other applications (Yamaha, 2013).  Ben Gielow, a spokesman for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International commented, "Agriculture, far and away, is going to be the dominant market for UAV operations...In Japan they've been flying the Yamaha RMAX for 20 years" (Handwerk, 2013).

Additionally, there is the Falcon UAV which offers aerial imagery, has also been used in flood recovery efforts in Colorado, wildlife conservation in South Africa, and professional surveying (Falcon, 2013).  Imagery can provide valuable field and crop monitoring information, assist in locating lost livestock and even spot trespassers (illegal hunting is always a concern for land owners).A third platform offering vertical takeoff and landing ability, as well as, aerial surveillance is the “AutoCopter”.  This “64 inch”, “17 pound” UAS is able to fly preprogrammed autonomous routes or can be flown manually (Johnson, 2012).  Its small size allows it to be transported easily in the back of a pickup truck and it with a variety of cameras available (including real-time video glasses worn by the operator) the “AutoCopter” can be easily launched by a single operator for tasking (Johnson, 2012).  “A rancher could check fences, look for predators, check out the watering systems, and look over their livestock all from a bird’s eye view. They could see the condition of their buildings, and even get an idea of how the pastures are faring” (Johnson, 2012).

A temporary hurdle to the widespread deployment of these commercial UASs is government regulation.  In order for these UASs to be flown in the national airspace, the FAA has to condone their use.  Environmental concerns are negligible since the UASs will conduct the same missions that are already in progress, requiring no additional research or legislation. “Today, only government agencies, some public universities, and a handful of private companies hold the few hundred FAA permits to fly private drones” (Handwerk, 2013).  The current FAA plan, expected to go into effect next year, would allow the use of these aircraft with certain restrictions (Federal Aviation Administration, 2013).

References
Falcon. (2013, September 14). Home - www.falcon-uav.com. Retrieved from Falcon UAV Web site: http://www.falcon-uav.com/
Handwerk, B. (2013, December 13). 5 Surprising Drone Uses (Besides Amazon Delivery). Retrieved from National Geographic Web site: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131202-drone-uav-uas-amazon-octocopter-bezos-science-aircraft-unmanned-robot/
Horgan, J. (2013, March). Unmanned Flight: The Drones Come Home - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine. Retrieved from National Geographic Web site: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/unmanned-flight/horgan-text?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_r1p_us_se_w#
Johnson, A. (2012, June 14). AutoCopter offers the opportunity to see the crops from above. Retrieved from Farm & Ranch Guide Web site: http://www.farmandranchguide.com/news/agri-tech/autocopter-offers-the-opportunity-to-see-the-crops-from-above/article_8fa885e2-b422-11e1-bb05-001a4bcf887a.html
Yamaha. (2013). Yamaha RMAX | The high performance unmanned helicopter designed for a wide range of industrial uses. Retrieved from Yamaha Motor Web site: http://rmax.yamaha-motor.com.au/

Lockheed D-21 and Lockheed RQ-170 UAS

The shoot down of American pilot Gary Powers and his U-2 in 1960 underscored the danger to human pilots during reconnaissance missions (Sullivan, 2013).  The political turmoil associated with the capture and detention of a U.S. citizen fueled the desire to reduce this liability.  This debacle fueled a drive toward the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), starting with the 1965 Lockheed D-21.The D-21 was essentially a ramjet engine a blended wing body and a camera.  

The D-21 could not launch on its own, but instead was carried aloft on the back of the M-21 Blackbird (a specially configured SR-71).  However, it would ultimately reach speeds of Mach 4 at 80,000 feet MSL (PBS NOVA, 2005).  Design elements used on the D-21 are still found today in its descendants, like the B-2 Spirit and the F-117 stealth fighter (The Museum of Flight, 2010).  The D-21 used low observable technologies like radar-absorbing paint to evade detection.  When coupled with other design elements, like high speed and altitude capabilities, the D-21 could operate in dangerous territories without being detected or shot down (The Museum of Flight, 2010). The D-21 flew a preprogrammed mission profile afterwards returning to uncontested airspace to release its film payload before self-destructing (The Museum of Flight, 2010).  

As detection technology has become more sophisticated, human pilots are at even more risk and the UAS are more valuable than ever.  One of the latest evolutions based on this reality is the Lockheed-Martin RQ-170 Sentinel, first introduced in 2007 (Militaryfactory.com, 2013).  The RQ-170 Sentinel (Beast of Kandahar) is a top secret UAS that looks like a small B-2 Spirit, so the specifications are only speculative (Johnson, 2009).  However, this reconnaissance platform has come a long way since its 1965 grandparent.  Right from the start, the RQ-170 is able to taxi and take-off from a runway just like any other airplane.  It still incorporates low-observability technology like radar absorbent paint, but it relies less upon speed and altitude to evade detection.  The turbofan engine incorporated into the flying wing design would make supersonic flight unlikely, though its expected ceiling of 50,000 feet MSL exceeds other UAS platforms like Reaper and Predator (Militaryfactory.com, 2013).  It has suspected performance characteristics similar to modern fighter-types (Militaryfactory.com, 2013).  The Sentinel has another massive advantage over its ancestor the D-21; the Sentinel can return and land!  Forecasting into the future can be a tricky business, but one thing seems for sure; the UAS is here to stay.  As the systems continue to evolve, it would seem that lower cost radar evasion technologies are preferential to edge-of-the-envelope performance.

References:

Johnson, M. (2009, December 15). Out of Nevada comes 'Beast' | Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved from Reviewjournal.com Web site: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/out-nevada-comes-beast

Militaryfactory.com. (2013, July 2). Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Retrieved from Military Factory.com Web site: http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=896

PBS NOVA. (2005, Fall). NOVA | Spies That Fly | D-21 (USA) | PBS. Retrieved from NOVA Web site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/spiesfly/uavs_10.html

The Museum of Flight. (2010, December 29). Lockheed D-21B Drone - Manufacturer was Lockheed. Retrieved from The Museum of Flight Web site: http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/lockheed-d-21b-drone