History of UAS

We are going to talk about an important UAS design during the cold war. This is the Drone antisubmarine helicopter (DASH) QH-50C. This Drone was built to destroy enemy submarines. This unmanned radio-controlled antisubmarine “helicopter with the range of up to 22-mi.armed with Mk 44 torpedo”. It was used by the United States Navy ships, to rapidly destroy submarines before they run under the water or try to shoot to the vessel. On the middle of the 1960s errors miscalculating landings limited their use to operate in not heavy seas or high wind conditions (Gault, Sep. 2010). The specification for this Drone was:

“The length was 12 feet and 11 inches. With rotor of the diameter of 20 feet, height 9 feet and 8.5 inches, empty weight was 1156 lbs., max. Takeoff weight of 2290 lbs. Engine with 300 hp. The speed of 80 knots range 71 nm and service ceilling16500 feet”.

The author said that the DASH control scheme had two controllers, one on the flight deck that handle the takeoff and landing and the other one in the combat information’s center, which flies the drone to the targets and release the weapons (Gault, Sep. 2010).  Many problems as the controller cannot see the drone and sometimes loss of “operational control or situational awareness” (Gault, Sep. 2010). Later in the program, the report states that there were successful experiments with the television camera to the drone. The report also states that more than the 80% of these drones were lost in the ocean because of the faulty wiring. By the middle of the 70s, the drone program was scrapped.

Reasons as the DASH were considered expendable using cheap off industrial electronics (Gault, Sep. 2010). The article states that “Today in 2010 a lot of the modified DASH drones continue to operate as it has done in Vietnam, gulf, and Iraqi wars” (Gault, Sep. 2010). Now the system equipped with television cameras and with autopilots controlling the system self-take off and landings (Gault, Sep. 2010), as link communication using GPS and algorithms for autonomous navigation. The system is used in reconnaissance missions by the ships. It is been reported by the author that in 2007 “small number of DASH drones are still in operation at white sands test range and use to tow targets and calibrate radars and electronic systems” (Gault, Sep. 2010). This system have been modified and actually have gave opening to new generation of drones as the MQs fire Scouts that are using high technology as the new drone with automatic the takeoff and landing and autonomous navigation systems using advanced GPS navigation and with ship stations with satellite data link allowing the system full performance and efficiency, with new UVS missions on reconnaissance, situational awareness, aerial fire support and precision targeting (Stracker, September 2007).

                                                 References

 

Gault, O. (Sep. 2010). FRAM AND DASH: COLD WAR EXPEDIENCIES.

Stracker, M. C. (September 2007). RQ-8 FIRE SCOUT VERTICAL TAKE-OFF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (VTUAV).