The Ukrainian Armed Forces may receive a unique guidance system for drones that will cope with electronic warfare
General view of the Skynode S product
Currently, lungs are being actively developed Drones-kamikaze. Various solutions are proposed to improve their efficiency. For example, the American company Auterion Ltd has developed a new control system called Skynode S. This system has a high degree of automation and can perform some of the operator’s tasks, which allows it to hit the target more efficiently.
With artificial intelligence
American company Auterion Ltd. develops hardware and software for various purposes. The company has sites in Germany, Switzerland and Ukraine.
One of the main areas of activity of the company is the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. aviation systems (BAS). The company aims to increase the autonomy of UAS, making them more independent from the operator.
At the end of June, the company first presented a control system for UAVs called Skynode S. Development was carried out in closed mode, and by the time of publication all the main stages of development had passed. The company has already completed the creation of a new device and tested it, including testing in real combat conditions.
The development of Skynode S was prompted by the proliferation of kamikaze drones and FPV strike systems. The company noted the problems associated with target accuracy in the final part of the trajectory. Negative factors in this situation include insufficient operator training or fatigue, interference and signal loss, and the impact of electronic warfare systems (EW) and other problems.
Control device with radiator
The Auterion company decided to create an autonomous control system that could independently track a target and point a drone at it without human intervention. To do this, it was necessary to solve complex problems in the field of technical vision and automatic control.
The future product, Skynode S, was intended for light unmanned aerial vehicles, which limited its size, weight and power requirements.
It is unknown how long it took to develop the new system. However, the work was recently completed, and the company produced a pilot batch of control devices. With their help, the first tests were carried out at the test site, which confirmed the calculated characteristics.
In addition, combat tests were carried out. The Auterion company reported that a number of Dragon kamikaze quadcopters with the Skynode S system were used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in real combat operations. It is argued that the new system has again confirmed its potential and coped with the assigned tasks. However, no technical or other details are provided for obvious reasons.
Technical details
Skynode S is a comprehensive solution that combines software and hardware, which is designed to improve the technical and combat characteristics of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The control system is compatible with various air platforms and provides the ability to operate autonomously in each case.
Auterion Dragon UAV used in testing
"Skynod-S" is a compact computer, which is made in the form of a board with a diameter of only a few centimeters. This board contains all the necessary components and connectors. The board and components are covered by a compact heatsink.
This computer has original software installed based on the proprietary AuterionOS operating system.
The device is proposed to be mounted on a quadcopter carrier and connected to power, speed controller and camera. Declared compatibility with most modern controllers and USB optics. The possibility of using Skynode S to control other types of payloads has also been announced.
A key element of the new control system is the vision software. Using the UAV's standard camera, it identifies and tracks the target selected by the operator. High reliability of tracking and guidance is declared, regardless of various conditions, external influences, and so on.
The system can fly independently or operate under operator commands. Various electronic devices running on popular operating systems can be used as an operator console. The functions of the unmanned system can be expanded by installing additional software modules. In addition, the development company promises to develop its operating system and software for it.
Control program interface
The Skynode S project uses a combined approach to control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during flight. An FPV drone or loitering munition takes off under the control of an operator and, following his commands, enters the target area.
The operator must then detect the target and track it. After this, the flight until it hits the designated object occurs automatically. However, until the last moment the operator has the opportunity to observe the flight of the UAV and, if necessary, make adjustments.
Overall potential
Auterion Ltd. presented a new development that is of interest. If the information about the Skynode S project is correct, then the company managed to solve an important problem in the field of unmanned aircraft and create the basis for the emergence of attack UAVs with increased combat potential.
It is alleged that the Skynod-S control system uses any compatible video cameras and implements the principle of a television homing head. The system has minimal size and weight, and is also simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The cost is comparable to a good modern smartphone.
Unfortunately, for now the Auterion company is limited only to statements and advertising materials. The operation of her new devices was not demonstrated.
The proposed and implemented system has obvious advantages. It allows you to free a person from the most difficult part of the process of guiding a kamikaze drone, which requires special reactions and skills. Specialized electronics should cope with this task better than humans. In this case, the choice of target and the decision to attack remain with the operator.
UAV with Skynode S system during testing in Ukraine
An important feature of the Skynode S project is that all control devices are located on board an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This provides reliable protection against electronic warfare (EW) systems and signal loss. In addition, unlike systems with an operator, there is no delay associated with the transmission of signals over the radio channel. All this allows us to count on a higher probability of successfully hitting the target.
Real result
Despite promotional materials, it is not yet known how well Auterion Ltd's control system will be able to maintain target acquisition in various situations and conditions. The question arises about its ability to work with moving objects.
The American company claims that its project is the first such development in the world. However, this is not true. One of the first loitering munitions with artificial intelligence, capable of independently targeting a target without a full "missile"GSN, became the Russian "Lancet" in one of its later modifications. Such products appeared in the fall of last year and demonstrated the potential of such solutions.
It is obvious that technologies in this area will develop and, having reached a certain level, will become widespread. This will lead to a decrease in the effectiveness of some common means of countering UAVs and will require new solutions or improvements to already known ones. Time will tell how quickly such changes will occur on the battlefield and what they will lead to.
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