After its successful demonstration at last month’s Farnborough Airshow in Britain, the skyISTAR mission system for unmanned aircraft, under development by Finmeccanica company SELEX Galileo, is now being presented for the first time to the US market.
The platform and sensor-agnostic multi-mission system is now being promoted at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)’s Unmanned Systems North America exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada (6-9th August).
The skyISTAR system is currently under evaluation by international prime contractors.
About skyISTAR
The requirement: In the future, Unmanned Air Systems will need to be able to carry out a broader range of surveillance missions, demonstrating interoperability with other platforms and a flexible multi-role capability to fulfil a variety of mission objectives.
The solution: skyISTAR is a state of the art, integrated mission management and sensor system. skyISTAR’s architecture allows the customer to define specific sensor configurations and guarantees adaptability among different systems and programming languages to provide an upgrade path as operational requirements evolve. The architecture enables additional mission capabilities, providing a scalable and modular solution for the end user. Its advanced multi-platform data fusion algorithms, act as a system capability multiplier, providing a true integrated sensing solution.
skyISTAR incorporates user-selectable levels of autonomy that are designed to deliver the right information to the user at the right time, reducing operator workload. skyISTAR has been designed to support cost-effective system enhancements to enable it to meet evolving future needs.
The experience: skyISTAR builds on SELEX Galileo’s wealth of experience in all aspects of UAS and integrated system design. The company’s work on its Falco tactical UAS has resulted in an in-depth understanding of UAS mission systems, sensor integration and ground control technologies. More than 15 years of experience with the Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance (ATOS) system has provided SELEX Galileo with the knowledge required to field integrated ISTAR solutions and provide critical sensor information to crews in an easy-to-understand way.
Key capabilities
Right information at the right time: skyISTAR utilised both inter-platform and intra-platform data fusion capabilities, interfacing with the C4I infrastructure, to provide the end user with the right information at the right time.
Operational sovereignty: skyISTAR offers the ability to operate, modify or upgrade the system, independent of constraints placed by a manufacturer or country of origin.
User-selectable levels of autonomy: skyISTAR has user-selectable levels of autonomy to maximise the effectiveness of the onboard sensor suite whilst simultaneously reducing operator workload.
Platform agnostic: skyISTAR is configurable for a wide range of both unmanned systems and manned aircraft with remotely controlled mission systems. The fully integrated air and ground segments of skyISTAR provide a flexible solution, specifically tailored to customer needs.
Service orientated architecture: skyISTAR’s architecture allows the customer to define specific sensor configurations and provides an upgrade path as operational requirements evolve. The architecture enables additional mission capabilities, providing a scalable and modular solution for the end user.
Advanced sensor capabilities: skyISTAR can provide a full matrix of capabilities that covers the complete spectrum of RF, EO, Laser, COMINT, ELINT, Data Link both in LOS and BLOS, Tactical (11/22 and 16), Voice Communication, Ground Station and Self Protection elements. However the matrix can also accommodate specific customer requirements.
Interoperability: skyISTAR supports networked operations, providing interoperability with joint, combined, allied and multi-national forces. The skyISTAR infrastructure provides a multi-role capability across civil, paramilitary and military domains.