Unmanned ground systems: ethical in war? I say yes

In June of 2007, I deployed to Iraq as an infantry soldier for a period of fourteen months. During that time, my unit and I came across multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs), many of which were successfully cleared by this little guy:

This is the Talon explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) robot, manufactured by QinetiQ. Every EOD unit in Iraq was using some kind of unmanned ground vehicle like this to safely handle bombs that were intended to take American lives. We affectionately called these UGVs "Johnny 5" (after the robot in the movie Short Circuit II), and they saved our lives more than once. It then is no surprise that I fully endorse the use of UGVs in combat.

At any rate, the ethical, moral, and legal issues facing UGVs and unmanned maritime vehicles (UMVs) are the same which face unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): is it right - and, more importantly, is it legal - for a man to use a machine to kill another man a thousand miles away? I believe the answer to the legal question is "yes", given that drone strikes are still used to take out targets in war zones all the time. Ethically, however, is another question. Some argue that using robots in war "cheapens the cost of war, making future war more likely" (Wagner, 2017). It is hard to dispute that logic; one of the biggest deterrents to going into war is the potential loss of human life. However, if your side is in no danger of losing anyone (since robots are doing all the fighting), then the only deterrent becomes negative economic impact. And the fact is, war tends to be good for business in a lot of places. It can be argued that war may also be politically harmful, but if you have the strongest military, you make your own politics.

Still, as long as battlefields exist, I believe that UGVs and UMVs should be on them. If a robot can save a soldier's life, then that is all the proof I need that the vehicles belong there. Watching Johnny 5 safely detonate another IED (and sacrifice itself in the process), I didn't care much for how fair or not war is, or of how loss of human live does or does not serve as a deterrent. I just wanted to get home in one piece. UGVs made that possible in 2007, and they're making it possible now. Unmanned systems have every right to be on the battlefield alongside their human counterparts.


                                                                     
                                                                  Reference

Wagner, A. R. (2017). Ask an ethicist: is it ethical to use robots to kill in a war? Retrieved from

     https://news.psu.edu/story/452771/2017/02/24/ask-ethicist-it-ethical-use-robots-kill-war

Aurora Flight Sciences and Socionext Designs Radar Flight Control Module (RFCM)

            Small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) require collision avoidance systems that
are not only effective at sensing and avoiding obstacles and other aircraft, but that also
are light enough that they do not affect the vehicle’s stability or its flight time. The 
Radar Flight Control Module (RFCM), currently in development through a joint effort 
between Aurora Flight Sciences and Socionext Designs, may be the perfect device for 
the job.

            The RFCM’s biggest asset is its size. The unit packs a twenty-four gigahertz 
radar and range measurement software into a single chip barely bigger than a nickel 
(Smith, 2018). That’s not an exaggeration, as the picture below demonstrates:

According to Smith (2018), the module can detect “multiple objects, objects in 
open spaces, target distance and speed, and more…”, making it more than suitable 
for typical sUAS flight. Smith (2018) goes on to state that the RFCM has a very 
simple interface, allowing it to be integrated with a wide variety of drone types, not 
just UAVs. For our purposes, it is enough to note that the nickel-sized radar can be 
fitted to just about any commercially available UAV, and substantially increase the 
safety of operation for that UAV.

            I haven’t been able to find any specific numbers on the weight or power 
requirements of the RFCM; since it still in development, it is not surprising that the 
developers want to keep that information under wraps. However, its small footprint 
has already been noted, and it can be safely assumed that the unit does not drain a 
significant amount of power in order to operate. This is a critical consideration, given 
that forty minutes of flight time is considered long by commercial UAV standards 
(Rees, 2018).

            The two companies are drawing from a tremendous amount of native 
industrial knowledge in order to develop the system. Aurora Flight Sciences is a 
subsidiary of Boeing and specializes in development of autonomous aircraft, while 
Socionext Designs specializes in “system-on-chip products” (Smith, 2018). “System 
on chip” is exactly what it sounds like, and exactly what the RFCM is: a complete, 
functioning system, miniaturized and contained on a small chip. Given the pedigree of 
the developing companies, it can be safe to assume that the radar will work as 
advertised once finally revealed.

            Collision avoidance is becoming more and more critical as more and more 
commercial drones take to the skies. Commercial drones, especially those of the small, 
recreational variety, fly fast and high and can easily cause accidents if measures are not 
taken to safeguard both them and the environment around them. The Aurora Flight Sciences/Socionext Radar Flight Control Module may be the best solution to this 
problem. A radar on a chip, it is small enough to fit the smallest of UAVs but 
powerful enough to ensure safe flight. Only time will tell if the RFCM will perform 
as advertised, but if it does, it may make the skies a whole lot safer.

 References

Smith, P. (2018). Aurora Flight Sciences and Socionext develop collision detection system for  

     

     drones. Retrieved from https://dronebelow.com/2018/01/31/aurora-flight-sciences-socionext-

     

     develop-collision-detection-system-drones/

Rees, M. (2018). New commercial quadcopter UAV features 40-minute flight time. Retrieved

     

     from https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2018/04/new-commercial-quadcopter-

     

     uav-features-40-minute-flight-time/

Nova Ray Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Control Station Analysis

           

               The Nova Ray unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is one of the most unique 
unmanned submersibles on the market. Instead of taking on the torpedo shape favored 
by a majority of unmanned underwater vehicles, the Nova Ray takes its styling cues 
(and its name) from the stingray, utilizing a big pair of wings to stabilize itself under
water (Rees, 2017). Here is a picture of the Nova Ray, ready to go into the water:

            The picture makes it clear that the craft is controlled by a tether, but what kind
of control station is it tethered to? According to Coral Partners, the company behind 
the submersible, each Nova Ray ships with an integrated Control Console (CC) 
packaged in a Pelican case (Nova Ray, n.d.). Below is an image of the CC:

            According to Nova Ray (n.d.), the CC is comprised of the following 
components: laptop computer, ten-inch LCD monitor, and four-axis joystick. Doing 
a little research revealed that a typical four-axis joystick moves up, down, left and 
right (the first two axes), has a rotating knob (the third axis) and one or more buttons
(the fourth axis), giving a tremendous amount of control options from a single stick 
(Engineering 360, n.d.). This stick is used to control both the movement of the Nova
Ray itself and its camera. The laptop and the LCD monitor combine to display both 
data that the Nova Ray is gathering and the data generated by its internal sensors, as

shown in the picture above: the laptop screen shows images of the Nova Ray’s pitch,
attitude,and other variables not readily visible, while the LCD screen shows the images 
of fish the Nova Ray is recording.

            Unfortunately, details about the software don’t get any more specific. according 
to Nova Ray (n.d.), the command and control software the CC uses is Windows-based 
and proprietary, but does not go into any more detail. Still, by looking at the screens, 
we can see that the images on the laptop are quite similar to what we may find in an 
airplane cockpit, particularly the attitude gauge on the left side of the laptop screen that 
displays the Nova Ray’s position relative to the horizon. I think it is safe to assume that 
most of the functions within the software are designed to mimic an airplane instrument 
panel as much as possible, especially given that UAV Propulsion Tech states over and 
over in their sales material that the Nova Ray “flies” in the water.

            Overall, I think the Nova Ray’s control console seems well-designed, but there 
is one modification I would make: a twin-stick controller. As a gamer, I’m used to using 
the left stick of a controller to control movement while using the right stick to control a 
camera, and this control setup is so widely used in gaming that I think there would be 
a lot of potential crossover between the controls of a video game and that of the Nova 
Ray. This is not a novel idea; as far back as 2008, companies like Lockheed Martin were 
developing video game-style twin-stick controllers for their drones (Hambling, 2008). 
Potential users are already trained in the use of two sticks, and I think that if this was 
made an option (like a USB accessory that can be plugged into the included laptop), I 
think the Nova Ray could find a wider audience.

            Still, the Nova Ray is an interesting craft, and its command and control console 
seems well put-together. Throw in the option to use a gaming controller, and I just 
might think about making a purchase.

           

References

Engineering 360 (n.d.). 4-axis control industrial joysticks datasheets. Retrieved from

     

     https://www.globalspec.com/ds/1399/areaspec/axis_four

Hambling, D. (2018). Game controllers driving drones, nukes. Retrieved from

     

     https://www.wired.com/2008/07/wargames/

Nova Ray (n.d.). NOVA RAY inspection class remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Retrieved from

     

     http://www.novaray.com/novaray_outline.htm

Rees, M. (2017). UAV Propulsion Tech to distribute Nova Ray ROV. Retrieved from

     

     https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/2017/10/uav-propulsion-tech-distribute-nova-

    

     ray-rov/

Simtoo: Data and Sensors

The Simtoo Dragonfly bills itself as the “world’s first foldable drone” (Simtoo, n.d.). Its

dimensions are tiny, as shown in the picture below, taken directly from Simtoo’s website:

A UAV this small creates interesting challenges for designers, both in terms of sensors and memory storage.

The UAV uses micro SD cards to store both photos and videos (Custer, 2016). This is a small version of the swappable memory system used by larger drones, and it is a perfect fit for the Dragonfly, as micro SD cards have the footprint of a thumbnail but can have storage capacities in excess of two hundred gigabytes (Estrada, 2017). Eliminating onboard storage was no doubt one of the keys in keeping the Dragonfly small.

According to Simtoo (n.d.), the Dragonfly has six sensors: a GPS, a gyroscope, a barometer, a magnetometer, an accelerometer, and a camera capable of taking 4K photos and video. The spec sheet doesn’t indicate how much power each device draws, but it does state that its working voltage is 3.7 volts, meaning that the Dragonfly utilizes 3.7 volts, on average, during one hour of flight (Simtoo, n.d.). From this number, we can infer that the sensors working together do not draw much power at all; in fact, the biggest consumer of battery power on the Dragonfly is the motor, which is rated at 100 watts.

The sensor with the biggest impact on the Dragonfly’s data treatment strategy is obviously the camera; as mentioned earlier, the camera is capable of 4K images, which can quickly consume the available empty space on the inserted micro SD Card. It becomes clear why Simtoo chose to make micro-SD cards the sole source of onboard memory, as users can swap cards quickly when ultra-high definition images consume too much of the installed card’s storage space.

The Dragonfly seems to work well, but it is not perfect. The swappable SD cards have the potential to give the operator virtual acres of space, but nothing is in place to compensate for the drone running out of storage in the middle of a crucial shot. For this reason, I am proposing that Simtoo add cloud-based storage to its system. Cloud storage has the ability to give the Dragonfly nearly limitless space, enabling uninhibited access for the user as they no longer need to watch and see how much memory is left and how much shooting they can do before cards need to be swapped.

Simtoo can take this concept further, by adding basic photo editing options to their storage cloud. This way, a pilot can take a photo with the drone, access it in the cloud, edit it, and then submit for publishing to Facebook, Twitter, or any number of other social media sites.

The Simtoo Dragonfly is an intriguing UAV. It is a drone whose tiny size is its biggest selling point, a point around which the rest of the system’s design revolves; this design is the reason the designers looked for the smallest possible device to provide onboard storage. It is also the reason the UAV’s systems draw as little power as possible. I think the Dragonfly has potential, but that it needs cloud storage to fully reach that potential.

References

Simtoo (n.d.). Dragonfly. Retrieved from http://www.simtoo.com/page.php?id=132#page1 on 4

     October, 2018.

Custer, C. (2016). Dragonfly drone wants to be a slightly cheaper alternative to DJI (review).

     

     Retrieved from https://www.techinasia.com/simtoo-dragonfly-drone-review-skies

Estrada, M. (2017). The 5 highest capacity micro SD cards you can get right now on Amazon.

     

     Retrieved from https://bgr.com/2017/02/28/microsd-256gb-amazon-large-capacity-

     

     microsdxc/