Issue link: https://insideunmanned.epubxp.com/i/307674
PUBLISHER'S LETTER ransformative. My first encounter with an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, was at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Oberpfaffen- hofen Germany. Here, I watched in awe as a small quadrotor operated in an indoor flight testing "holodeck," complete with an array of high-frequency strobe/camera units designed to log, stream and visualize precise position and attitude for rapid 3D mapping. That was 4 years ago, and I've been smitten ever since. So smitten, in fact, we decided to create the mag- azine you're holding. Inside Unmanned Systems takes a look at the pro- grams, policy and practice of unmanned systems in the air, sea, ground and cyber domains. We delve into the transformative nature of unmanned systems as they im- prove the productivity and efficacy of how we interact and work with each other. We make sense of this continually morphing technology ecosystem, and its ability to game- change almost every application segment that deploys it. Want some recent examples? An MQ-1 Predator built by General Atomics was deployed to support firefighters battling the Rim Fire in California's Yosemite National Park. Not only did it provide safety for more than 4,000 firefighters, estimates peg savings at tens of millions of dollars and countless acres of national parkland. A BlueFin Underwater Autonomous Vehicle is tak- ing on the somber task of exploring the hadal depths of the Indian Ocean in search of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Flying Donkey Challenge, a competition for commercial unmanned aerial delivery services in Af- rica, encourages teams to demonstrate the capabili- ties, safety and benefits of unmanned cargo aircrafts. We've seen quantum leaps in the most commonly deployed applications—intelligence, surveillance, tar- get acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) with spe- cial emphasis on the "I." This is all important work that is too dangerous or simply cannot be completed with humans alone. These tasks would not be possible without unmanned sys- tems intervening. At the component, subsystem and system level, Inside Unmanned Systems celebrates the collabo- ration that creates these new solutions to old prob- lems—precision agriculture, land survey, emergency management. We explore solutions to challenges once deemed too large in scope, complexity or aspi- ration to even consider tackling. But tackle we will. The U.S. unmanned systems industry is expected to grow to $80 billion dollars over the next 10 years—impressive considering the economic impact for 2015 is $1 billion—and with that comes the necessity to resolve complex technical chal- lenges and politically sensitive policy issues related to UAS integration into the National Airspace System. We'll be there to cover it all. In the meantime, enjoy our inaugural issue. You'll find a Special Report on FAA Test Site Selection, an article on the future of automated vehicles and a piece that takes a deep dive into underwater vehicles. As a technology community, we can collaboratively shape the contours of this burgeoning market—and harness the opportunity to create value that benefits everyone. PUBLISHED BY GIBBONS MEDIA & RESEARCH LLC Managing Partner Glen Gibbons glen@insidegnss.com Director/Partner Eliza Schmidkunz eliz @insidegnss.com 1574 Coburg Road No. 233, Eugene, Oregon, 97401-4802 USA Telephone: 408-216-7561 • Fax: 408-216-7525 EDITORIAL Group Publisher Glen Gibbons glen@insidegnss.com Publisher Richard Fischer rich rd@insidegnss.com Creative Director Christine Waring Managing Editor Dee Ann Divis dee nn@insidegnss.com t Spring 2014 unmanned systems inside Copyright 2014 Gibbons Media & Research LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical (including by Internet, photocopy, recording, or information storage and retrieval), without permission in writing from Gibbons Media & Research. Authorization is granted to photocopy items, with attribution, for internal/educational or personal non-commercial use. For all other uses, contact Glen Gibbons. INSIDE UNMANNED SYSTEMS is a supplemental publication of INSIDE GNSS (ISSN 1559-503X) (Online version ISSN 2329-2970), a controlled circulation magazine, published six times a year (bimonthly). Inside GNSS is a registered trademark of Gibbons Media and Research LLC. Postage paid at Lebanon Junction MPO, KY 40150-9998, Mail Permit #473. European Editor Peter Gutierrez peter@insidegnss.com Associate Editor: Renee Knight Web Designer/Webmaster Mike Lee Web Editor Sierra Robinson Circulation Director Peggie Kegel Richard Fischer Publisher Inside Unmanned Systems THE INFORMATION SOURCE FOR UNMANNED SYSTEM ENGINEERING, POLICY AND PRACTICE. 6 unmanned systems inside Spring 2014