Blizzard System

The current development of the Snowflake ADS includes integrating it with an unmanned aerial system (UAS) in order to deliver a complete, self-contained mobile combat system for precision aerial payload delivery with a global reach capability Blizzard. To this end, the Arcturus T-20 UAS by Arcturus-UAV (Fig.Ua) represents an ideal deployment platform. With a 17’ wingspan this Tier II class vehicle offers the ability to carry up to 100lbs of payload in excess of 16 hours. It is powered by a versatile 10 horsepower 4 stroke engine offering smooth, quiet and efficient power. With most of the fuel carried in the wings, T-20 has a massive fuselage payload bay measuring 11½”×11½”×34”, which can host an EO/IR sensor or other equipment. Avionics are carried in the aft portion of the fuselage.

a)b)

Figure U. Atcturus T-20 (a) and Jump-20 (b) UAS.

The T-20 features molded modular construction for ease of parts replacement. The live skin hinging system ensures control surface integrity and low maintenance. The T-20 is pneumatically launched and belly landed. This allows the vehicle to operate from austere unimproved locations. No runway is needed to fly. A replaceable belly skid absorbs the abrasion and is changed in minutes. Any reasonably level open space is all you need to operate. If installed in the fuselage payload bay, a retracting EO/IR sensor gives a full 360º unobstructed field of view. Arcturus UAV also offers a vertical takeoff and landing platform, Jump-20 (Fig.U right).

Compared to the original developmental Pelican-1200-based design, a Snowflake avionics box for Blizzard is manufactured from a carbon-fiber composite material and is twice as light as the original system (Fig.Va). To allow interoperability and further development / modifications, the size of the avionics box was kept the same as the size of the inner compartment of the original casing. This way a carbon-fiber design can be used in the same manner as the original design, but can also be a part of a bigger payload container (pod) as shown in Fig.Vb.

Figure V. The carbon-fiber Snowflake avionics enclosure (left) and payload pod (right).

In the case of small payload (sensors, meshcards / network nodes) the fuselage payload bay of Arcturus UAS can host up to a dozen Snowflakes. The larger containers (Fig.Vb) are hung under the wing as shown in Fig.W.

Figure W. The Snowflake ADS under the wing of Arcturus T-20 UAV (left) and a complete ready-to-go Blizzard system on a catapult.

In October of 2009 the Blizzard system was demonstrated at the Precision Airdrop Technology Conference and Demonstration (PATCAD) at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground.