New topic for swarms, small drones that could be used in swarms, etc.

[sferrin]

 

[sferrin]

 

[mrmalaya]

Sometimes you see something and you know you are looking at The Future.

I'm just not sure how to feel about it.

 

[sferrin]

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/189994/orbital-atk-demos-counter_uav-technologies.html

"Orbital ATK demonstrated its ability to combine both electronic and kinetic attack through its AUDS (anti-unmanned aerial vehicle defense system) which detects, tracks, identifies and defeats drones, and also brings a kinetic element through the integration of the company’s XM914 30mm Bushmaster Chain Gun mounted to the Stryker combat vehicle platform."

A chain gun against small drones? Good luck with that.

 

[TomS]

30mm ABM. Just a matter of finding the right dispense point to get multiple small drones in one pattern.

 

[sferrin]

30mm ABM. Just a matter of finding the right dispense point to get multiple small drones in one pattern.

Those patterns above are relatively benign. Imagine instead the swarms are made up of these:

and maximizing use of speed, maneuverability, and randomness. A gun wouldn't have a prayer. The only things that will be able to deal with this kind of threat are DEWs. Whether SSLs, microwave, or whatnot, they're the only devices that have the speed and slew/elevation rate to cope. I firmly believe we'll see the day where somebody, probably China, will have plants the size of Teslas Gigafactory, turning out swarm components 24/7. The only tiny ray of sunshine is something as small as a drone won't have hundreds of miles of range, so the opportunity to kill the "archer" will exist.

 

[sferrin]

 

[sferrin]

250 km/hr

267 km/hr

 

[bobbymike]

https://overthehorizonmdos.com/2018/02/21/swarming-intelligence-concept-to-reality/

 

[bobbymike]

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/05/criminal-gang-used-drone-swarm-obstruct-fbi-raid/147956/?oref=defense_one_breaking_nl

DENVER, Colorado — Last winter, on the outskirts of a large U.S. city, an FBI hostage rescue team set up an elevated observation post to assess an unfolding situation. Soon they heard the buzz of small drones — and then the tiny aircraft were all around them, swooping past in a series of “high-speed low passes at the agents in the observation post to flush them,” the head of the agency’s operational technology law unit told attendees of the AUVSI Xponential conference here. Result: “We were then blind,” said Joe Mazel, meaning the group lost

 

[iverson]

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/05/criminal-gang-used-drone-swarm-obstruct-fbi-raid/147956/?oref=defense_one_breaking_nl

DENVER, Colorado — Last winter, on the outskirts of a large U.S. city, an FBI hostage rescue team set up an elevated observation post to assess an unfolding situation. Soon they heard the buzz of small drones — and then the tiny aircraft were all around them, swooping past in a series of “high-speed low passes at the agents in the observation post to flush them,” the head of the agency’s operational technology law unit told attendees of the AUVSI Xponential conference here. Result: “We were then blind,” said Joe Mazel, meaning the group lost

I saw this too. But something does not sound right. Note the vagueness of "large U.S. city," the claim that a major F.B.I hostage rescue somehow escaped press attention, the mention of "gangs", the promotional/trade conference, etc. I'm skeptical. It sounds like a story created to back an agenda of some sort, rather than an account of a real event.

 

[Wembley]

https://dronebelow.com/2018/05/03/chine-ehang-beats-intel-world-record-1300-drone-swarm/

 

[Wembley]

Zhao Yanjie on China's world record of 200 drones in a swarm: "It is probable in future military operations that unmanned equipment will be deployed in a kind of model of large crowds (成群结队); this is the latest combat style on a global scale. http://news.sina.com.cn/s/2018-05-04/doc-ifzyqqiq6982537.shtml

 

[Wembley]

"Air Superiority Under 2000 Feet: Lessons from Waging Drone Warfare Against ISIL"

- a very good read on what the threat from small drones looks like and how hard it is to tackle

https://warontherocks.com/2018/05/air-superiority-under-2000-feet-lessons-from-waging-drone-warfare-against-isil/

 

[sferrin]

 

[bobbymike]

http://aviationweek.com/defense/darpa-demonstrates-fast-autonomous-scout-drones?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20180807_AW-05_928&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_2&utm_rid=CPEN1000000230026&utm_campaign=15930&utm_medium=email&elq2=2aeb53bbb5854fda939c8bbbc30a2e77

Darpa has demonstrated algorithms that could enable small commercial drones to become autonomous scouts in urban battle zones or searchers for survivors inside buildings damaged by natural disasters.

In flight tests conducted under Phase 2 of the agency’s Fast Lightweight Autonomy (FLA) program, quadcopters flew between buildings and through alleyways in a mock town, and entered a building through a window, mapped the interior and navigated autonomously down a stairwell and out of an open door.

Building on Phase 1 flights in 2017, the tests at the Guardian Center urban training facility in Perry, Georgia, showed significant progress in outdoor as well as indoor autonomous flight scenarios, Darpa says.

 

[sferrin]

Swarms don't need huge warheads.

https://theaviationist.com/2018/01/08/defining-asymmetrical-warfare-extremists-use-retail-drones-to-attack-russian-air-base-in-syria/

 

[stealthflanker]

Swarms don't need huge warheads.

https://theaviationist.com/2018/01/08/defining-asymmetrical-warfare-extremists-use-retail-drones-to-attack-russian-air-base-in-syria/

and they apparently can fly much slower to the point typical air defense radar consider it as clutter, low RCS too.

 

[sferrin]

SOFIC 19 - DefendTex Drone-40 - Soldier Systems Daily

 

[sferrin]

 

[sferrin]

 

[stealthflanker]

This is one interesting subject. I am however still in opinion that this might not be suitable yet to power anything like swarm drones or large multifunction drone due to large atmospheric spreading and absorption loss.

In a subject of laser power transmission, not only atmospheric phenomenon but also means to adequately transfer the power to all drones in formation. The laser might need to be electronically scanned so it can adequately dwell to provide enough power while fast enough without inertia to "switch" to other drone. The dwell time is i wonder, But the switch time could be about 4 ms (Like basic House UPS/Backup battery, whose "switches" to take over power after prime power loss set to 4ms).

 

[sferrin]

Intel breaks record for drone swarm size. 1500 drones.

 

[edwest]

Great. Now the Chinese know

 

[sferrin]