NATO STO

The objective is to update the existing AGARDograph (AG-300-V27) testing unmanned aircraft systems. SCI-ET-053 identified the flight test organizations that have developed and documented flight test methods and processes for unmanned aircraft, determined the need and participation to support. Flight testing plays a significant role in the development of UAS. Unmanned Air Vehicle Systems are systems of systems, composed of various subsystems, such as the air vehicle systems, the payload and the sensors system, weapons system, the ground control system, the communication and relay system etc. Therefore, the flight testing procedures applicable to UAS and to its different classes are significantly different from flight testing of manned air systems. Although the testing purposes are the same, there are major differences in testing procedures of unmanned Air Systems. Since there is no pilot on board the aircraft in control of the vehicle, all controls are to be carried out remotely from the ground control station or carried out fully autonomously during the flight testing. The nature of remote control from a distance or autonomous control makes the flight testing of UASs, unique and totally different from testing a manned aircraft system. The testing of isolated UAS is already sufficiently complex. If you consider now the complications that would rise while testing more than one UAS and even multiple UAS in a swarm configuration, the need for particular attention for the uniqueness of the flight testing procedures, methods and regulations become self-evident. Therefore, the flight testing of unmanned systems has to be treated as a separate subject. Sharing the lessons learned and disseminating the knowledge and sharing the experience gained from Flight Testing of different UASs among NATO nations will help to improve the capabilities of new UAS under development.