How Do You Train A UAV Crew? Here's The Answer

We don't have to tell you all the ways that the government doesn't work or the many many ways in which our treasured tax bucks go astray -- but here's one story that seems to be a far more positive one... and it involves the US military.

For many military operations around the world, the only way to get solid info and valuable data is to get airborne -- which requires an extensive support network, no little expense and the risk of a flight crew... unless you factor in the Shadow UAV.

Today's Shadow is used to locate, recognize and identify targets up to 125km from a brigade tactical operations center. The Shadow 200 has a wingspan of about 13 feet and an overall weight of 350 pounds. It can fly as high as 14,000 feet at 70 knots for as long as four hours at a time. The system recognizes tactical vehicles by day and night from an altitude of 8000' and at a slant range of 3.5km. Imagery and telemetry data is transmitted in near-real time from the Shadow ground control station to joint stars common ground station, all-sources analysis system and to the army field artillery targeting and direction system.

Shadow is in operational service in Afghanistan and in Iraq. The Shadow TUAS had achieved 350,000 total flight hours as of October 2008. The vast majority of the systems’ flight hours have been in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. The system has proven to be valuable that the its most recent 50000 hours of use was achieved a mere four months after totaling 300,000 total flight hours as of May 2008 -- and it hasn't been sitting still in the interim.

So... how do you train operators of this generation of high-tech UAV?

Awarded by the Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation in Orlando, Fla., an initial order, valued at $11.9 million, provides for 25 high fidelity Shadow Crew Trainers (SCT) and interactive multimedia instruction. Including four option years, the contract has a total potential value of $31.1 million. AAI produces and supports a complete family of advanced tactical unmanned aircraft systems, including Shadow systems flown by the U.S. Army, National Guard, and Marine Corps. Each Shadow Crew Trainer features two simulated One System Ground Control Stations, a role player, and a ground crew launch and recovery station controlled by an integrated instructor/operator station.

Learn What Takes To Fly The Shadow With Aero-TV!

FMI: www.aaicorp.com, www.textronsystems.com, www.textron.com, www.army.mil, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews