Blizzard System - Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Laboratory
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.
Video Clips
You are welcome to download and watch the video clips below.
Drops from Cessna-172 general aviation aircraft
- Snowflake packing (19.2 Mb, 75 sec.)
- Snowflake ready to go (2.5 Mb, 9 sec.)
- Cessna takeoff (8.0 Mb, 31 sec.)
- Snowflake 1 deployment (12.7 Mb, 50 sec.)
- Snowflake 2 deployment (13.7 Mb, 177 sec.)
- Snowflakes retrieval (5.0 Mb, 19 sec.)
Drops from UH-1A helicopter
- Snowflake deployment from UH-1A helicopter (25 Mb, 3 min.)
Drops from Arcturus T-20 UAV
- Blizzard in action (3.8 Mb, 2 min. 20 sec.)
- T-20 mounting and launch (13.9 Mb, 54 sec.)
- T-20 launch 3 (3.7 Mb, 10 sec.)
- Jump-20 takeoff (4.57 Mb, 24 sec.)
- Snowflake pod monitoring (3.2 Mb, 12 sec.)
- Snowflake with pod in the air 1 (8.3 Mb, 32 sec.)
- Snowflake with pod in the air 2 (5.0 Mb, 19 sec.)
- T-20 landing (4.8 Mb, 18 sec.)
- Retrieval vehicle (5.4 Mb, 21 sec.)
Integration with Surveyor UGV
- UGV moving to Snowflake touchdown location (17.9 Mb, 50 sec.)