MQ-9 Reaper Control Station Analysis


The MQ-9 Reaper Ground Control Station is located within what can be described as a boxcar or trailer box shaped shelter or portable building. Inside the GCS the temperature must remain within a pre-determined degree level in order to keep electronics within the GCS from overheating. There are aircraft seats mounted in front of computer monitors in which a pilot, and crew will be seated in order to visually monitor the flight performance of the MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Air Vehicle.

The pilot and crew control stations are comprised of several monitors which track various systems of the UAV such flight path, sensors, aircraft systems conditions, and area of interest. Also of interest are the headphones for communication and an eraser board located next to crew for taking notes and performing calculations during missions.

Further information displayed on the monitors are buildings, people, vehicles and many other objects which can be viewed for further analysis and investigation. The monitor data is a rough 2 dimensional depiction of the aforementioned objects. The picture display is sometimes not very clear and rather fuzzy. Altitude and Longitude line grids are displayed on the monitor to aid in location distance of ground objects, as well as crosshairs to determine weapon strike accuracy. The monitor screens colors are comprised of what is shown on the ground such as blue, brown, tan, black, and white.  There are many monitor screens sometimes 6 or more per control station.

Further monitor description displays a UAV outline with a numerical value assigned to missiles or bombs payload carried by the UAV. Each operator or controller station is also fitted with a joystick control. The control performs the interface function between the operator and the UAV. The joystick control also has buttons which engages the arsenal carried by the UAV.  The monitor within each station also employs the capability of touch screen technology which allows the pilot/controller to choose an option by the use of touch. Hardware used are monitors keyboards, joysticks (dual configuration) as shown by the Adlsp (2009) video submission.

Negative issues observed are fuzzy screen data. The controller/pilot must make important decisions and analysis based on screen representations which are not very clear, and sometimes difficult to decipher. Another aspect which would benefit the GCS would be to decrease the number of monitor screens and integrate data into one large screen.

The current use of the Block 50 advanced cockpit produced by General Atomic's offers a positive alternative to the current GCS operator configuration. The new design offers updates such as “a larger 24-inch touch screen displays, an enhanced heads-up and primary control display, an F-16 stick and throttle, and new control panels for "one-touch access to critical and common functions." (Drew, 2014).

Further comments with regards to the software as stated by Drew indicate a need for further updating:
The software displays all of the flight values in list form. Important functions are often located within various menus and sub-menus. Instructor pilots conducting the tour commented about the design, and said operators coming across from conventional manned platforms often find it difficult to adjust to the different displays (Drew, 2014).

Further changes to the GCS and operator stations could be further developed to integrate a common layout platform which could be used across all branches of military. The design and programming for each unmanned system would enable military pilots from more than one branch to fly the same aircraft.


References
Adlsp. (2009). UAV Predator / Reaper target destruction GCS (Ground Control Station) Operations [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/unv9C2t7f5c

Drew, J. (2014). New predator control station considers human factors,ergonomics.InsideDefense.Com's Unmanned Systems Alert, Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/1619953597? accountid =27203

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