Multi-UAV Collaborative Sensor Management for UAV Team Survivability

Collaboration among a team of unmanned sensor platforms can provide significant operational advantages through improved situational awareness (SA). Recent work on the Army Aviation Technology Directorate (AATD) sponsored Survivability Planner Associate Rerouter (SPAR) program, as well as separate internally funded research and development (in parallel with the SPAR contract) has provided insights into the challenges related to managing collaborative sensing in support of survivability of a team comprising manned aircraft and multiple sensor-bearing UAVs. This paper will discuss technical challenges related to multi-UAV collaborative sensor management, including sensor resource allocation, sensor platform positioning for collaborative sensing, and integration of collaborative sensing behavior into a comprehensive multi-UAV control system. The paper will also discuss recent, ongoing, and planned investigations into approaches for addressing these challenges. INTRODUCTION On a number of externally and internally funded programs, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories (ATL) has studied the problem of dynamic sensor management for situational awareness (SA). In particular, working under subcontract to Lockheed Martin Systems IntegrationOwego on the Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate's (AATD's) Survivability Planner Associate Rerouter (SPAR) program, ATL had the opportunity to examine the problem of managing sensors across multiple unmanned platforms for collaboratively maintaining shared situational Report Documentation Page Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. 1. REPORT DATE AUG 2006 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-08-2006 to 00-08-2006 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Multi-UAV Collaborative Sensor Management for UAV Team Survivability 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER