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2021-10-01

SeaGuardian Flies First Approved Point-to-Point RPA Flight in UK

The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) recently flew its MQ-9B SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) from Lincolnshire, England, to Moray, Scotland, during the first ever point-to-point domestic flight of an unmanned aircraft cleared by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to utilise the UK’s airways structure.

The unmanned aircraft system (UAS) aircraft was controlled by NATS, the UK’s civilian Air Navigation Service Provider, and flew from Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington to RAF Lossiemouth.

Tom Gratton, CAA Airspace Regulator, explained, “The Airspace Coordination Notice issued by the CAA for this series of demonstration flights in UK airspace is the largest and most meticulous we have ever produced so that the airspace integration of SeaGuardian is at the highest level of safety.”

GA-ASI Vice President of International Strategic Development, Robert Schoeffling, appreciated the cooperation and collaboration between the CAA and NATS in helping to move the industry forward. “This successful flight paves the way not only for future operations of Protector in UK airspace, but also for other civil and commercial UAS flights,” he noted.

Protector RG Mk1 is the RAF’s designation for the RPA they have ordered from GA-ASI that is based on the MQ-9B.

According to NATS, the flight was controlled through more complex airspace than any previous UAS flights in the UK. “This flight required that we transfer control between multiple civil airspace sectors,” stated Mark Watson, Head of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) Service Integration for NATS. “The procedures for this flight were close to what we do already with conventional crewed aircraft. This helped us validate that our existing methods of control are equally applicable to controlling remotely crewed aircraft - when the aircraft performs like SeaGuardian.”

DAA System

Among the capabilities on display were GA-ASI’s Detect and Avoid (DAA) system, a safety and situational awareness enhancement designed to support Protector’s flight in non-segregated UK airspace, as well as the platform’s capability to integrate into broader European airspace.

The DAA system will enable Protector to operate amongst normal aviation traffic in the UK’s national airspace, unlike any other aircraft in its class.

The demonstration flights are also assisting RAF Waddington, the future home of the RAF Protector Force, to prepare and integrate the new aircraft into its daily operations.

The goal of the flight series has been to showcase the many operational capabilities of the MQ-9B, including the platform’s advanced maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), industry-leading endurance, and interoperability with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners.

SeaGuardian is the maritime version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian. The RAF has ordered 16 Protector RG Mk1 RPA systems as part of its Protector programme. The partnership between GA-ASI and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) brings significant benefits to UK aerospace and defence industries.

One example is GKN Aerospace, which is manufacturing the advanced composite V-tails for the MQ-9B at its centre of excellence in Cowes, the Isle of Wight.

GA-ASI’s development of MQ-9B began in 2014 as a company-funded programme to deliver an RPA that meets the stringent NATO STANAG-4671 and UK DEFSTAN 00-970 aircraft system airworthiness requirements. These provide the basis for type certification by NATO member-state military airworthiness authorities.

The MQ-9B is designed to accommodate the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid System (DAAS), which helps the aircraft integrate with the normal flow of aviation traffic and keeps operators in contact with air traffic control. The aircraft is built for adverse weather performance with lightning protection, damage tolerance, and a de-icing system.

MQ-9B features rapid integration of new payloads with nine hard points. It can self-deploy using satellite communication (SATCOM)-enabled Automatic Takeoff and Landing, which eliminates forward-based launch-and-recovery equipment and personnel. In addition to the Protector and SkyGuardian configurations, MQ-9B is available as the SeaGuardian– with anti-submarine and surface search capabilities – for maritime missions.

In addition to the UK, SkyGuardian has been selected by the Australian Defence Force under Project Air 7003 and the Belgian Ministry of Defence has signed a contract too.

GA-ASI, an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of RPA systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar.

With more than six million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas.

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