Astronautics Corporation of America and Jagid Management have developed SmartCopter, a portable communications suite for mission-oriented helicopter operators such as para-public organizations and commercial operations. “It’s essentially a portable cockpit upgrade and portable ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] system and portable tactical and strategic communication system all in one system,” said Jagid CEO Jake Williams.
SmartCopter is housed in two or three Pelican cases. The core system consists of one case containing the Astronautics Nexis processor and a Nexis electronic flight bag for interfacing with portable devices and communications between air and ground systems, a power supply and switches. The second box contains inputs/outputs for video, audio and data feeds and Wi-Fi capability. A third box adds communication options such as air-to-ground (LTE) or Harris airborne military encrypted radio.
The LTE service can allow secure communications between the helicopter carrying SmartCopter and hundreds of ground-based receivers in a 10-km bubble, according to Williams, including video running on smartphones. The Harris radios would provide more range, up to 100 km point-to-point or a 200-km cone.
According to Dan Ryan, Astronautics vice president of business development and product strategy, “This fully portable solution, potentially costing less than 20 percent of a fully integrated mission system, gives pilots and aircrew improved air-ground situational awareness via uplinked ground video, as well as access to detailed moving maps and charts along with text-based information from the ground during flight.”
“Communication is critical to use helicopters as eyes in the sky,” said Williams. “Portability allows you to outfit many aircraft with one system versus a permanent installation.” SmartCopter is compatible with installed infrared, video and other surveillance sensors. “I can bring [that information] into the processing box where Nexis is housed, process and store that data, then route it through the LTE and Harris datalink.”
Jagid is demonstrating the full three-box SmartCopter system at the Astronautics booth (9949). Total weight of the three-box system is about 80 pounds, although Jagid is working on lowering the system’s weight with lighter mounting structure inside the Pelican cases. Power can be anything from 28 vdc to AC power, and antennas can be mounted on skid crossbars or on fixed-wing, high-wing airplane struts. “Within minutes you can put the system on the aircraft and fly, and you will have a full airborne ISR system,” said Williams.
At Heli-Expo, he said, “We will have various tablets tethered to the system and will be able to see and send video from tablet to tablet and phone to phone, and send simulated video to the ground. We will show the system on the ground in live working form.”