Sea Scout Unmanned Tactical Seaplane Offers

Increased Mission Flexibility and Utility

Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
9700 SE Lawnfield Road
Clackamas, OR 97015

Contact: Josh Pruzek

Phone: (503) 653-6300 [x1323]
Fax: (503) 653-5870
Email: jpruzek@oregoniron.com
Website: www.oregoniron.com

Command: NAVAIR
Topic: N04-044

PROBLEM STATEMENT

The Navy has long since expressed a need for greater operational capability and mission
flexibility in deploying maritime or ship-based sensor payloads while at the same time
reducing the amount of logistical effort necessary to support sensor deployment.

Various sensors are currently employed at sea for a wide variety of tactical maritime
surveillance and reconnaissance missions. These sensors may be air droppable stationary
sensors or deployed on manned or unmanned aircraft or surface vehicles. Stationary
sensors are limited to a fixed area of interest, while sensors deployed on a surface vehicle
suffer slow transit speeds within the mission area and limited over-the-horizon surveillance.
Aircraft-based sensors have the ability to survey a greater area of interest in a shorter
amount of time, but can be expensive (manned aircraft deployed asset) or logistically
complicated with regard to ship-based launch and retrieval (unmanned aircraft deployed
asset).

A UAV seaplane has several advantages; it can use both airborne and surface sensors, it
offers a cost effective airborne sensor platform and it greatly simplifies the launch and
retrieval since it only needs a davit or ramp. Additionally, the aircraft can be riverine, pier,
dock, or barge based - platforms where previous aviation assets have been difficult or
impossible to assimilate.

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WHO CAN BENEFIT?

The Sea Scout can extend the capabilities of ANY non-aviation capable boat by providing
eyes in the sky, or serving as a comms relay, or other air or sea based sensor platform.
Additionally, the aircraft can be based ashore providing continuing support in mission
critical areas.

Specific groups that may benefit from the Sea Scout include LCS, DDX, LPD-17, SEAL Teams,
Riverine Teams, Port or Harbor Security, Border Patrol, USCG, and NOAA. The USMC and
Army can also benefit as the former has Riverine Forces and routinely operate in the
littorals. The US Army has extensive watercraft used in logistical operations and could also
benefit from an indigenous UAV platform.

BASELINE TECHNOLOGY

Existing ship-based unmanned aviation assets typically fall into two categories- small (less
than 100 lbs gross weight) Unmanned Aircraft (UA) such as the Boeing Scan Eagle, ACR
Silver Fox, or DRS Neptune and mid-size (less than 500 lbs gross weight) UA’s such as the
Navy’s RQ-2B Pioneer from IAI/AAI.

RQ-2B Pioneer Launching Catapult

Photo: http://uav.navair.navy.mil/new_pioneer/articles/PioneerGetsLeaner_dec2005.htm

Both categories of aircraft are typically launched with catapults and other devices and
recovered with large nets or
RQ-2A Pioneer Arresting Net
arresting cables. These
mechanisms greatly increase the
logistical footprint and
complexity of the system, and
require significant amounts of
valuable deck space in order to
be brought onboard a ship.

Small UAV’s with sensors can

typically cost between $100K-
$300K for a single airframe and
require less deck space than a Photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Iowa_drone.jpg#filehistory

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larger, mid-sized air vehicle, but are typically limited to 5-10 lbs of payload capability.
These smaller aircraft also lack sufficient payload volume for larger, more sophisticated
sensors, hereby limiting their capabilities.

Larger UAV’s are often capable of carrying larger Electro-Optics / Infrared (EO/IR)
cameras and other sophisticated payloads but can cost upwards of $1 million dollars for a
single aircraft and require the aforementioned, large, complicated launch and retrieval
mechanisms and correspondingly greater levels of effort required to support them. They
are also considerably more expensive to support.

TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

Sea Scout provides unmanned aerial operations from both current and future
Navy/USMC/Army platforms which do not currently have an aviation asset that are
equipped with either a well deck or davit. It can also be hosted by small ships, boats, and
barges, open water platforms, and harbors independent of airport and aviation facilities. By
providing the Navy with the capability to operate unmanned aircraft independently from
airports and large aviation capable ships, scarce and valuable airport or deck space is
preserved for manned aircraft or other assets. A shore based seaplane UAV only needs a
boat ramp, beach, or a davit on a river, reservoir, or lake to provide air support.

Sea Scout can also operate from ships termed Vessels of Opportunity (VOA). In many
missions, the Navy does not have a dedicated platform to support those missions. In such
cases, VOA’s are rented, leased, or otherwise obtained as a base for these missions. Some
examples include Special Forces Operations, Harbor Security, and Vessel Inspection.

In addition to the VOA’s, Sea Scout can supplement ISR, patrol, and provide air support to
the many existing platforms such as LCS, PC’s, Mark-V, and riverine assault craft, as well
as supplement the operations of the Harbor Security Teams, Riverine Force, and Naval
Coastal Warfare Groups. Providing UAV assets independent from shore infrastructure adds
flexibility to the US Navy, USMC, and SOCOM and eases operational and logistics
bottlenecks at overstressed shore aviation facilities.

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 Folded Dimensions 14’10.1” L X 8’11.2” W X 4’11.3” H

The Sea Scout can operate from a surface ship

or riverine base without the need for launch and
retrieval mechanisms and contraptions by
utilizing the surface of the water for take off and
landing. This is made possible by the auto-take
off and landing algorithms built into the Geneva
Aerospace guidance and control system.
Geneva’s patented Variable Autonomy Control
System (VACS) allows the Sea Scout to be
operated with variable levels of operator or pilot involvement. The ground control station
is designed to minimize the equipment footprint and consists of a laptop computer capable
of commanding multiple Sea Scout UA and a radio transmitter, interface panel and antenna.

The Sea Scout can also accommodate a larger sensor payload than other small ship-based
UAV’s. The modular, flexible payload space is designed to accommodate up to 50 lbs of
payload, allowing room for larger, full featured day and night cameras, miniature synthetic
aperture radars, magnetic anomaly detectors, and hyper-spectral imaging sensors.

The aircraft could also be configured to facilitate mission equipment packages that may
require a sensor / water interface such as undersea comms if so required. This is not
possible with other ship-based UAV’s that cannot land on water.

Features, advantages and benefits provided by OIW’s Sea Scout Unmanned Aircraft
Features Advantages Benefits
Water based auto-take off, auto- Expands UAV operations to Frees UAV’s from crowded and
land and sea loiter algorithms rivers, lakes, lagoons, bays, and restricted air facilities
ocean ops
Low cost composite fuselage Couples the low cost & Production of low cost, easily
construction toughness of marine composites repairable composite fuselages and
with aviation accuracy & components
strength
Rugged aluminum wing, Aluminum structures are Familiar metallic structures reduce
horizontal tail, and pylon lightweight, damage tolerant, air vehicle manufacturing cost, repair
construction and easily repairable cost, and replacement cost
On board sea state measurements Proved LIDAR sensor effective Very accurate, low cost height and
for altitude measurements wave height measurements
Rapid airframe design Compresses engineering time Gives UAV’s the same quality
technology frame into several months for a engineering as manned aircraft,
complete loads and structural thereby easing flight certifications
analysis
UAV loads analysis technology Applies manned aircraft flight Allows certification authorities to
criteria to UAV’s easily understand UAV loads and
speeds approval process
Integral starter/generator Remote and safe starting of Allows UAV’s operation w/o direct
aircraft and dangerous physical starting
Laser alignment assembly Accurate and cost effective Increases airframe accuracy
rigging of aircraft performance & reduces errors & time
Modular, flexible payload space Flexibility in mission planning Aircraft can be reconfigured with
and operational capability multiple payloads

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CURRENT STATE OF DEVELOPMENT

The Sea Scout is a spiral development program. During Phase I of the program, OIW
demonstrated that the Sea Scout could provide a practical alternative to traditional
stationary sensors or other sensor payloads deployed on a traditional manned or unmanned
surface vehicle.

The focus of Phase II (completed Q2 2006, TRL 6) has been to refine the Sea Scout mission
and CONOPS, complete an Initial Baseline Design (Spiral 0) specification, and perform
risk reduction through testing in key disciplines such aerodynamics, hydrodynamics,
propulsion, avionics, structures, manufacturing, and systems engineering. Major
accomplishments of Phase II included Spiral 0 taxi testing in September – December ’05,
tow tank testing in February ’06, and Spiral 0 Flight Testing of the Spiral 0 airframe and
avionics in March – May ’06. Phase II also saw the major development of the core avionics
and C3 sub-systems development, along with the autonomous water take off and landing
algorithms development.

Sea Scout Unmanned Aircraft Spiral Development

Future Spirals

Spiral 2
• Improved Operational Capabilities
• Optimized Airframe
• Expanded Sea State Operations
Spiral 1 • Production Vehicles Q4 2008
• 1st generation operational vehicle
• First flight in Q1 2007
Spiral 0 • Provides the US Navy with a Limited Operational Capability
• Improved performance
• Baseline
• Moderate
• First flight March
• Technology Demonstrator
2006 2007 2008

Phase III efforts to date have been to focus on the lessons learned from the Initial Baseline
Design Spiral 0 airframe. A Spiral 1 conceptual design was completed in August ’06, and a
Proof of Concept (POC)
scale demonstrator aircraft was taxi and flight tested in
September ’06. Additionally, the Spiral 1 airframe has completed a NAVAIR Design
Review. The detail design has since been completed in November ’06 and the first two
Spiral 1 airframes are now under construction.

Tasks remaining to be completed in Phase III are to verify the Spiral 1 performance through
taxi and flight testing. These tests are currently scheduled for March – April 2007 through
contractor testing at designated NAVAIR test ranges.

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TECHNOLOGY AVAILABILITY

Technology areas that have been refined to date in the Sea Scout development program
include rapid low cost UAV design and development, rapid UAV prototyping, sea plane
autonomous water landing algorithms, LADAR-based sea state sensing, and seaplane UAV
taxi and flight testing logistical procedures.

The Spiral 1 Airframe will provide a limited operational capability for the Navy. Several
additional identified tasks beyond Phase III are required to transition to full system testing,
demonstration, and production. Payload sensor integration will identify specific mission
equipment packages required by the user community and integrate the sensor payloads into
the airframe and avionics. An overseas, in-theater operational demonstration of the Sea
Scout’s capabilities shall serve as a baseline for mission capability and performance.

Hydrodynamic response modeling will serve as a basis to refine and harden the Sea Scout’s
autonomous take off, landing, and sea loiter algorithms.

Additional verification of sea state wave train predictions, and an increase in the
capabilities of the autonomous wave detection and sensing systems, coupled with the
results of the hydrodynamic response modeling will expand the Sea Scout’s operating
limitations into increased sea states and confused seas.

Finally, airframe optimization at the conclusion of Spiral 1 performance testing will result
in a reduction in aircraft empty weight, an increase in the aircraft’s gross aircraft weight,
and an overall increase in performance and endurance.

Requirements, funding, and participants needed to transition the Sea Scout to TRL 9
TRL Tests/Engineering Performance Funding Performing & Funding
Dates Required Organization

7 Sensor Integration & Q2 2007 $1 million OIW, NAVAIR,

Testing
6 Overseas Sensor Q2 2007 $750 K OIW, NAVAIR, NECC
Demo
5 Hydrodynamic Q3 2007 $1 million OIW & Prime
response modeling
5 Sea State Correlation Q3 2007 $2 million OIW, Prime
6 Complex Sea State Q4 2007 $3 million OIW & Prime
Measurements
7 Airframe & Q1 2008 $750 K OIW & Prime
Powerplant
Optimization
8 Production – 5 Q4 2008 $5 million OIW and Prime
Systems
Total $13.5
million

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REFERENCES

Naval Sea Systems Command JKJ Engineered Technologies, Inc.

Michael L. Bosworth William Horn
1333 Isaac Hull Avenue SE STOP 5173 PO Box 1464
Washington Navy Yard, D.C. Lusby, MD 20657
(202) 781-3072 (410) 394-2726
bosworthm@navsea.navy.mil whorn@jkjet.com

Naval Air Systems Command Geneva Aerospace

Dr. Shawn Woodson Dave Duggan
Advanced Aerodynamics, AIR-4321 4240 International Pkwy. , Suite 100
48110 Shaw Road, Bldg. 2187, Suite 1320-B4 Carrollton, TX 75007
Patuxent River, MD 20670 (469) 568-2376 x108
(301) 342-8543 dduggan@genaero.com
shawn.woodson@navy.mil

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Oregon Iron Works, Inc., (OIW) has been a pioneering force in the fabrication industry
since 1944. The company first found success in the hydroelectric and bridge fabrication
industries. In the early 1980’s, the company entered the marine industry, building
workboats for the US Navy. Since that time the marine division has grown significantly,
both in the size, capability, and complexity of the craft it builds. Current examples include
high speed, low signature vessels, fast patrol craft, powered workboats, modular powered
causeways, unpowered barges, unmanned surface vessels and unmanned seaplanes. OIW
fabricates in both aluminum and steel, as well as fiberglass and composites.

Unlike other companies, OIW Marine has tremendous expertise with prototype
development and advancing proof-of-concept demonstrators into full-scale production runs,
while respecting the economics of every job. Because OIW is a small business, they
respond quickly to customer’s needs and expectations, and understand that building a
performance craft also requires dedicated management of the bottom line.

Today the company is also building products in the demanding aerospace, nuclear and
ground based missile defense industries. The quality, specifications and tolerances required
in all these fields is unsurpassed. The OIW team brings this unique level of skill and
expertise to every project.

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