News & information - Archives 2011

November 25, 2011 - SDS Awarded Contract to Deliver MQ-9 Reaper Simulator to 1st AF/AFNORTH

SDS International (SDS) has been awarded a contract to deliver a ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Reaper Mission Training Device (MTD) to support Air National Guard (ANG) Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) activities at 1st AF/AFNORTH, Tyndall AFB, FL.

SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida, will deliver the latest version of its Reaper MTD which was originally designed to meet the ANG’s need for low-cost, high-fidelity PC-based Reaper simulator training systems. The delivered MTD will consist of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the MQ-1/9 pilot and sensor operator ground control stations. Each station includes properly sized/ positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display, and head-down command and status displays; specialized Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and rudders. The MTD will have a separate laptop-based IOS capable of supporting mission planning, tactical scenario generation (including 3D vehicles/aircraft/humans/animals), and system operations. The MTD’s ROVATTS™-based software provides MQ-9 specific HUD displays, tracker-map displays, and head-down-display functionalities. The software includes SDS’ high-fidelity MQ-9 aero package supporting launch/recovery and mission operations (including flight with turbulence effects/satellite control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal/selected emergency procedure functionality; realistic EO/IR sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuity® PC-IG; applicable weapons employment capabilities; and FalconView displays plus mIRC capabilities for use in distributed operations.

SDS’ MQ-9 MTD will support individual (pilot or sensor operator)/crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. The system includes a high-fidelity virtual terrain of the Creech/Nellis AFB area and a detailed Afghanistan database populated with thousands of highly realistic 3D features needed to support realistic MQ-9 crew tactical ISR and weapons delivery operations.




November 21, 2011 - SDS Delivers Virtual Test Bed Enhancements to The US Army

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered a variety of enhancements to the US Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA, focused on further enhancing the First Person Shooter (FPS) PC-based simulation system Virtual Test Bed (VTB) developed by SDS and NSRDEC under earlier contracts. Under this contract enhancement, SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando FL, delivered an number of baseline VTB system upgrades including major improvements to the system’s instructor operator station (IOS) and significant refinements to a Fort Devens terrain database, previously developed by SDS, to include a highly detailed Forward Operating Base (FOB) layout specifically designed to support planned field exercises and experimental scenarios.

SDS also delivered improved human performance measurement capabilities designed to increase overall VTB realism and effectiveness. These included realistic locomotion simulation based upon energy expenditure, realistic volumetrics associated with actual equipment measurements, and the computation, representation and affects of body injury on performance/mobility. System enhancements also included improved over-all system load management and more realistic human movements within the FPS VTB, plus the inclusion of health, injury and 3D volumetric data into the VTB’s Digital Video Recorder that supports system monitoring and after action review.

In addition, SDS delivered a Simulated Weapons Assessment Station (SWAS) capability to the FPS VTB to provide the VTB with realistic weapons firing capabilities including the correct look and feel of the selected weapons, weapons sighting and firing (including audio and recoil), accurate ballistics, and the 3D environment (including bullet ricochets and impact decals) needed to ensure scenario realism. The SWAS, which combines SDS’ virtual FPS simulation with Ti Training’s interactive Training Lab System, will also provide accurate weapons firing data needed to support selected research activities such as assessing effects of physical changes in the soldier's ensemble.

SDS’ AAcuity® Hero-FPS (which serves as the baseline for the FPS VTB) can function as an individual soldier providing the appropriate views (visual, NVG, IR and HUD) and employing a variety of weapons, chem-sticks, lights, etc. while moving throughout--and interacting with--virtually any distributed exercise composed of live, virtual, and constructive manned/unmanned entities. These robust capabilities make the AAcuity® Hero-FPS and the FPS VTB excellent choices for research and development, test and evaluation, and training applications in stand-alone and/or distributed environments.




November 21, 2011 – 2011 I/ITSEC Plans

SDS International, Inc. (SDS), a 2011 Military Training and Technology (MTT) Blue Ribbon Winner for leading the industry in Innovation, will demonstrate the following products in booth # 867 at this year's Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) held in Orlando, Florida 22 November - 1 December 2011.

(1) SDS’ ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) -- the first low-cost, high fidelity MQ-9 simulator developed to support operational training requirements of Air National Guard Reaper units. The MTD includes SDS’ latest IOS hardware/software and recently developed AAcuity®-LIFE software providing the MTD, and other simulation systems, with the density and realism of AI-driven scene content (vehicles, aircraft, humans, animals, special effects) needed to simulate real-world conditions associated with complex ISR and weapons-employment missions in virtually any urban or open-terrain environment. MQ-9/1 versions of SDS’ MTDs are in use at the Air Force Research Lab supporting Distributed Mission Operations research/training, at the USAF Distributed Missions Operations Center supporting Virtual Flag exercises, and at various other military facilities and universities.

(2) SDS’ AAcuity®-Hero FPS (First-Person-Shooter) simulator supports stand-alone operations using SDS’ LIFE AI-driven scene content or provides the capability to observe/interact with virtually any entity in a distributed exercise. As such, it can function as an individual (independent) player or provide both the appropriate views (visual, NVG, and IR) and firing capabilities associated with virtually any weapon/position within in a scenario. AAcuity®-Hero FPS, when combined with Ti Training’s interactive Training Lab System, also includes a Simulated Weapons Assessment Station (SWAS) capability simulating realistic weapons firing including the correct look and feel of the selected weapons, weapons sighting and firing (including audio and recoil), accurate ballistics, and the 3D environment (including bullet ricochets and impact decals) needed to ensure scenario realism. AAcuity®-Hero FPS simulators serve as the cornerstone of the US Army’s human/hardware-in-the-loop virtual test bed at the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center, Natick, MA.

(3) SDS’ AAcuity® PC-Image Generator (PC-IG) products provide low-cost, high-fidelity PC-based scene generation (including, EO/II/IR sensors) for flight, space, ground and sea-based R&D and training applications. AAcuity® IGs, which are optimized to run virtually any OpenFlight or TerraPage database, ensure maximum cost effectiveness through reuse of existing databases and commonality with other simulations during Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) activities. AAcuity® PC-IG products are currently in use in a variety of simulators worldwide including MQ-1/MQ-9 Mission Training Deives, P-3 sensor simulations, the Indirect Fire-Forward Air Control (I-FACT) and PEO-STRI’s Joint Fires Product Line (JFPL)/JTAC Simulators.

(4) SDS will demonstrate the General Atomics Reconnaissance Systems Group’s (GA-RSG) Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Simulator (TARS) developed jointly by GA-RSG, SDS, and SAIC. TARS provides tactically relevant, cost-effective sensor training using the actual fielded CLAW®-software. TARS uses SDS’ ROVATTS™ software to provide IOS capabilities, create a common simulation training environment, simulate EO/IR/GMTI sensor functionality, and ensure synchronization between all sensors. TARS also uses SDS’ AAcuity® PC-IG to provide EO/IR sensor scenes and SAIC’s RADSIM software to simulate the Lynx® multi-mode radar.

In addition, SDS’ AAcuity®-Hero FPS and AAcuity®-LIFE AI-driven scene content will be featured at Dell’s Booth # 2962.




November 18, 2011 - SDS Delivers Mission Training Device (MTD) to the Springfield, Ohio Air National Guard (ANG)

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered a dual-loaded (MQ-1/MQ-9) ROVATTS™-based MTD to the 178th Reconnaissance Group (RG) to support research and training activities. The MQ-9 version of the MTD was developed to support crew training within the ANG, while the MQ-1 version of the system was originally developed to support human factors research by the USAF. The dual-loaded MTD, delivered by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida, will be used in a collaborative effort between 178th RG personnel and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson AFB, OH to support distributed Mission Operations (DMO) research. This specialized, MQ-1/9 version of the MTD was previously delivered to AFRL for research purposes and to the U.S Air Force Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC), Kirtland AFB, NM for use by active duty and ANG MQ-1/MQ-9 crews during Virtual Flag Exercises.

 

The delivered MTD consists of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the MQ-1/9 pilot and sensor operator ground control stations. Each station includes properly sized/ positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display, and head-down command and status displays; specialized Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and rudders. The MTD has a separate laptop-based IOS capable of supporting mission planning, tactical scenario generation (including 3D vehicles/aircraft/humans/ animals), and system operations. The MTD’s ROVATTS™-based software provides MQ-1/9 specific HUD displays, tracker-map displays and head-down-display functionalities. The software includes SDS’ high-fidelity MQ-1/9 aero packages supporting launch/recovery and mission operations (including flight with turbulence effects/satellite control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal/selected emergency procedure functionality; realistic EO/IR sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuity® PC-IG; applicable weapons employment capabilities; and FalconView displays plus mIRC capabilities for use in distributed operations.

 

SDS’ MQ-1/9 MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) / crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. The system includes a high-fidelity virtual terrain of the Creech/Nellis AFB area and a detailed Afghanistan database populated with thousands of highly-realistic 3D features needed to support realistic MQ-1/9 crew tactical ISR and weapons delivery operations. 




April 4, 2011 – SDS’ First Person Shooter (FPS) Simulation Gets Air-Time on the Discovery Channel’s Howe-and-Howe Tech Sho

SDS International (SDS) is in the second year of a multiyear contract by the US Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA to enhance the First Person Shooter (FPS) PC-based simulation system Virtual Test Bed (VTB) at NSRDEC.

 

The VTB, developed by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando FL, and NSRDEC personnel, was recently included on the Discovery Channel’s Howe and Howe Tech show. During the show they visited the Future Warrior Technology Integration Lab where they interacted with the M-4 grenade launcher simulation capability within the human/hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) virtual test bed provided by SDS’ FPS simulation software.

The FPS simulation is based upon SDS’ AAcuity Hero-FPS that can function as an individual soldier providing the appropriate views (visual, NVG and HUD) and employing a variety of weapons, chem-sticks, sensors, etc. while moving throughout -- and interacting with --virtually any distributed exercise composed of live, virtual, and constructive manned/unmanned entities. These robust capabilities make the AAcuity Hero-FPS and the FPS-VTB excellent choices for research and development, test and evaluation, and training applications in stand-alone and/or distributed environments.




March 29, 2011 - SDS Delivers MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) to the Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS)

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered a ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 MTD to AFAMS. SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida, which originally developed its ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 MTDs to support Reaper crew training within the Air National Guard (ANG), delivered an ANG purchased MTD to AFAMS to allow for the demonstration of the MTD’s capabilities and integration of the MTD with emerging and mature simulation technologies, as well as for testing and exploration of new concepts.

 

The delivered MTD consists of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator ground control stations. Each station includes an adjustable, wheeled COTS table holding properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display, and head-down command and status displays; specialized USB-based Desktop Control Units (DCU) comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and game-level rudders. The MTD has a separate laptop-based instructor-operator-station (IOS) capable of supporting mission planning/tactical scenario generation (including fixed and moving 3D vehicles/ humans/animals), and simulator/mission control.

 

The MTD’s ROVATTS™-based pilot and sensor operator station software provides functioning Reaper HUD displays, tracker map displays, and head-down-displays (including variable information tables and menu button interfaces). The MQ-9 MTD software also incorporates an SDS-developed high fidelity Reaper aerodynamics package supporting takeoff/enroute/landing operations (including flight with turbulence effects/satellite control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal and selected emergency procedure functionality; realistic electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuityÆ PC-IG; and AGM-114 Hellfire missile and GBU-12 laser guided bomb weapons employment capabilities. The system was delivered with a high-fidelity virtual terrain of the Creech/Nellis AFB area and a detailed Now Zad, Afghanistan database populated with features (dozens of enterable buildings, city walls, vehicles, moving vegetation (trees/grass), deformed river-beds, kareze [or qanat] irrigation systems, etc.) needed to support realistic Reaper crew tactical ISR and weapons delivery operations.

 

SDS’ MQ-9 MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. As such, the Reaper MTD represents a low-cost, high-fidelity alternative training system capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications.




March 16, 2011 - SDS Delivers ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Reaper Mission Training Device (MTD) to the University of North Dakota (UND)

SDS International (SDS) recently completed delivery of one of its ROVATTS™-based MTDs for use by the University of North Dakota’s Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Education and Training, Grand Forks, ND in a research partnership with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), 711th Human Performance Wing, Warfighter Readiness Research Division. Under that partnership, UND plans to use the MQ-9 MTD to address a variety of unmanned airraft systems (UAS) training issues including the development of methods to aid in event sequencing, mission rehearsal, and self-instruction of pilots and sensor operators. In addition, the MTD is expected to help assess and evaluate techniques and methodologies for UAS training, to help identify needed curricular interventions, and to track their effectiveness.

Previously, two ROVATTS-based MTD simulators, connected to the UND ATC Radar Laboratory, were used to conduct scenario testing of UAS operations within an Air Traffic Control environment. Once appropriately trained, research flights were conducted by Certified Flight Instructors from UND Aerospace Flight Operations and students enrolled in the University's Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics degree in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations. The use of the MTD as a laboratory asset is also developing in other human factors research projects, such as the comparison of pilot flight parameters in manned aircraft versus unmanned aircraft simulators, the study of object identification by sensor operators, the development of procedures to change course or targets as directed by ATC or other commanding agencies, and the use and assessment of motion sensory cueing devices.

 

The MQ-9 Reaper MTD, produced by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, FL, consists of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the pilot and sensor operator portions of the MQ-9 ground control station, plus a separate laptop-based instructor-operator-station providing mission planning and system operation. The MTD, which operates in a normal office environment (A/C, power, etc.), includes a pilot and sensor station with properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display, and head-down command and status displays; specialized USB-based Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and rudders. The MTD’s software provides functioning MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator HUD, tracker-map, and head-down-display functionalities (including variable information tables and menu button interfaces). The software also incorporates an SDS-developed high-fidelity Reaper aerodynamics package supporting launch/recovery and mission operations (including flight with turbulence effects/satellite control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal and selected emergency procedure functionality; and realistic electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuity® PC-IG.


SDS’ ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Reaper simulation systems are also available in a laptop version which preserves MQ-9 system functionality while increasing mobility and reducing system footprint by placing all functions (tracker, status, command and HUD) in selectable windows on one COTS laptop per pilot and sensor operator station. Both tabletop or laptop versions can support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. As such, ROVATTS™-based systems represent a low-cost, high-fidelity alternative capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications.




February 7, 2011 - SDS Awarded Contract to Enhance Virtual Test Bed For The US Army

SDS International (SDS) has been awarded an additional contract by the US Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), Natick, MA, to further enhance the First Person Shooter (FPS) PC-based simulation system Virtual Test Bed (VTB) developed by SDS and NSRDEC under earlier contracts. Under this contract enhancement, SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando FL, will provide improved human performance measurement capabilities, increase overall system realism and effectiveness, and add a Simulated Weapons Assessment Station (SWAS) capability to the FPS VTB.

 

Improved human performance aspects will include realistic locomotion based upon energy expenditure, realistic volumetrics associated with actual equipment measurements, and the computation, representation and affects of body injury on performance/mobility. System enhancements will also include improved over-all system load management and more realistic human movements within the FPS VTB, plus the inclusion of health, injury and 3D volumetric data into the VTB’s Digital Video Recorder that supports system monitoring and after action review.

 

The addition of the SWAS station will provide the FPS VTB with realistic weapons firing capabilities including the correct look and feel of the selected weapons, weapons sighting and firing (including audio and recoil), accurate ballistics, and the 3D environment (including bullet ricochets and impact decals) needed to ensure scenario realism. The SWAS will also provide accurate weapons firing data needed to support selected research activities such as assessing effects of physical changes in the soldier's ensemble.

 

SDS’ AAcuityÆ Hero-FPS (which serves as the baseline for the FPS VTB) can function as an individual soldier providing the appropriate views (visual, NVG, IR and HUD) and employing a variety of weapons, chem-sticks, lights, etc. while moving throughout--and interacting with--virtually any distributed exercise composed of live, virtual, and constructive manned/unmanned entities. These robust capabilities make the AAcuityÆ Hero-FPS and the FPS VTB excellent choices for research and development, test and evaluation, and training applications in stand-alone and/or distributed environments.




January 24, 2011 - SDS Developed MQ-9 MTD Participates in 2010 I/ITSEC Integrated Simulation Training Capabilities Demonstrations

SDS International (SDS) ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 MTD, operated by Air National Guard (ANG) crews, provided highly-effective Reaper capabilities during distributed demonstrations conducted by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) during I/ITSEC 2010. Using the MQ-9 MTD originally developed by SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida to support ANG Reaper crew training, ANG crews participated in a variety of robust demonstration scenarios that allowed them to practice critical Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and weapons delivery mission tasks in a realistic, distributed simulation environment. The ANG crews worked in coordination with a number of other distributed simulations including a game based A-10, as well as F-16, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, and Airborne Warning and Control systems during the simulated theater combat operations training events. The synergism gained by the various assets and platforms working together provided ANG crews with a realistic, challenging simulation environment capable of honing their warfighter skills. The ROVATTS™-based MTD, which was designed for operation in a typical office environment, proved easy to set-up/takedown (less than an hour), reliable (operating virtually error-free throughout all four days of the show), and highly effective due to the realism of the MTD’s hardware and software.

The MQ-9 MTD consists of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the pilot and sensor operator parts of the ground control station, plus a separate laptop-based instructor-operator-station. The pilot and sensor stations include properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display, and head-down command and status displays; specialized USB-based Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and game-level rudders. The MTD’s software provides functioning MQ-1 pilot and sensor operator HUD, tracker-map, and head-down-display functionalities (including variable information tables and menu button interfaces). The software also incorporates an SDS-developed high-fidelity Reaper aerodynamics package supporting launch/recovery and mission operations (including flight with turbulence effects/satellite control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal and selected emergency procedure functionality; realistic electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuityÆ PC-IG; and AGM-114 Hellfire missile and GBU-12 laser guided bomb weapons employment capabilities.

ANG MTDs were delivered with virtual terrains including a geo-specific Creech/Nellis AFB area database and a detailed Now Zad, Afghanistan database populated with features (dozens of enterable buildings, city walls, vehicles, moving vegetation (trees/grass), deformed river-beds, irrigation systems, etc.) needed to support realistic training. The MTDs at I/ITSEC also included FalconView/mIRC capabilities and the initial version of SDS’ AAcuityÆ “Life”-based Scene Content capability (available for all MTDs in 2011) which adds the Artificially-Intelligent (AI)-driven content (vehicles, humans, animals, special-effects) required to support effective ISR/weapons-delivery training in virtually any urban or open-terrain simulation environment. SDS’ MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. As such, the MTD represents a low-cost, high-fidelity alternative training system capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications.




January 11, 2011 - SDS Delivers MQ-9 Reaper Simulator To Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Florida

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered a specialized version of the ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Reaper Mission Training Device (MTD) tabletop simulator to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) to support the development of evolving classes in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations at ERAU.

 

As delivered, the Reaper MTD consists of one tabletop simulator station that preserves the correct physical layout of the MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator ground control station components. The station includes an adjustable, wheeled COTS table holding properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for the head-up-display (HUD), tracker display and head-down command and status displays; plus game-level stick, throttle, keyboard, trackball controls and rudders. The Reaper MTD has a separate laptop-based instructor-operator-station capable of supporting mission planning, tactical scenario generation (including fixed and moving 3D vehicles/ humans/animals), and simulator/mission control.

 

As delivered, the ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 MTD combined pilot and sensor operator station software provides functioning Reaper HUD displays, tracker map displays, and head-down-displays (including variable information tables and menu button interfaces). The Reaper MTD software also incorporates an SDS-developed high fidelity Reaper aerodynamics package supporting takeoff/enroute/landing operations (including flight with turbulence effects/control-delays and GPS approach capabilities); normal and selected emergency procedure functionality; and realistic electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays provided by SDS’ AAcuityÆ PC-IG. The system was delivered with a high-fidelity virtual terrain of the Creech/Nellis AFB area designed to support realistic Reaper crew training.

 

SDS’ MQ-9 Reaper MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed training involving a variety of live, virtual, and constructive systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. As such, the Reaper MTD represents a low-cost, high-fidelity alternative training system capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications.




January 7, 2011 - SDS Delivers Additional Mission Training Device to the Air Force Research Laboratory

SDS International (SDS) recently delivered a second ROVATTS™-based Mission Training Device (MTD) to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). SDS’ Advanced Technologies Division, Orlando, Florida which originally developed the ROVATTS™-based MQ-9 Reaper MTDs to support Air National Guard (ANG) Reaper crew training, delivered a specialized version of the ROVATTS™-based MTD to AFRL to support Distributed Mission Operations (DMO) research and training. The recently delivered system provides realistic MQ-1 and MQ-9 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capabilities for use in a variety of current and future AFRL DMO and Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) operations and training research activities.

The combined MQ-1/9 MTD consists of two tabletop simulator stations that preserve the correct physical layout of the MQ-1/9 pilot and sensor operator components of the actual ground control station. The system, which operates in a normal office environment (A/C, power, etc.), includes two adjustable, wheeled COTS tables holding properly sized/positioned flat-panel displays for head-up-display (HUD), tracker, command and status displays; specialized USB-based Desktop Control Units comprised of form/fit/function stick, throttle, keyboard and trackball controls; and game-level rudders. The MTD also incorporates SDS-developed high fidelity MQ-1 and MQ-9 aerodynamics packages (supporting takeoff/enroute/landing operations including flight with turbulence effects and control-delays); MQ-1 and MQ-9 pilot and sensor operator HUDs; and electro-optical/infra-red sensor displays including high-fidelity terrain scenes provided by SDS’ AAcuityÆ PC-IG. The MTD’s pilot and sensor operator control stations include aircraft-specific functioning variable information tables and menu button interfaces, tracker displays, selected normal and emergency procedure functionality, and applicable MQ-1 and MQ-9 weapons employment capabilities. In addition, the MTD has a separate laptop-based instructor-operator-station capable of supporting mission planning/tactical scenario generation (including fixed and moving 3D targets/humans) and mission control.


SDS’ MQ-1 and MQ-9 MTDs support individual (pilot or sensor operator) and/or crew training in a stand-alone environment, plus distributed operations involving a variety of LVC systems in either local or distributed exercises using DIS or HLA connectivity. As such, the MTD represents a low-cost, high-fidelity simulation system capable of supporting a wide variety of realistic training, mission rehearsal, R&D and T&E applications.