WHITE PAPER LIGHTWEIGHT AEROSTAT SYSTEM (LAS) Models 11M3 and 24M3

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1 WHITE PAPER LIGHTWEIGHT AEROSTAT SYSTEM (LAS) Models 11M3 and 24M3 Persistent Surveillance and Communications Capability For Military And Homeland Security Operations Low Cost Long Mission Duration Minimum Manpower Contractor: Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc Graham-Newton Road Raleigh, NC Technical POC: Administrative POC: Michael E. Rogers Glenda L. Rogers Project Manager President (919) (919) Category: Small Woman Owned Business White Paper Prepared: 28 October 2010 Classification Unclassified

Lightweight Aerostat System (LAS) Models 11M3 and 24M3 The LAS Model 11M3 and 24M3 consists of an 11 or 24 cubic meter Helikite aerostat and an wheeled dolly Carrier, and several types of payloads

$LAS Operational Benefits The patented Helikite combines helium and wind lift so even very small sizes operate easily in high wind, allowing LAS to be a fraction of the cost and manpower of$

2 Lightweight Aerostat System (LAS) Models 11M3 and 24M3 The LAS Model 11M3 and 24M3 consists of an 11 or 24 cubic meter Helikite aerostat and an wheeled dolly Carrier, and several types of payloads (Fig. 1). The Carrier contains all the equipment to deploy and operate the system for up to a month, except electrical power. It is suitable for payloads up to 5 or 9 kilograms for the 11M3 or 24M3 Helikites, respectively. LAS Operational Benefits The patented Helikite combines helium and wind lift so even very small sizes operate easily in high wind, allowing LAS to be a fraction of the cost and manpower of traditional lighterthan-air designs. The LAS blimp can be flown at several hundred to thousand feet altitude to provide coverage 24 hours a day for a week or more without maintenance or downtime. LAS is very mobile and cost-effective through use of unique designs to reduce the need for ground crews to handle the blimp during launch and recovery. It is carried by a single dolly and operated by a two person crew. Compared to towers, UAS and aircraft LAS has significant operational advantages for mobile surveillance and communications relay. It covers a far larger area than tower based cameras, and has reduced blind spots due to obstacles in the field of view. Operating and maintenance cost is a fraction of the cost of using aircraft or UAS to lift surveillance or relay payloads. It does not require the complicated flight clearances needed for UAS deconfliction with manned aircraft. Coverage Surveillance and communications relay payload versions at up to 500 feet can cover a 24 NM radius, depending upon terrain. Surveillance coverage is dependent more upon sensor resolution than upon Line of Sight. Intelligence collection and other payloads can be carried. Major Components LAS consists of several unique components that, taken together, comprise a system far smaller and more versatile than any comparable unit. Each component emphasizes the strengths of the others to produce a small, highly mobile capability unequalled by other aerostat systems. LAS Models 11M3 or 24M3 consists of three major components or subsystems: Helikite / Helirest, Carrier, and Payloads HELIKITE / HELIREST Helikite Standard aerostats are driven into the ground by only moderate wind. To counteract wind drag traditional blimp shaped aerostats typically have a minimum of 200 pounds buoyant lift just for wind Fig 1 CUV Lightweight 11M3 and 24M3 Aerostat System Wheeled Dolly Carrier Helikite Lifting Aerostat Helirest Protective Mount Gyro Stabilized Camera Payload Networked Communications Payload Acoustic Gunfire Detectors / Other Payloads Carolina Unmanned Vehicles Page

3 stability. This requires a large blimp, greater cost, difficulty in ground handling and additional personnel. The key to making a small, mobile and cost effective aerostat system is to use a Lifting Aerostat, which is an aerostat with aerodynamic lifting surfaces. LAS uses the most mature and efficient lifting aerostat on the market, the Helikite developed and patented by Allsopp Helikites Ltd. of Great Britain. Helikites combine helium and wind lift to operate easily in high wind speeds at a fraction of the cost and trouble of traditional lighter-than-air designs. Helikites employ a horizontal carbon fiber spar that supports a flexible cloth kite to generate lift in wind. Helikites are lighter-than-air like a blimp but are not knocked down by the wind. Wind forces on the kite wings generate lift to counteract the wind side force allowing LAS Helikites to fly in winds up to 70 mph. Other aerostats must be considerably larger to withstand wind forces, so they cannot be designed for small payloads and mobile ground equipment. Helikite performance is the key that allows LAS to be very compact, use minimum helium and be operable by only two people. The airborne equipment can include several safety items. The FAA requires tether banners, lights and a system to automatically deflate the aerostat if the tether breaks. Although not required overseas, use of a deflation device to quickly deflate the aerostat is prudent, to avoid capture or loss of a valuable payload. Our standard nonpower Spectra tether is very strong and lightweight, weighing between 0.5 and 1.0 pounds per 100 feet, depending upon the aerostat size and therefore the tether wind loads. With a nonpower tether the aerostat has to be brought down periodically for short intervals to change out payload batteries or refuel fuel cells. Tethers that transmit data and/or electrical power are available to provide continuous 24/7 operation, but range from 2.5 lb to 3.9 lb per 100ft. depending upon aerostat size, or more than four times as heavy as a Helikite With Helirest standard Spectra tether. Obviously available aerostat lift is affected. Helirest Unique to LAS is the Helirest (Fig. 2). During launch and recovery in wind, traditional blimps require several people to avoid ground handling problems, which can easily damage the blimp, particularly when half-inflated. A partially inflated aerostat can flail around in wind like a yacht sail, potentially damaging itself and even injuring crewmembers. To overcome these control problems LAS inflates the Helikite inside a U-shaped air inflated unit called a Helirest that protects and restrains the Helikite, minimizing wind effects and allowing two person operation. The Helirest provides support, restraint and protection to the Helikite during inflation / deflation and ground storage. It is a simple but effective device that can be scaled to each size of Helikite to provide a snug fit while the Helikite is stowed on the ground. The Helikite and Helirest really function as a synergistic pair. As noted the Helirest protects the Helikite but unique features of the Helikite Fig Helikite Helium Fill Nozzle 2. Guide Ropes 3. Deflation Electronics 4. Helirest Carolina Unmanned Vehicles Page

4 make the Helirest effective. Because of the horizontal keel that supports the fabric kite, the Helikite uses a single short, self-adjusting tether attachment line close up to the belly of the aerostat. This allows the Helikite to be kept within five to eight feet of the ground and protected by the Helirest during all operations. CARRIER The combination of the Helikite, which allows even a small aerostat to withstand real world wind conditions, and the Helirest, which allows safe operation by a small crew, greatly enhances the LAS ground equipment. We do not require the large, clumsy pivoting mooring system used by most other designs, and can package all the required equipment onto a single trailer. Until launch the uninflated LAS Helikite is contained in a mobile Carrier with helium tanks and a winch (Fig. 3). The Carrier is C-130 Roll-on / Roll-off air transportable, and can be carried in helicopters. The Carrier with contains all equipment to launch, operate and retrieve the Helikite and payloads, except an electrical generator. This includes helium tanks with a high pressure manifold and pressure reduction system to inflate the Helikite. The tanks are standard 216 cubic foot commercial and Defense Logistics Agency NSN items, so no special tanks or helium trailer are required. An electric winch with tether is carried to launch and retrieve the Helikite. The winch is a modified heavy duty industrial winch. PAYLOADS Various payloads may be carried by the LAS 11M3 / 24M3. The system may be ordered with or without payloads, with the customer providing their own payloads. In the latter case we can include development of the payload interface, and integration testing. As the LAS prime CUV has teamed with several different companies to develop and integrate various payloads into LAS. Specific new payloads developed from existing components can be developed in 4 to 6 months. Persistent Surveillance Payloads A typical airborne surveillance payload is a gryo stabilized pan-tiltzoom Electro-Optical (EO) and/or Infrared (IR) surveillance cameras with day / night capability, with an included portable Ground Control System. Networked Communications Payloads LAS can act as a relay platform for voice communications, as a network bridge for interconnecting ground computers and networks, and as relay point for dissimilar communications systems. The Helikite at a few hundred feet altitude covers a circle many miles in diameter. CUV has delivered LAS communications relay versions to the Air Force, Sandia National Laboratory and Lockheed Martin Corporation. These systems operate up to 4000 feet altitude. Other Payloads LAS is also an ideal tactical ELINT / COMINT / SIGINT platform, providing a stealthy long endurance intercept system that provide covert 24/7 coverage of large areas. Acoustic or IR gunfire detectors on LAS can locate any snipers after the first shot. These addition payloads can often be carried along with the primary surveillance cameras or communications payloads, provided there is sufficient payloads capacity. The acoustic gunfire detectors and UGS relays are often a pound or less so they can be easily added to LAS. Payload Interface / Mounting CUV has developed very simple payload mountings that makes it very straightforward to mount new or alternate payloads. Surveillance payloads, which must be mounted below the lower keel cloth for unrestricted field of view, are amounted on a CUV designed carbon fiber frame embedded in the keel cloth. Communications and other electronic payloads are mounted direct adjacent to the carbon fiber keel, the strongest and most stable are on the Helikite. Simple composite or metal enclosures are mounted to straps along the Helikite keel. With this method it is easy to mount alternative payloads without extensive, and expensive, redesign of the platform. For further information, or to discuss technical, cost or other issues, please contact Michael E. Rogers, LAS Project Manager, at , merogers@carolinaunmanned.com Carolina Unmanned Vehicles Page

5 Equipment List Airborne Equipment Other Than Payload (Helikite and Related) 11 or 24 cubic meters Helikite Aerostat (11M3 or 24M3) with a 5 to 9 kg maximum lift at sea level, standard day; 500 feet of standard nonpower Spectra tether*; CUV below the keel payload mount;** Optional Anti-collision light system***; and Optional Automatic Deflation device****. * A power tether is available as an option. It reduces available payload lift due its greater weight per foot, and requires an optional winch with slip-rings to transmit power and data through the winch hub. Small LAS Carrier Winch Helium Manifold Tank Assembly Helikite and Helirest Box Top View of Carrier Without Helikite Box End View Side View Fig. 3 Carrier The 11M3 and 24M3 Carrier is a wheeled dolly containing all equipment to launch the Helikite. The Carrier is placed at the launch point and the Upper box sides are folded down. The protective Helirest is inflated by an air blower. The Helikite is then inflated from the helium tanks and raised on its tether. Note that this Carrier does not have a generator so electrical power for the winch must be provided by an outside source. Helirest Helikite Carolina Unmanned Vehicles Page

6 ** Mounting the camera directly on the Helikite keel just below the balloon does not provide a clear view of the ground due to interference by the lower keel cloth. CUV s below keel mount provides a stable mounting for camera payloads without any obstruction by the vertical cloth keel. *** A modified aircraft LED warning beacon is available but weighs one (1) kilogram, so lift is reduced. *** An automatic deflation device is available but weighs one (1) kilogram, so available lift is reduced. Ground Equipment (Carrier) Industrial quality utility dolly with lockable storage compartments; Helikite Launch box atop the dolly; Protective covers and supports; Electric winch with minimum 500 feet tether capacity; Racks for 4 standard Helium tanks for the 11M3 (Two inflations); Racks for 8 standard Helium tanks for the 24M3 Helikite (Two inflations); Helium 3000 psi manifold for 4 tanks, pressure regulator, and 300 psi line for inflation; Handtruck for loading and unloading helium tanks, Tarps, grounding rod, tiedown stakes and related equipment; Helirest inflatable unit to protect Helikite during inflation and storage; and Carrying / storage bags for Helirest and Helikite Payloads Varied by customer, up to 9 kilograms. Cost Cost are calculated for one (1) unit and also for each additional unit ordered at the same time, up to five units. Additional orders beyond five units would allow some economies of scale in vendor purchases, to further reduce cost per unit. Cost does not include payloads. Carolina Unmanned Vehicles Page

LIGHTWEIGHT AEROSTAT SYSTEM (LAS) A New Concept In Security Surveillance and Communications Relay

LIGHTWEIGHT AEROSTAT SYSTEM (LAS) A New Concept In Security Surveillance and Communications Relay Low Cost Long Mission Duration Minimum Manpower Carolina Unmanned Vehicles, Inc. 4105 Graham-Newton Road