Generic Ground Stations

The Generic Ground Stations we developed implement proven aerospace technology to ensure a safe use of Third Party UAVs in diverse scenarios. Vendors of UAVs may concentrate on their airborne systems and mission equipment, and benefit from a ready to use command station. Due to the generic character of the Ground Station, fixed wing, helicopter and quadrocopter/multicopter UAVs can be controlled and data (video/pictures/other) can be transferred and stored locally. Being independent of the actual UAV which is operated, a pilot who is trained for this ground station may operate numerous different UAS without the requirement of intense individual trainings.

We designed the Generic Ground Control Stations for operation in and beyond visual line-of-sight for professional applications. The open, modular design allows for easy adaption to individual use-cases, auto-pilot systems and missions, where the generic ground station is the HMI for the UAS pilot and, if required, also for the mission operator. It provides:

• Automated flights based on dynamic waypoints and timing
• The option for manual control / override (direct or fly-by-wire)
• A detailed situational awareness
• ADS-B and/or FLARM visualization
• Support for numerous different UAS
• Support for missions incorporating more than one UAS flying simultaneously
• The option of a mission controller supporting the pilot (e.g., to operate the gimbal camera)
• Dedicated communication channels for control/telematics and for the payload
• Intrinsic jamming and spoofing resilience
• Co-operation with Air Traffic Management
• Aircraft radio integration
• High efficiency for the operating company
• An optimized HMI for operation of the UAS and of the mission sensors
• Integration of mission planning