TARGET DRONE CONTROL VIA SATELLITE

EXISTING RANGES ARE FACED WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO TEST WEAPONS OF INCRESED COMPLEXITY, RANGE, AND FIREPOWER. PRESENT RANGES ARE INCREASING AFFECTED BY COMMERICAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES. THE SOLUTION IS THE WORLD RANGE CONCEPT OF USING THE LARGE OCEAN AREAS FOR TEST AND TRAINING OPERATIONS. TODAY-S SHORE BASED RANGE FACILITIES AND LABORATORIES CONSTITUTE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. THE GOAL OF WORLD RANGE IS TO UTILIZE THESE FACILITIES MORE EFFICIENTLY BY CONNECTING THEM TO OPEN SEA TEST AREAS. THE PROPOSED TARGET DRONE COMMAND AND CONTROL (C) SYSTEM VIA SATELLITE LINK DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE GOALS OF WORLD RANGE. THIS STUDY WILL ESTABLISH THE DATE LINK AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE C SYSTEM. A LIST OF CANDIDATE MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL SATELLITIES WILL BE COMPILED AND EVALUATED. FINALLY, A DETAILED SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION FOR BOTH THE DRONE AND SHORE BASED EQUIPMENT WILL BE DEFINED. THE C SYSTEM RESULTING FROM THIS STUDY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT NUMEROUS GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.ANY APPLICATION REQUIRING THE TRANSMISSION OF DATA RATES UP TO 500 KBPS BEYOND LINE OF SIGHT IS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE.