Raytheon promotes its new Multi Vehicle UAV Control System (MVCS) for the control of multiple, dissimilar unmanned vehicles. Providing the user interface and control of unmanned systems, MVCS Core UAV Control System (CUCS) complies with STANAG 4586 as well as the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS), to manage all tasks involved with the mission, including vehicle tasking, system monitoring, mission and route control, waypoint planning and payload tasking, receipt and dissemination.
The modular design using software ‘plug-in’ interfaces allowing high flexibility in user interface design and functionality to be tailored based on customer needs, operator preference, vehicle and payload capabilities and requirements. Vehicle Specific Modules (VSM) are developed for the control of specific platforms. Each VSM represents the unique capabilities of the vehicle. Existing plug-ins include mapping and mission planning, flight displays, vehicle status panels, digital video displays and advanced payload displays. VSMs are provided for Silver Fox, Manta, Cobra and raven UAVs and the US Navy’s USSV unmanned surface vehicle.
MVCS runs on open Java/J2EE environment and, therefore, adapts to various operating systems and platforms, including Windows, Sun Solaris, Apple Mac OS X and multiple Linux flavors. Adapted to web–based service oriented architectures (SOA) it can easily interface with the joint Distributed Common Ground System (DGCS) intelligence distribution system. MVCS is designed for implementation on various hardware platforms, from small handheld systems, supporting special operations through laptop-based vehicular systems to desktop and workstation based systems used in command centers.
