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Unmanned Ground Vehicles

puters can eliminate design risk for
RCVs if they are pre-validated through
extensive environmental, power, and
EMI compliance testing per demanding
standards including MIL-STD-810, MIL-
STD-461, and MIL-STD-1275.
COTS-based miniature mission com-
puters can also offer UGV system de-
signers a variety of processor types
from which to choose. For example,
RCV system integrators can choose
from a 64-bit multi-core Intel-based
mission computer that weighs less
than 1.5 lb and takes less than 40 cubic
inches of space, or a lower-power ARM-
based NVIDIA Jetson processor that
provides native support for TensorRT,
NVIDIA’s popular deep learning/artifi-
cial intelligence (AI) inference design The Ripsaw M5 robotic combat vehicle (RCV) developed by Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, and FLIR
kit. Support for AI processing cores is Systems. (Photo: Textron Systems)
sure to grow in importance as on-plat-
form sensor systems are used for such
applications as threat monitoring, ob-
ject detection, predictive analytics and
pattern recognition in a battlefield en-
vironment.
Open architecture line replaceable
units (LRU) often feature built in modu-
larity, enabling an RCV system designer
to adapt the mission computer’s I/O
with different mixes of add-on Ether-
net, video, and serial modules to meet
the platform’s specific interface require-
ments. Support for the popular deter-
ministic vetronics network, CANbus,
can also be integrated via a small mezza-
nine card if it’s not already resident on
the processor module.
Examples of rugged USFF mission
computers and network switch/routers The Expeditionary Modular Autonomous Vehicle (EMAV) designed, developed, and built by Pratt Miller
well-suited for use on this new class of Defense. (Photo: Pratt Miller Defense)
SWaP-constrained UGV, represented by
the Ripsaw M5, include Curtiss- dated to meet the MIL-STD-
Wright’s Parvus DuraCOR 311 and Du- 810G, MIL-STD-461F,
raCOR 312 mission computers and the MIL-STD-1275D,
DuraNET 20-11 switch, one of the in- MIL-STD-704F
dustry’s smallest and lightest Gigabit and RTCA/DO-
Ethernet (GbE) switch subsystems. 160G standards.
With previous experience providing The DuraCOR
COTS DuraCORs and DuraNET hard- 311 is powered by
ware to an autonomous system supplier an Intel Atom
to upgrade a multi-platform auto - processor that features in-
nomous vehicle program, these fully tegrated Intel HD graphics. It
rugged LRUs can perform optimally in comes with a full complement of stan- Curtiss-Wright’s
the harsh deployed environments in dard I/O interfaces (including USB, Eth- Parvus DuraCOR
311 mission computer
which UGVs are built to operate. These ernet, serial, DIO, video, and audio)
electronics are fully tested and vali- and supports I/O expansion via three

20 www.aerodefensetech.com Aerospace & Defense Technology, May 2020