BOEING / INSITU CU-165 SCANEAGLE CANADIAN FORCES SERIAL NUMBER 165909
The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a small, low-cost, long-endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) originally built by Insitu Inc., which is now a subsidiary of Boeing. The ScanEagle is an updated version by Insitu based upon its original SeaScan design, a commercial UAV that was primarily intended to assist commercial fishing boats in spotting schools of fish.
Starting in 2008, the ScanEagle was selected by the Canadian Forces (CF) for a series of operational deployments first necessitated by combat operations in Afghanistan but also then for a series of further follow-on deployments designed to evaluate the integration of UAV operations onboard ships of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as well as in Arctic operations.
The ScanEagle has also been extensively deployed in combat operations by the United States (US) military and other foreign services in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the Persian Gulf.
The primary functions of the onboard avionics included:
Flight Control: A “SE555” flight control system provided inner loop control and data management. The SE555 receivesd data from aircraft sensors and sent commands to control surfaces. Flight path characteristics could then be determined from pre-programmed or in-flight commands;
Air-to-Ground Communication: This data link was used to communicate air vehicle status, control, and mission data, as well as to relay messages from payload modules;
Avionics-to-Payload Communication: This data-link was used to send sensor reports to the payload, and receive commands from the payload;
Video Data: The SE555 communicated serially with an on-board video turret, issuing camera positioning commands as well as aircraft attitude and stabilization data. The video signal bypassed the SE555 and was sent directly to a ground receiver via an onboard Radio Frequency (RF) link;
GPS Receiver: The SE555 communicated serially with an onboard Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, receiving differential GPS data from the ground to improve / set both position and velocity; and
Sensor Management: The onboard sensors included roll, pitch and yaw rate gyro, vertical, lateral and longitudinal accelerometer and temperature, external temperature, relative pressures, along with absolute barometric and manifold pressures.
The UAV could be configured to operate autonomously, or operated remotely from a ground control station. However, “landings” were always performed autonomously, as the SeaScan required specific angles and speeds to make a successful “Skyhook” engagement.
ScanEagle Evolution
The ScanEagle was a direct evolution of the SeaScan, and it emerged as the primary result of a new strategic alliance between Boeing and Insitu Inc. starting in 2002. Boeing was interested in the design as a complete portable Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) for autonomous surveillance on the battlefield. The prototype ScanEagle was initially developed under a 15-month agreement with Boeing and this culminated in a longer-term contract between Insitu and Boeing in July of 2003.
Boeing demonstrated the new system to the US Navy (USN) starting in 2003 and, by 2004, it was being deployed to Iraq with the US Marine Corps (USMC) First Expeditionary Force. Follow-on contracts with both the USN and USMC were then completed. The Australian Army also began using the system in Afghanistan in 2007 and the CF followed suit in 2008.
The ScanEagle looks remarkably similar to its predecessor, possessing the same basic configuration and approach to operations. ScanEagle has a 3.1 m (10.2 ft) wingspan with an overall length of just 1.4 m (4.5 ft) and a mass of 20 kg (44 lbs). It can operate up to 150 km/h (92 mph; 80 kts) but more typically operates with an average cruising speed of 89 km/h (55 mph; 48 kts).
ScanEagle carries a stabilized electro-optical and/or infrared camera on a lightweight inertial stabilized turret system, and an integrated communications system having a range of over 100 km (62 miles). It has a flight endurance of over 20 hours.
Newer Block “D” aircraft featured a higher-resolution camera, a custom-designed Mode “C” transponder and a new video system. A Block “D” UAV, flying at Boeing's test range in Oregon also set a type endurance record of 22 hours, 8 minutes.
As with the SeaScan design, ScanEagle is launched using a pneumatic launcher, patented by Insitu, known as the "SuperWedge" launcher. It is recovered using the "Skyhook" retrieval system, which uses a hook on the end of the wingtip to catch a wire hanging from a 9.1 to 15.2 m (30 to 50 ft) pole. This is made possible by high-quality differential GPS units mounted on the top of the pole and UAV. The catch rope is attached to a shock cord to reduce stress on the airframe imposed by the abrupt stop.
A complete ScanEagle UAS system comprised four air vehicles or AVs, a ground control station, a remote video terminal, the SuperWedge launch system and the Skyhook recovery system. In 2006, each ScanEagle UAS cost US$3.2 million. In 2008, the company produced a total of 277 ScanEagle AVs.
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BINGEN, Wash., May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu Inc., in collaboration with Boeing, ING Engineering and the Canadian Forces, today announced that it has donated a ScanEagle unmanned aircraft to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Marking the significance of Canada's participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, the contribution coincides with the commemoration of the 25,000 combat flight hours that Insitu systems have flown in support of the Canadian Forces.
ScanEagle production aircraft #687 flew 2,000 flight hours supporting the missions of Canadian and allied forces before it was retired in April, 2010. Partners will celebrate the contributions of this aircraft during a ceremony and reception at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
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