Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008 - (Page 70)

FA R N B O R O U G H 2 0 0 8 Heads Up! Flying with Q-Sight HMD Flying helicopters in today’s war zones, using existing helmet-mounted displays [HMDs], is just plain tough, perhaps tougher than it needs to be. HMDs are heavy, so they’re hard on neck muscles. They have a narrow visual sweet spot and projector degradation can cause partial loss of imagery. But you need an HMD to keep your eyes out of the cockpit. BAE Systems believes the firm’s engineers have overcome many of these problems with its new 4-oz Q-Sight monocular mini-HMD, so we decided to go for a short demo hop with the unit. “Q-Sight is all about reducing mass on your helmet. It’s placed close to the eye, and there are no lens units or projector. It’s also going to be priced significantly south of any HMD out there,” said John Nix, BAE Systems’ vp, platform solutions. The key to Q-Sight’s breakthrough weight, size and cost is BAE Systems’ proprietary holographic quantum technology that allows light to be guided from a micro laser to the display screen by means of holographic wave guides. Imagery is displayed almost edge-to-edge on the screen, thereby providing a wide field of view. This visual sweet spot is further enhanced by the close proximity of the display to the eye. Aircraft attitude, air data, heading and torque can be seen on Q-Sight, along with an The key to Q-Sight: holographic quantum technology. edge-to-edge horizon line. The compact unit can be used both day and night because of its very high dimming ratio. Just as importantly, it fits between NVG gear and the eye so a different form-factor unit doesn’t have to be used with NVGs. trolled by a single ground operator using spoQ-Sight is highly intuitive, so transition time ken and data commands. is short and the learning curve is almost painless. “This prototype demonstration showed just But HMDs, regardless of design, won’t help a small sample of the potential for rotary wing pilots stay within engine or aircraft operating unmanned air systems that have a lift capaclimits. So BAE Systems has developed a comity of 6,000 lb,” said Kaman Helicopters plementary active cyclic/collective control stick president Sal Bordonaro. “We believe this platsystem. These controls provide a series of tactile form could be used for any number of existing feedback cues that inform the pilot if certain limmissions that are currently being flown by its are exceeded. The collective, for instance, manned assets, and that the cost-saving resultvibrates if the pilot pulls more than maximum ing from the use of the unmanned K-MAX torque. Similarly, the cyclic provides tactile feedwould be recognized immediately,” he said. back if rotor speed drops off, and it provides According to Ray Wall, chief of the U.S. resistance to movement if pre-set or programmed Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, attitude or speed limits are exceeded. the Army is interested in seeing how industry Cyclic and collective controls also are electrihas adapted manned/unmanned teaming techcally linked so that they’re back driven to mimic nology for unmanned cargo re-supply. the motion of the cross-side controls. This fea“Successful expansion of this technology ture provides an immediate tactile indication to into Afghanistan and Iraq would help alleviate a crew member if the other pilot is making conthe high operational demand for Chinook and trol inputs. These smart sticks are currently used Black Hawk helicopters, which are forced to aboard the CH-60M. carry supplies when their greater priority is to Q-Sight and active-receptor, articulated concarry troops and other personnel,” Wall said. trol sticks are on display at the BAE Systems —Tamir Eshel Pavilion at the west end of Chalet A row. —Fred George 70 “Q-Sight is all about reducing mass on your helmet. It’s placed close to the eye, and there are no lens units or projector. It’s also going to be priced significantly south of any HMD out there.” —John Nix, vp, platform solutions, BAe Systems. Unmanned Helos for Combat Support An unmanned K-Max helicopter was recently flown by Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace to show the U.S. Army and Marine Corps how combat troops on the ground can benefit from pilotless flight. During the 45-minute demonstration at Fort Eustis, Virginia, the unmanned K-Max performed autonomous takeoff and landing, pick-up and delivery of a 3,000-lb sling load, and demonstrated how it can autonomously respond to evolving conditions and battlefield threats. The unmanned helicopter can perform precision maneuvers at the pick-up or drop zone, con- Unmanned helicopters may be used for supply. July 16, 2008 www.aviationweek.com/shownews http://www.aviationweek.com/shownews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008

Bombardier, Shenyang $5 Billion for Composites 787 and Seven V-22s for Export Sale? Saving Fuel at SFO Raytheon Roars Into UAVs Bell Eyes ARH-70A Costs All According to Plan We Fly the PC-12NG Russia’s T-50 PAK-FA Optimistic in Israel ICAO Sim Classifications Pratt to Power New Drone Russian Conglomerate

Farnborough 2008 Show News - July 16, 2008

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