Today, Unmanned Vehicles — robotic vehicles capable of operating in a variety of environments and functioning in place of humans are being used for a variety of commercial and military purposes. The term Unmanned Vehicles can refer to - Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV). These UVs are performing vast variety of tasks described in the following sections.
Wireless Link – The Lifeline of Unmanned Vehicles
For all Unmanned Vehicles, the wireless links are a lifeline to carry command, control and data information. It is desirable to have high capacity, long range downstream link for transporting the sensory data to the control center. The new Doodle Labs PrismTM line of radios provide the high thrughput IP connectivity that enables new capabilities by streaming HD video, audio and sendory data. These new capabilites promise the unrestrained maneuverability required by law enforcement, military and security operators in the most challenging environments, foregoing the inconvenience of cables to keep danger at a distance.
Doodle Labs offers an extensive line of best-in-class embedded OFDM radio transceivers that operate within the 200 MHz to 6 GHz frequency range and span applications in many industry verticals. They feature the state-of-the-art, spectrum-efficient OFDM technology for Near Line of Sight (NrLOS) operation and high data throughput. In addition, our transceivers employ the Doodle Labs' proprietary (patent pending) PrismTM technology to achieve the industry’s best RF characteristics in terms of interference immunity, Tx power, Rx sensitivity and data throughput. The PrismTM radios are small and lightweight. They consume low power and they are designed to operate in the most demanding environments.
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs)
UGVs go places where humans cannot. Predominantly these vehicle are used to replace humans in hazardous situations. Examples are explosives and bomb disabling vehicles. Military, EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), HazMat (Hazardous Materials), SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics), law enforcement agencies and other first responders worldwide rely on remote controlled security robots to help assure a safe, successful outcome for their most challenging missions. UGVs are also being developed for peacekeeping operations, ground surveillance, gatekeeper/checkpoint operations, urban street presence, and to enhance police and military raids in urban settings. UGVs can "draw first fire" from insurgents - reducing military and police casualties.
Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV)
The USVs operate on the surface of the water without a crew. USVs are valuable in oceanography, as they are more capable than moored or drifting weather buoys, but far cheaper than the equivalent weather ships and research vessels, and more flexible than commercial-ship contributions. Many Navy’s around the world are using USVs today. They are reliable, fast, highly maneuverable, allowing them to conduct a wide range of missions, including patrols of the coast, without endangering navy personnel.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
A UAV, commonly known as a drone comes in many shapes, sizes, configurations, and characteristics. UAVs perform a wide variety of functions. The majority of these functions are some form of remote sensing. Their largest use to-date has been in military applications. However, UAVs are now also used in a fast growing number of civil applications. Commercial aerial surveillance of large areas is made possible with low cost UAV systems. Surveillance applications include - livestock monitoring, wildfire mapping, pipeline monitoring and security, home security, road patrol and anti-piracy. The trend for use of UAV technology in commercial aerial surveillance is expanding rapidly.
Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV)
A UCAV or combat drone is designed to deliver weapons (attack targets) without an onboard pilot. The elimination of the need for an onboard human crew in a combat aircraft that may be shot down over enemy territory has obvious advantages for personnel safety. In addition, much equipment necessary for a human pilot (such as the cockpit, flight controls, oxygen and ejection seat) can be omitted from an unmanned vehicle, resulting in a decrease in weight possibly allowing greater payloads, range and maneuverability.
In summary, the PrismTM line of radios have redefined the bounds of wireless communication and control for hazardous duty robots. The PrismTM radio performance is unmatched when operating deep within urban, concrete and steel structures in non-line-of-sight operations.
