Unmanned vehicles are characterized to have command, control, and communication (C3) systems. Due to the nature of their different medium and nature of operations, unmanned vehicles possess distinctive architecture (Fillery & Stanton, 2011). The primary purpose of the C3 architectural design in unmanned ground systems (UGS) is to detect an obstacle, hence, making it safe and efficient while operating in its given domain.
In association, several design features have been embedded on the UGS to perform this function, and they include the light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor and the ground surveillance radar, for instance, the Google driverless car (Ted, 2011). Furthermore, cameras are integrated to help visualize the surroundings. Other UGS are connected to a ground command station (GCS) in which the UGS is controlled and collected information is accessed.
On the other hand, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) constitute high-performance communication datalinks for C3, which are facilitated by the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) or Line of Sight (LOS) controls. In BVLOS, the satellite links enable an operator to control the UAS from a location over the horizon. Therefore, such aircraft often have a GCS through which the ‘pilot’ uses a communication data link, remotely controls, and commands them (Jean, 2013). UAS can also be autonomously controlled. However, as a contingency measure for C3, in case the data link is lost, the autonomous aircraft relapses to a pre-programmed link to return to base or hover as it waits for link re-establishment.
In comparison, both the UGS and UAS can be controlled from a GCS through the transfer of communication data links. However, the UGS cannot utilize the BVLOS and LOS as the ground is covered by many obstacles, depending on the size of the UGS. Nevertheless, Lidar sensors in UGS technology work well for the UAS. This is because it can be integrated to identify and monitor objects underneath. The ground surveillance radar does not work well in the UAS as the constant vibrations might interfere with its ability to detect signals.
References
Fillery, N. P., & Stanton, D. (2011). Telemetry, command, data handling and processing. In P. Fortescue, G. Swinerd, & J. Stark (Eds.), Spacecraft systems engineering (pp. 439-466). Wiley.
Jean, K. (2013). First ever drone launch from sea; The US can now strike anywhere anytime. YouTube. Web.
Ted. (2011). Google’s driverless car | Sebastian Thrun. Web.