Navy  Testing  New  Drone  Helicopters  By  Martin  Holguin  April  11,  2014    The  Navy  is  now  planning  to  fly  drone  helicopters  from  a  tablet  application.  The  Pentagon  is  pushing  the  program  with  a  planned  five-­‐year  program  with  a  $100  million  budget  to  convert  existing  military  choppers  into  a  fleet  of  drones.  This  program  will  save  many  lives  as  it  allows  helicopters  to  go  into  dangerous  zones  with  valuable  cargo  while  unmanned.  The  project,  known  as  the  autonomous  Aerial  Cargo  and  Utility  System  (AACUS),  has  already  made  great  strides.  They  have  tested  the  system  on  three  different  types  of  helicopters  with  success.  The  Navy’s  chief  of  research,  Matthew  Klunder,  said  of  the  project  that  is  “truly  leap-­‐ahead  technology.”    The  Naval  Research  Laboratory  uploaded  a  video  to  YouTube  to  demonstrate  the  advances  they  have  made.  With  the  addition  of  a  100-­‐pund  sensor  and  software  package  they  can  change  multiple  types  of  helicopters  into  drones  that  can  be  operated  remotely  from  a  tablet  computer.  Next  to  the  video  the  Navy  states  that  this  technology,  “will  probide  the  US  Marine  Corps  with  the  ability  to  rapidly  support  forces  on  the  front  line,  as  an  alternative  to  convoys,  manned  aircraft  or  air  drops  in  all  weather  and  possibly  hostile  conditions,  with  minimal  training  required  by  the  requester.”    The  technology  has  already  be  used  successfully  on  full  sized  helicopters  with  men  an  women  operating  and  landing  the  aircrafts  from  a  tablet  device.  The  Pentagon’s  blog  states  that  “this  system  is  one  that  could  be  put  on  an  unmanned  drone,  or  it  could  be  put  on  a  manned  helicopter;  it  doesn’t  matter.  It’s  easily  installed,  easily  used  and  easily  learned.  Which  is  pretty  incredible.”  The  autonomy  of  the  system  across  many  different  aircrafts  will  streamline  training  and  allow  the  Navy  to  certify  people  more  readily,  meaning  they  save  money.  Additionally,  the  technology  will  save  many  lives  because  there  will  be  less  need  to  put  people  out  in  the  field,  in  harms  way.  Supplies  and  assistance  can  be  delivered  to  a  battlefield  without  employing  a  convoy  that  is  highly  susceptible  to  attack.  Even  more  exciting  is  that  this  project  is  moving  quickly  and  may  be  ready  to  implement  within  the  next  two  years.    Lt  Cmdr  Martin  Holguin  has  served  in  the  United  States  Navy  since  1999  aboard  five  U.S.  warships  in  positions  ranging  from  division  officer  to  commanding  officer.  He  also  served  with  the  Chief  of  Naval  Operations  Strategic  Studies  Group  as  a  Director  Fellow.  

Martin  is  currently  a  prospective  EMBA  candidate  at  the  University  of  Notre  Dame,  where  he  will  graduate  from  in  May.  For  fun  and  for  fitness,  Martin  enjoys  ocean  swimming  as  well  as  distance  running  along  the  coast.