Dynetics Wins Gremlins C-130 Launched & Recovered UAV Contract From DARPA

Devils is the word you are after...a reply to: RadioRobert

They used a civilian C-130 for the July tests. It's been flying around my area lately, and is based not far from where I am. The company that operates it offers civilian C-130 services to whoever needs them.

originally posted by: Silentvulcan
Devils is the word you are after...a reply to: RadioRobert

Thank you haha

originally posted by: Zaphod58
They used a civilian C-130 for the July tests. It's been flying around my area lately, and is based not far from where I am. The company that operates it offers civilian C-130 services to whoever needs them.

When I lived in Palo Alto, CA years ago, the C-130's flew into SFO or San Jose from time to time. Actually more often than you'd think.

And the stuff you'd sometimes get a glimpse of at NASA's Moffet field were extraordinary. I used to ride my motorcycle to Moffet all the time. It was a nice ride and such a cool place to visit!

I wIsh they has something like that near me in northern NJ.

I'm ready when they are...

So what does this drone bring to the table that isn't already there with other beyond line of sight platforms that are growing in numbers? A C-130 seems like a rather big and expensive launch and recovery platform that also adds a lot more complexity to it all in what customers are demanding smaller simpler low foot print systems.

a reply to: Xtrozero

The C-130 is simply one platform that will be able to drop or recover them. And there's a huge benefit. You can have a smaller platform, it doesn't need as much fuel, etc.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
The C-130 is simply one platform that will be able to drop or recover them. And there's a huge benefit. You can have a smaller platform, it doesn't need as much fuel, etc.

I been in the drone business for the last 12 years and unless there is some specific purpose for this type of platform it really doesn't make much sense to me. Once deployed how long can it fly? We can fly for 15 hours on a few gallons of fuel as example and have BLOS capabilities of 300 plus miles on the smaller platforms. I guess a C-130 can fly off the coast of China from Yokota and drop some out...then what lol. Maybe it would work better in Africa type environment, but I can't say this system could do anything as good or better than the RQ models or even something like a pred can do just as good, and most likely cheaper adding in the operational cost of the C-130.

As far as fuel etc that C-130 is not cheap to run and would be the most expensive launch /recovery system ever used, so what are the gains in the end?

a reply to: Xtrozero

You're locked in on the C-130 being the only platform that's going to use it and only focusing on that. There are a number of platforms that will be able to use them, from the C-130 to the B-52, to even TacAir platforms releasing a couple from each aircraft. The C-130 is the test platform and the one being focused on, because they're so common. They were even able to use a civilian aircraft for the July tests.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Xtrozero

You're locked in on the C-130 being the only platform that's going to use it and only focusing on that. There are a number of platforms that will be able to use them, from the C-130 to the B-52, to even TacAir platforms releasing a couple from each aircraft. The C-130 is the test platform and the one being focused on, because they're so common. They were even able to use a civilian aircraft for the July tests.

I'm looking more at the foot print to operate and why would you need those launch platforms anyways. I'm sure there might be some scenarios out there but I do not see it as a common use type of drone. People want smaller footprints, smaller drones, better payloads, longer range and longer time... This has been a consistent request across all military branches and countries. For that type of platform to be successful it better bring something fantastic to the table that no other drone can do...just saying...

a reply to: Xtrozero

You don't see why a B-52, or TacAir platforms being able to launch small drones that can swarm and attack targets would be useful as hell? Something that is going to be flexible, give them the opportunity to stay out of range, not tie up assets that could be used elsewhere or might not be available, are cheap...

Ok, sure. Let's just kill it and only go with big projects that cost more.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Xtrozero

You don't see why a B-52, or TacAir platforms being able to launch small drones that can swarm and attack targets would be useful as hell? Something that is going to be flexible, give them the opportunity to stay out of range, not tie up assets that could be used elsewhere or might not be available, are cheap...

Ok, sure. Let's just kill it and only go with big projects that cost more.

We normally call them guided missiles or bombs...lol So yes launch something that has drone type capabilities, but being basically a bomb and not coming back and I'm OK with it, but with a surveillance style launch and recovery type drone, or one that is like a pred with on board weapons, but itself is not one I don't see it being better.

Or better yet 1000s off micro drones dropped that fly to places and gather intelligence until they die.

a reply to: Xtrozero

Ok. Whatever you say. There's zero value in this program and they're stupid to try it. Sure.

originally posted by: Zaphod58


Ok. Whatever you say. There's zero value in this program and they're stupid to try it. Sure.

That is not what I said and you know it...lol

a reply to: Xtrozero

No, but it's far more useful than you're trying to say it is. And will be valuable to the people using them.

originally posted by: Zaphod58

No, but it's far more useful than you're trying to say it is. And will be valuable to the people using them.

We will see... I'm pretty deep in the community..

I could see a drone mother ship that drops drones that would be close to quad copters or VTOL styles that tend to have time and range limitations that a localized drone ship/blimp could increase a good deal.

These drones look like missiles and speed is not always your friend in recon and other types of payloads.

Russia: Me too! Me too!

www.ruaviation.com...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Xtrozero

You're locked in on the C-130 being the only platform that's going to use it and only focusing on that. There are a number of platforms that will be able to use them, from the C-130 to the B-52, to even TacAir platforms releasing a couple from each aircraft. The C-130 is the test platform and the one being focused on, because they're so common. They were even able to use a civilian aircraft for the July tests.

So would it be safe to say that these tactical aircraft will not be configured to pick them up again? Just able to deploy them as attritable loitering munitions? If they are not able to find targets for some other reason, are they going to return to a separate mother shipped equipped to pick them up?

a reply to: Rider

They can return to a mothership, such as the C-130. The B-52s and large bombers could, in theory at least, be configured to recover them. Or they can simply be crashed into targets of opportunity, or allowed to crash. The point of them is to have a low cost unmanned force multiplier, so losing them isn't going to be a big blow in terms of cost.