An Airborne Control Unit provides the primary link between control information received from an operator in a Ground Control Station and the Flight Control Computer installed in the target vehicle. The Airborne Control Unit carefully checks the received command message for errors and proper addressing before passing the control information to the Flight Control Computer. In response to a properly received command message the Airborne Control Unit gathers performance information from the target vehicle and transmits that information to the Ground Control Station in the form of telemetry where it is displayed to the target vehicle operator.

Micro Systems, Inc offers a variety of Airborne Control Units with varying levels of integration and capabilities. These range from processing-only units (typically called a Signal Processor - Vehicle Interface or SPVI) with external radio frequency (RF) units to fully integrated units with RF transceivers and Global Positioning Receivers (GPS) commonly called Airborne Transponders.

 


Functions performed by the Airborne Control Units include:

  • Uplink command receipt and qualification (addressing and error checking)
  • Formatting and transfer of commands to the Flight Control Computer
  • Collection and transmission of vehicle performance telemetry to ground controller
  • Automatic functions in the event of command loss
    • Vehicle recovery
    • Preprogrammed maneuvers
  • Multiple units can share the same datalink for formation capabilities

Features include:

  • High reliability designs with rugged aluminum chassis
  • Input/Output signal protection
  • Wide power supply range: 22 - 32 VDC per MIL-STD-704
  • Environmental qualification per MIL-STD-810
  • Electromagnetic Interference qualification per MIL-STD-461
  • High performance embedded microcontrollers with internal fault detection
  • Built-in Maintenance features
    • Automatic or commanded self test
    • Unit software reprogramming from front panel
    • Unit programmable circuitry updates from front panel
    • Modular, expandable design