Use of RPAS for Fisheries Enforcement and Management in Wales Jeremy Howitt UK & Europe Campaign Manager www.qinetiq.com www.uas.qinetiq.com www.wwuavc.com

QinetiQ Unmanned Services Overview • Provides world-class defence, aerospace, and security service to 40+

countries

• Key supplier to UK MOD – over 1,000 active defence contracts

• Understands modern world challenges and the global nature of science, technology & engineering – customers trust us to work alongside them to ensure successful missions

• Supports the UK MOD in the evaluation of unmanned systems

Unmanned Services Mission Statement

• To make unmanned aviation work for both government and commercial customers by applying quality surveillance and intelligence technologies to provide safe, cost-effective operations

Wales RPAS Environment

• Managed via QinetiQ Unmanned Services programme office

• A unique environment within UK for development of RPAS capability

• 7100km2 of dedicated airspace over sea, plus further 1500km2 over land

• Full ATC and range instrumentation for both civil & military BVLOS operations

• Range volume includes Class A airspace

• Extension of environment to include Llanbedr airfield for larger RPAS

Wales UAS Environment (WUE)

Delivered through QinetiQ West Wales UAV Centre, ParcAberporth:

• Integrated overland, littoral and maritime operating environments;

• Outstanding T&E infrastructure and facilities;

• Expert technical and operational support;

Limited to small and medium / tactical sized operations due to:

• Airfield runway length;

• Airfield accommodation and hangarage;

Aberporth (EGFA)

52°06′53″N, 04°33′34″W Elevation AMSL 428ft (130m) Runway 08/26 4,143ft (1,263m)

Llanbedr (EGFD)

52°48′18″N, 04°07′38″W Elevation AMSL 80ft (24m) Runway 17/35 7,500ft (2,286m) Runway 05/23 4,328ft (1,319m)

Project Meredith

• A short study for Welsh Government to explore use of RPAS for support to fisheries enforcement & management

• Flight trial planned for May/June 2015

• Day and night flying within the existing segregated airspace immediately offshore from Llanbedr test centre

• Objectives:

Locate and ID fishing vessels

Determine intent – nets in water?

Show potential for future layered solution for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture

Llanbedr

Aberporth

Project Meredith (continued)

• Unmanned Systems Group F-330

• 3.3m wingspan, 21.5kg maximum take-off weight, 70kts maximum speed, up to 8 hours endurance

• Runway or catapult launched

• 10kg payload stabilised EO/IR, hyper-spectral and multi-spectral cameras

Project ASTRAEA

• Consortium of UK aerospace industry partners – Airbus, AOS, BAE Systems, Cobham, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce, Thales

• Aim = routine use of RPAS in all classes of airspace without need for restrictive or special conditions of operation

• QinetiQ goal = extend RPAS operations beyond boundary of the Wales test range into Class A-E airspace by 2017

• Will enable possible use of RPAS for fisheries enforcement & management out to 200nm exclusive economic zone

Project ASTRAEA (continued)

• Unmanned Systems Group F-720

• 7.2m wingspan, 250kg maximum take-off weight, 108kt maximum speed, up to 12 hours endurance

• 70kg payload EO/IR, AIS, SIGINT, SAR/GMTI, LIDAR, hyperspectral, comms relay, air droppable SAR pods, maritime surveillance radar

Summary

• Wales provides a unique environment within UK and Europe for development of RPAS capability

• Initial short study of use of RPAS for fisheries enforcement within 12nm territorial limit in 2015 – Project Meredith

• Extended airspace integration studies to allow use of RPAS for fisheries enforcement out to 200nm EEZ limit in 2016/17 – Project ASTRAEA

• QinetiQ and Welsh Government are keen to work with the European Commission to accelerate exploitation of this capability within Europe

QinetiQ Unmanned Services People Who Know How

Tel: +44 (0)1980 663 800 Email: uas@qinetiq.com www.uas.qinetiq.com

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