Too many robots
In 2003, the U.S. forces invaded Iraq with fewer than 200 unmanned systems. Within 5 years, this number had climbed to over 18,000. Many subsystems, especially Operator Control Units (OCUs), were vendor-specific, proprietary, and custom-built for each robot.
Too many OCUs
At least 42 separate OCUs are currently in deployment. The vast majority controls only a single asset type and cannot be modified to control others. This is especially frustrating since single-operator command and control of multiple-robot systems is necessary for force multiplication.
Too many problems
In addition to increasing cost of ownership and complicating training, the "stove-pipe" engineering of dedicated OCUs poses other problems. If an Unmanned Ground Vehicle's (UGV) mission is changed, the entire OCU may need to be replaced, a clumsy and burdensome process that challenges logistical support and hampers mission flexibility.
The goal
To increase interoperability and integration, the Department of Defense has set a goal to develop a Common Operator Control Unit (COCU), i.e. a single configurable subsystem that can control heterogeneous sets of robots in varying mission scenarios. 2012 is the target date.
Common Control, Here and Now
Drawing on our unique experience as the only developer to supply OCUs for multiple deployed unmanned systems, we created a workable patent-pending modular solution.
While not a true COCU, it represents a dramatic increase in interoperability capability.
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