Posted by John McHale
ARLINGTON, Va., 5 April. Logos Technologies, Inc. announced that it demonstrated its Light Weight Expeditionary Airborne Persistent Surveillance (LEAPS) system during the Operational Adaptation Developmental Test-02 in Swansboro, N.C. LEAPS development is funded by the Office of Naval Research to provide a light-weight, persistent-surveillance capability for the Navy and Marine Corps for small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The LEAPS system is based on persistent surveillance, a new approach to intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) that enables users to observe, record, and analyze activity over city sized areas. LEAPS is smaller and more capable than systems that have flown before.
"Current systems developed by Logos and other organizations weigh 500 pounds or more and are flown on a variety of manned aircraft," says Greg Poe, Logos president. "We began developing the LEAPS concept three years ago after realizing that payload size and weight significantly limit the applicability of this revolutionary new system concept. By reducing weight to less than 50 pounds, we are able to conduct persistent surveillance from many smaller UAVs that support our military forces. In addition, small, light-weight systems can be more easily integrated into multi-mission aircraft while not displacing other payloads. Miniaturization greatly expands the application space for persistent surveillance."
The LEAPS system that flew was the product of a 12-month rapid-reaction effort. LEAPS collected more than 20 hours of data over five sites, where it recorded exercise activities in both rural and densely populated areas. Both real-time and forensic exploitation was demonstrated with Logos software. Other airborne and ground-based sensors participated with LEAPS to demonstrate coordinated collection of airborne imagery and other forms of intelligence. Logos will continue to develop the LEAPS payload and other light-weight, persistent-surveillance systems.
