Unmanned Systems Technology 012 | AutoNaut USV | Connectors | Unmanned Ground Vehicles | Cobra Aero A33i | Intel Falcon 8+ UAV | Propellers | CES Show report

32 C onnectors are a small but key element in the design and implementation of any unmanned system. They are used throughout the system, for purposes ranging from connecting to sensor and control boards to allowing for the easy dismantling of an aerial or underwater system, say. Reliability is a key consideration for an autonomous design. With no human control, the system has to be reliable enough to complete a mission and return to base, and connectors are one area that can be prone to failure. Those with regular connection-disconnection cycles naturally have a higher failure rate, and the testing of those cycles is a key element in the cost of a connector system. Many industrial connector systems are designed to military and aerospace specifications but are not tested as extensively in order to reduce the final cost. For the physical wiring, unmanned system designers tend to use a basic range from a mainstream distributor. That however can lead to connector failures and problems with installing the wiring harness, which can cause a UAV to fail in the middle of a mission, potentially How do unmanned systems designers choose their connectors? Nick Flaherty reviews the options Plug and play February/March 2017 | Unmanned Systems Technology Available in three pitches – 0.80, 1.27 and 2.00 mm – micro rugged interconnects with the Tiger Eye contact system are used for high-reliability and high-cycle applications (Courtesy of Samtec)