Unmanned Systems Technology 017 | AAC HAMR UAV | Autopilots | Airborne surveillance | Primoco 500 two-stroke | Faro ScanBot UGV | Transponders | Intergeo, CUAV Expo and CUAV Show reports

81 Transponders | Focus More recently, the Indian government published its draft UAV rules for any aircraft flying more than 200 ft above the ground, stating that either SSR equipment or ADS-B Out must be fitted, regardless of a UAV’s size, weight or power. Given ADS-B’s impending worldwide prevalence, the format can realistically be expected to become a global standard for UAV transponder devices. Summary The case for certification requirements is unarguable. Having a distinct set of rules on which everyone agrees, and the technology to detect and track unmanned systems, will minimise the chances of unforeseen accidents in the air – and, by extension, on the ground. That has held true for civil aviation and military aircraft for decades, and along with the growth in use of ADS-B and Mode S Extended Squitter, the technology and rules for UAVs are likely to follow a similar evolution – albeit with marked improvements in SWaP, integration, GNSS accountability and power flexibility to account for constraints unique to unmanned systems. It is worth noting, however, that the uptake of modern transponder technology in UAVs is already picking up speed, despite the lack of any official requirement. Having Mode S and ADS-B on a UAV gives the assurance that it will operate safely in its mission environment, broadcasting its location to other aircraft and avoiding potential safety issues. While certification will be crucial in the future, transponder functionality provides for airspace safety whether or not it is required. Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Jim Davis and Tom Furey of Sagetech, Christian Ramsey of uAvionix and Olivia MacFarlane and Jon Roper of Trig Avionics for their help with researching this article. Unmanned Systems Technology | December/January 2018 AUSTRALIA Microair Avionics +61 7 41553048 www.microair.com.au ITALY Leonardo +39 063 24731 www.leonardocompany.com SPAIN Indra +34 914 805 000 www.indracompany.com UK Trig Avionics +44 (0)131 449 8810 www.trig-avionics.com USA Avidyne +1 781 402 7400 www.avidyne.com BAE Systems - www.baesystems.com Harris Corporation +1 321 727 9100 www.harris.com Honeywell +1 602 365 3099 aerospace.honeywell.com L-3 Aviation +1 855 532 7746 www.l3aviationproducts.com Micro Systems +1 850 244 2332 www.kratos-msi.com NextGen UAS Transponders - www.nextgenuastransponders.com Northrop Grumman +1 847 259 9600 www.northropgrumman.com Raytheon +1 781 522 3000 www.raytheon.com Rockwell Collins +1 319 295 1000 www.rockwellcollins.com Sagetech +1 509 493 2185 www.sagetechcorp.com Sandia Aerospace +1 505 341 2930 www.sandia.aero Sierra Nevada Corporation +1 775 331 0222 www.sncorp.com Thales +1 240 864 7000 www.thalesdsi.com uAvionix +1 844 827 2372 www.uavionix.com Urban Canyon +1 206 372 9032 www.ucflight.com Examples of transponder manufacturers and suppliers