92 Focus | Connectors leave the connectors and cables as the last items to be considered, so the potential for mismatches and incompatibilities is high). As some connector suppliers look beyond mere connectors and towards utilising their understanding of connectivity, certain security and defence markets are now being supplied with smart hubs or switches, which serve as wearable devices that can connect people’s power banks, handheld GCSs, radios, smartphones and even heart-rate trackers or emergency alert buttons for dangerous missions. Such solutions require copious use of ruggedised and hybrid connectors to minimise the number of cables and the risk of accidental unmatings, as well as r&d in network and software engineering, such that advanced AI processes can start accounting for potential harm to connected systems or personnel. Cable integration As part of the push to provide better, holistic solutions to customers, some connector suppliers are making the jump to providing complete cable assemblies. This means saving the end integrator having to find the right cable, ensure any necessary twisting, shielding or other layout specifics to suit the connector and application, perform any testing or qualification of the assembly design, or successfully strip, crimp and solder cables to connectors in a consistent, quality-controlled manner. Going from supplying boxes of connectors to batches of complete cable assemblies is more challenging than it sounds. While connectors are largely supplied as COTS, non-customised components, going into cable assemblies opens up a world of customisation, requiring specifics on length, how pairs are twisted, jacket materials, the need for splicing or breakouts, and other parameters. In some cases, a customer will need one company’s connector on one end of the cable and an entirely different company’s connector on the other in order to connect two different subsystems, requiring considerable engineering expertise. To pick the right cable (and supplier), a connector manufacturer must know the end-user’s desired data protocol, power throughput, voltage and environmental requirements; the latter including requirements on flexibility, and resistance to flame, chemicals, shear stress, temperature and other hazards. Gathering and understanding all the necessary information can be challenging if contact between the connector supplier and vehicle OEM is limited to sales and procurement conversations. As with many subsystems, the best way to define comprehensive technical requirements and challenges is through engineerto-engineer discussions, by which a connector designer and a UAV chief engineer, for instance, can methodically explore solutions from either perspective. Fluid connectors Just as different industry movements are driving innovations in power and signal connectivity, the proliferation of advanced UAV powertrains, including internal combustion, hybrid and electric engines, is spurring new approaches in fluid connectors or couplings for delivering fuel, oil and coolant. Here, one can find a wide range of locking approaches. These include pushpull connectors, which, much like their electrical equivalents, push concentrically together to mate until a latching February/March 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Providing solutions with precise ruggedisation, hybridisation, and cable options are vital for meeting today’s connector requirements (Image courtesy of Nicomatic)
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