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Meeting	ACGS Committee Meeting 96 - Hilton Head - October 2005
Agenda Location	9 SUBCOMMITTEE B - MISSILES AND SPACE VEHICLES 9.4 Recent Advances in Precision Airdrop from High Altitude
Title	Recent Advances in Precision Airdrop from High Altitude
Presenter	Phil Hattis
Affiliation	Draper Laboratory
Available Downloads*	presentation video
	Downloads are available to members who are logged in and either Active* or attended this meeting.
Abstract	The Precision Airdrop System (PADS), a laptop computer-based airdrop planning system, enables a crew on-board carrier aircraft to improve payload delivery precision for high altitude airdrops. It is also used for personnel airdrop mission planning. A core element of PADS is the Precision Airdrop Planning System (PAPS) that includes accurate models of an expanding set of airdrop systems. PAPS enables in-flight airdrop mission planning, including release point determination for ballistic parachute airdrop systems, as well as release envelopes and mission plans for guided airdrop systems. PAPS is integrated within PADS with the WindPADS wind field determination system to enable precision delivery by anticipating the descent trajectory behavior of airdrop systems in the vicinity of Drop Zones (DZs). PADS has graphical interfaces that have the look and feel of the Portable Flight Planning System which is already used by the Air Force on-board its aircraft. PADS acquires meteorological and DZ target data through a variety of aircraft communication links, and provides mission updates to guided airdrop systems shortly before their release. Using FalconView, PADS provides an interface to display release points/envelopes and failed payload expected impact footprints over maps or images of the terrain near the DZ. PADS currently accommodates a variety of 2,000-lb-class ballistic and guided airdrop systems released from C-130 and C-17 aircraft. The ballistic airdrop planning capability has undergone Operational Utility Evaluation (OUE) with both aircraft classes, and is already in limited field use. For airdrops from both 18,000 feet and 25,000 feet, the OUE demonstrated a Circular Error Probable of 260 m for C-130 drops and 308 m for C-17 drops. PADS support capability for guided airdrops is completing flight evaluation, in preparation for use in the field. In addition, PADS support capabilities for 10,000-30,000 lb-class airdrop systems is in development.