It's called the Integrator for a reason

The entire design concept of Integrator was based on enabling options. To that end, the options listed below represent only a portion of what makes Integrator the most versatile unmanned aircraft system in its class. Of course, we're not stopping: The Integrator team, Insitu’s payload directorate, the design engineers across the company and our trusted partners will continue to update and add to the already long list of operational capabilities. For additional details, see our Payloads and Imagers pages.

Integrator's capabilities can be extended with:

Automatic Identification System

Create over-the-horizon-maritime domain awareness with the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data relay option for Insitu’s UAS, which effectively extends the eyes of a ship beyond the horizon.

AIS allows maritime authorities to track and monitor vessel movements. The International Maritime Organization requires AIS to be fitted aboard international voyaging ships with gross weight of 300 tons or more and all passenger ships. Relaying AIS data via an aerial asset effectively extends the eyes of the ship beyond the horizon. Introduced in 2008 on Integrator’s sibling, ScanEagle®, the AIS payload enables receipt of AIS data. The unmanned aircraft then relays that data back to the controlling vessel.

Perhaps the most important reason to use AIS is that it lets you detect threats hours away. People see approximately seven miles to the horizon. Integrator aircraft can extend that exponentially: Standard command and control packages allow Integrator to fly more than 55 miles from a vessel. AIS relay range is approximately 80 miles from the aircraft, giving you a 135-mile radius for threat identification. And that gives you some time to make the smartest choices about how to respond.

You can receive data on your onboard geographic information system (GIS) automatically. The AIS is compliant with GIS mapping packages that interpret AIS data, such as TransView (TV32) and Nobletek, among others. We also provide a feed that allows the display of airborne receiver AIS data. And, if the ship is so equipped, users can configure their GIS to automatically receive AIS data from the ground control station. 

You can also choose to distribute data to networked assets. The video analyst can send AIS data to any networked workstation or server. Insitu aircraft equipped with the AIS data relay option receive and provide to the controlling vessel the following data:

• Maritime mobile service identity number
• Navigation status
• Rate of turn
• Speed over ground
• Longitude
• Latitude
• Position accuracy

Comms relay

Insitu UAS can be based on land or offshore to create an ad-hoc communications network. We have integrated multiple customer-requested radios into Integrator. Communications relay isn’t just for the battlefield — it is also vital for disaster response. Whether it’s a fire, a hurricane, a flood or some other disaster, Integrator can provide the ISR capability with the communications relay capability. Ground troops, disaster response personnel and whoever else you support can use the right asset for changing missions.

Examples of communications relay payloads that Insitu has integrated onto our systems:

• Enhanced position and location reporting system 
• Single-channel ground-to-air radio system 
• Iridium satellite communications
• Multi-band inter/intra team radio 

Heavy fuel engine

Integrator uses an engine that combines the best of lessons learned in-theater with the ScanEagle unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Insitu was the first to introduce a heavy fuel engine to the small, tactical class of UAS. Since naval vessels and military aviation typically implement only this less-flammable, diesel-type fuel, maintaining operations for gasoline-fueled aircraft is challenging. The heavy fuel capability improves shipboard safety and minimizes logistics concerns.

The Insitu electronic fuel-injection heavy fuel engine (EFI-HFE) has an additional benefit: endurance. It has provided endurance improvements over previous-generation gasoline-powered engines. That means Integrator customers can get the same maximal endurance, in excess of 20 hours, that they have come to rely on from ScanEagle operations.

Insitu’s successful 2010 first flight of our EFI-HFE-configured UAS was a technological leap in engine performance, particularly in extreme temperatures and at high altitudes, and delivered on our promise to continue to learn, refine and improve to deliver for our customers.

Benefits:

• Enhance safety
• Simplify battlefield logistics
• Use diesel-based fuel (JP-5, JP-8, others)
• Improve extreme-temperature, high-altitude operations (EFI option)
• Increase endurance