Tactical engagement simulation (TES) ground-based air defense platform

A method of operating an aerial vehicle within a Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES) environment, the method comprising:

• obtaining, at the aerial vehicle, data from a GNSS receiver of the aerial vehicle;
• obtaining, at the aerial vehicle, data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the aerial vehicle;
• obtaining, at the aerial vehicle, data from one or more components of a payload carried by the aerial vehicle;
• and
• wirelessly sending simulation information, via a wireless communication interface of the aerial vehicle, to a computer server communicatively coupled with the TES environment, wherein:
• the simulation information includes engagement information comprising:
• an indication of a simulated engagement by the aerial vehicle with an entity within the TES environment,
• an indication of a simulated engagement by an entity within the TES environment with the aerial vehicle, or
• both;
• and
• the simulation information is based on:
• the data from the one or more components of the payload,
• the data from the GNSS receiver, and
• the data from the IMU.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for operating an aerial vehicle within a Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES) environment, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more processing units of the aerial vehicle, cause the one or more processing units to:

• obtain, at the aerial vehicle, data from a GNSS receiver of the aerial vehicle;
• obtain, at the aerial vehicle, data from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) of the aerial vehicle;
• obtain, at the aerial vehicle, data from one or more components of a payload carried by the aerial vehicle;
• and
• wirelessly send simulation information, via a wireless communication interface of the aerial vehicle, to a computer server communicatively coupled with the TES environment, wherein:
• the simulation information includes engagement information comprising:
• an indication of a simulated engagement by the aerial vehicle with an entity within the TES environment,
• an indication of a simulated engagement by an entity within the TES environment with the aerial vehicle, or
• both;
• and
• the simulation information is based on:
• the data from the one or more components of the payload,
• the data from the GNSS receiver, and
• the data from the IMU.