Flight interpreter for captive carry unmanned aircraft systems demonstration

An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) Captive Carry test system comprising:

• at least a UAS fuselage having a UAS flight control system capable of autonomous operation of a UAS;
• an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) with capability for a pilot on board the OPV having an OPV flight control system with an autopilot and a pilot override operable by the on board pilot, said OPV carrying the UAS fuselage and having flight characteristics capable of mimicking a flight profile of the UAS, and a flight control interpreter (FCI) receiving control parameters from the UAS flight control system, said FCI providing status commands to the OPV flight control system to replicate a UAS flight profile;
• and,
• an OPV ground monitor.

A method for testing of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in the national airspace (NAS) comprising:

• attaching at least a UAS fuselage having a UAS flight control system capable of autonomous operation of a UAS to an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) having an OPV flight control system with an autopilot and pilot override for a pilot on board the OPV and flight characteristics capable of mimicking a flight profile of the UAS;
• interconnecting the UAS flight control system to a flight control interpreter (FCI);
• interconnecting the FCI to the OPV flight control system;
• initiating a UAS flight profile;
• providing control parameters from the UAS flight control system to the FCI;
• interpreting the control parameters in the FCI;
• determining if the profile is complete and, if not, outputting status commands from the FCI to the OPV control system;
• determining if there is an override by the on board pilot;
• and,
• controlling the OPV based on the status commands.

A method of controlling an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) in national airspace comprising:

• attaching an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to an OPV having an autopilot, the capability for a pilot on board the OPV, and an override capability by the on board pilot;
• receiving control parameters for a flight profile with a UAS flight control system capable of autonomous operation of a UAS;
• and,
• directing the control parameters to a flight control interpreter (FCI);
• receiving status commands from the FCI in an OPV flight control system;
• replacing the UAS flight profile with the autopilot in the OPV.