Benefits and Limitations

ACE system benefits compared to alternative approaches, as well as a list of limitations.

System Benefits

• Safety features to support (or eliminate) a skilled pilot

• Push-button launch and recovery from moving vehicles

• Suitable drones of all sizes and configurations

• Very low size, weight, and power on the aircraft

• Minimal installed hardware on the host vehicle or vessel. Only requires a passive (unpowered) landing target.

• No additional sensors required (e.g. rangefinders or other altimeters)

• No need for special calibrations. Set it once and it never needs changes.

• Works with tethered and free-flight systems

• Reliable, even in RF noisy and GPS-degraded environments.

• Jam resistant

• Spoof resistant

• Secure with encrypted software and no external connectivity

• No data interface or knowledge of host vehicle is required. Only requires free and clear space to launch and recover the aircraft.

• Compatible with terrain awareness system

• Compatible with object detection and tracking systems

• Portable to different computing hardware to future-proofing

• Easy to use WebUI for configuration

System Limitations

• Visibility required (10 meters)

• Illumination (visible or near infrared) is required for night operation or very heavy fog.

• GPS is required for some flight modes (but not landing, takeoff or tracking)

• Not compatible with all commercially available autopilots

• Operational envelope limited to approximately 50% of maximum aircraft performance (for example landing speed)