Controlling your Drone

In order to enhance and optimize the use of unmanned systems it is important to utilize a  reliable ground control system. A system that sports a variety of useful features for the control of  unmanned aerial systems is the INEXA Ground Control System (GCS). The Inexa GCS is an advanced ground control station that allows unmanned aircraft operators to control multiple unmanned aircraft while  complying with Federal Aviation Regulations (FAA). Through multiple tests the system has demonstrated to be a safe, reliable, and secure tool in the control of unmanned aerial systems.

Among its many features, INEXA has an intuitive design giving the operator the ability to control the system and its payload with a simple drag and drop; the enterprise data integration systems gives operators additional situational awareness tools that include aviation weather services, and other useful third party products. The augmented video overlays the system’s video with real time terrain elevation , geographic information system, and satellite imagery. The advanced built-in camera control system allows the operator to slew the sensors without the use  of manual control. Finally, the open-architecture design was designed to support plug-ins as well  as additional features that allows users to enhance mission capabilities and customization.

Along its amazing features, every INEXA control system include; a mission planning function; an integrated simulation system useful for training and demos; a route editor; a mission execution function; a flight management console; and an alert management system which monitors diagnostics and provides visual and audible alerts if issues arise. The INEXA control system is designed and developed by Insitu. Insitu offers a $60 annual subscription which covers maintenance and software updates. Insitu also offers a $60 Arducopter plug-in.

Insitu is currently developing other features which will be soon be commercially available  to those INEXA users. Among its new features are a search plug-in that will allow operators to plan and execute wide area searches by using recognized search patterns; an RF link analysis plug-in will help operators identify areas where terrain or other obstructions could interfere with the transmission of information or the control of the aircraft. A third and final product currently under development is the airspace management plug-in which will alert operators of potential airspace violations and recognize airspace areas to avoid.

There are other optional advanced features which make INEXA a very versatile product. Its optional advanced features include; multiple vehicle control which allows the system to control multiple platforms from a single INEXA; multi-video control is able to display multiple streaming video feeds, STANAG 4609, a NATO standardization agreement, for STANAG and MISB compliant video; NITF Snapshot that allows operators to create video snapshots in NITF format, and laser range finder support.

The wide range of features of the INEXA control system makes it an ideal tool for the operation of small unmanned aerial systems. INEXA is simple to operate and it does not demand  a long list of requirements.

INEXA control minimum requirements:

Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate (64-bit), Service Pack 1

Processor: Quad Core, 2.2 Ghz, 6MB Cache

Memory: 4 Gb DDR3 1600 Mhz
Graphics Card: 1 Gb GDDR5 Dedicated Memory, DirectX 11.0, Shader 5.0 Gaming Card
Display Resolution: 1280 x 1024 at 96 DPI

Online Map Service: Broadband Internet Connection separate from vehicle specific

communication hardware requirements

Offline Map Service: ESRI ArcMap 10.1

The INEXA control is a great system and its developers seem to be constantly looking for  

ways to improve it.I did not find many drawbacks. The system is able to carry out multiple

functions and it offers a lot of great features. INEXA, however, only supports windows based PC.  

A recommendation for this system is to extend its use to smartphones and tablets or at least

android and IOS devices which are the most popular on the market. INEXA also only supports

Quadcopters; therefore, a second recommendation is to extend its use to drones with more than  

four rotors siven than the small UAS market is continually growing and adding all types of

complex designs.

References

Insitu. (n.d.). INEXA control: Part of the INEXA professional unmanned platform. Retrieved from

https://insitu.com/information-delivery/command-and-control/inexa-control

sUAS news. (2016, November 4). INEXA control subscription. Retrieved from

https://www.suasnews.com/2016/11/inexa-control-subscription/