ORIGAMI, an innovative design for the helicopters’ winglets
Specifically conceived for helicopter tailplane aerodynamic tips, it improves performance and stability at both high and low speeds.
CATEGORY: Product
Project title: An Innovative Helicopter Tailplane Design: the “ORIGAMI” concept
BUSINESS Area: Helicopters
Description
The ORIGAMI concept is an innovative design of the helicopter tailplane aerodynamic tips and its name has been inspired by their 3D folded shape. It is aimed to improve both high and low speed helicopter performance and has been conceived as a retrofit kit aimed to replace the conventional tips while preserving the tailplane main body. After the integrated design phase and the flight test verification, the ORIGAMI design has become part of the AW169 configuration and has received EASA certification. It is also protected by an international patent application.
INNOVATION
The driver was the improvement of the high speed stability of the aircraft with care also to the low speed regime due to the interactional phenomena. The design focus was onto the main player, the horizontal tailplane, and in particular on its outermost sections: the winglets. Their design is a cluster of optimized aerodynamic features allowing to move towards an efficient aerodynamic design and an easier retrofit solution. This is a key design point for the concept applicability also on other helicopter variants avoiding a complete tailplane redesign.
TEAM
Stefano Melone (Leader) – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Luca Medici – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Riccardo Bianco Mengotti – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Alessandro Scandroglio – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Gabriele Giuseppe Campanardi – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
James Simon Barber – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Pierantonio Andreoli – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa
Marco Bordin – Bresso Wind Tunnel operator
Federico Del Grande – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Stefano D’Agosto – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Raffaele Marmo – Aerospace engineer – Cascina Costa (VA)
Where did the project take place?
The project was developed at Leonardo Helicopters’ Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA) site (2,400 employees, 1339* suppliers and 16,918* people in related industries). The production site is active in gearbox development and production, avionic Integration and experimental flight line.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
The ORIGAMI design has been made possible thanks to the LHD ASI dept. initiative but also thanks to the strong support from other LHD depts. and external suppliers (Dallara Compositi). This demonstrates that, if strong synergies and investments are put in place in design and experimentation, challenging goals can be made possible.
*figure calculated on regional basis
Designed for helicopter winglets, the Model Based System Engineer (MBSE) implements complex simulations, innovating the approach to aeronautical design
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Model Based System Engineer (MBSE) - Winglet certification through complex simulation without performing tests.
BUSINESS AREA: Aircarft
DESCRIPTION
The proposal seeks to use Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) techniques to validate the C-27J aircraft's winglet configuration and architecture, allowing for its certification 'by simulation' without verification testing. The structure of the winglet installed on a C-27J aircraft was validated following a bird strike, meeting requirement CS 25.631 Amdt 24 and CRI C-03 Issue 8 and responding to the requests received from the authority (EASA) to obtain the certification.
INNOVATION
The proposal is an advanced scientific application of a future method for industrial applications. It changes the approach to aircraft design, as from an early stage, the designer defines the entire scope of possible solutions, exploiting company data and know-how from previously completed projects. Extensive use of MBSE minimises the risks of unfeasibility, and the method provides rapid answers without waiting for testing activities.
TEAM
Gaetano Esposito (Leader) – Aeronautical Engineer – Pomigliano d’Arco (NA)
Salvatore Russo – Aeronautical Engineer – Pomigliano d’Arco (NA)
Where did the project take place?
The project took place in the Aircraft division at the Pomigliano d’Arco site (2,700 employees, 314* suppliers and 8,564* people working in related industries). This production site specialises in the design, metal bonding and assembly of primary aerostructures and fuselages, complete with systems.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
Its industrial significance is substantial in terms of cost savings in manufacturing prototypes and verification tests with improved social impact due to the drastic reduction in equipment and waste materials. Its application to other areas offers the possibility to speed up Leonardo’s digital transformation.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
The Geo-Information Centre can collect, process and distribute information on extreme flooding phenomena all over the world in a matter of minutes. A warning permits real-time response to danger.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: St Lucia GIC: Early Warning System for predicting and managing the consequences of extreme meteorological events
BUSINESS AREA: e-GEOS
DESCRIPTION
The Geo-Information Centre is a forecasting model that uses information from weather forecasts, data from weather stations and radar to estimate rainfall, and an AI-based surrogate model that maps the areas at greatest risk of flooding. It also permits generation of alerts and requests for satellite images to support deployment of human and economic resources by the local civil guard.
INNOVATION
The system is innovative in a number of ways. First of all, it may be considered a global tool, in that it can be used to predict extreme flooding anywhere in the world. Secondly, with only a few minutes of processing time, it provides information for nowcasting extreme weather events, going well beyond the limitations of the traditional techniques currently used to model flooding. Lastly, it can ingest and process data from a variety of sources.
TEAM
Paolo Berardone (leader) - Engineer – e-GEOS (Matera)
Paola Darma Maria Nicolosi - Geologist – e-GEOS (Scanzano, MT)
Daniele Pellegrino - Physicist – e-GEOS(Rome)
Vincenzo Scotti - Engineer – e-GEOS (Rome)
Dino Quattrociocchi - Engineer – e-GEOS (Rome)
Carlo Morucci - Biologist – e-GEOS (Rome)
Mauro Di Donna - Engineer – e-GEOS (Rome)
Domenico Grandoni - Engineer – e-GEOS (Rome)
Where did the project take place?
The project was developed in the e-GEOS offices of Roma, Matera and Scansano.
The e-Geos Roma site (173 employees, 807 suppliers*, 11,257 people working in related industries*) provides earth observation services, products and applications.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
The GIC’s extreme configurability, modularity, integrability and speed of processing make it an innovative, global industrial product that is potentially of interest to all countries subject to extreme weather events, as well as to insurance groups, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.
The security of event communications was ensured by a Hybrid Multi-Carrier Network made available to police forces and by the inter-force operations room.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Hybrid Multi-Carrier Network Solution for Secure Communications during the 2021 World Ski Championships in Cortina
BUSINESS AREA: Cyber & Security
DESCRIPTION
For the 2021 World Ski Championships in Cortina, the Team designed and set up a dedicated, mission-critical Professional Communication Network for the police forces and an Inter-force Operations Room for coordination of security work. The solution is based on a Hybrid Multi-Carrier Network, one of the pillars of the Strategic Plan of the Cyber & Security Solutions Division for the evolution of Secure Communications towards broadband, capable of integrating narrowband (TETRA and analogue) and broadband (4G/LTE) radio communications networks.
INNOVATION
This is the only solution in the world capable of integrating the networks and user databases of narrowband (analogue/TETRA) and broadband (4G/LTE) voice and data communications technologies. The network can successfully be deployed in real mission-critical operating scenarios and is capable of supporting Operational Services with highly heterogeneous requirements (voice, chat, data, video, localisation). It is an innovative aid for emergency services, law and order, highway police, traffic monitoring, escorts, criminal laboratory departments, mobile video surveillance and special forces.
TEAM
Marco Cecchi (Leader) – Offer&System Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Giovanni Borghero – Product&System Engineer – Genoa
Sergio Galizia – Radio Planning Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Fabio Gloter - Demonstration Manager – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Roberto Maccioni – Production & Customer Service – Cagliari
Carla Miccinesi – Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Gabriele Pierozzi – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Marco Ravasio – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Riccardo Riccitelli – Project Engineer – Roma Laurentina
Roberta Rossetti – Head of Software Development – Abbadia San Salvatore (SI)
Serena Sabatini – Engineer – Abbadia San Salvatore (SI)
Where did the project take place?
The project was developed through a collaboration involving several sites of the Cyber & Security Solutions Division: Genoa, Campi Bisenzio, Cagliari, Rome Laurentina and Abbadia San Salvatore. The Campi Bisenzio site near Florence (more than 900 employees, 311 suppliers*, 4,398 people* working in related industries), which is home to Leonardo’s Electronics and Cyber & Security Solutions Divisions and specialises in mechanical and optical work, design and production of electro-optical systems for military and space applications, professional radio communication systems (TETRA, Wi-Fi, GSM-R), radar seekers and sensors.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
The success of such a project, involved in an international event with over 500 million television viewers and 5 million views on the social networks and in the press, brought benefits for the promotion and image of the company, translating into business opportunities such as a new contract to provide a solution for the Economic G20 in Venice or an important position for the Olympics to be held in Milan and Cortina in 2026.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
AWHERO, designed for rotary-wing remotely piloted aircraft in the tactical 150-600 kg class, improves operational capabilities and meets airworthiness requirements.
Cathegory: Product
Project name: AWHERO, the world's first certified Uncrewed System in its category
Business area: Helicopters
Description
AWHERO is the first rotary wing remotely piloted aircraft in the world to be certified in the 150-600 kg tactical class. The product was developed in close collaboration with the Italian Navy through the joint participation in research and development programs in the European and National context (e.g. OCEAN2020 and PNRM). In particular, the OCEAN 2020 program ended with the full success of the exercise carried out in the Gulf of Taranto, demonstrating the operational capabilities of the AWHERO system in the maritime surveillance field, including operations with take-off and landing from naval units of the Italian Navy.
Innovation
The system has been designed following the standards of piloted helicopters from the structural point of view, dynamic systems and on-board systems, with tests ranging from static testing of the complete fuselage up to HIRF/EMC tests with the full aircraft set up. It is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system with a triple redundancy architecture and software developed according to the aeronautical standard DO-178C which together guarantee a level of safety comparable to that of piloted aircraft.
TEAM
Marco Cicalè (Leader) – Chief Project Engineer – Pisa
Valerio Bonini – System Integrator – Pisa
Andrea Signorini – Airworthiness Manager – Pisa
Where did the project take place?
The project was developed at Leonardo Helicopters facility in Pisa (100 employees, 311* suppliers and 4,398* persons in allied industries) which houses several production lines, including: Dynamic Systems (uncrewed HERO programme); design, development, software integration for secure communications; mission support and electro-optical equipments.
How do you expect your project to benefit Leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
The certification approach was conceived to obtain a product that fully meets the airworthiness requirements of the Italian and foreign Navies and therefore to have an uncrewed system that aims to become the market leader in its class. This product therefore opens up new market prospects for the Helicopter Division in an increasingly broad commercial scenario for uncrewed systems to include Advanced Air Mobility in the near future,
*figure taken on regional basis
Applied during surface-to-air missile campaigns, the test method determines the probability of the missile exiting the boundaries of test ranges with strict territorial limitations.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Safety study for surface-to-air missile campaigns in test ranges with strict territorial limitations
BUSINESS AREA: MBDA
DESCRIPTION
The new test method makes it possible to determine the probability of a missile exiting the boundaries of the test range during CAMM-ER firing campaigns. The results, shared with Italian Air Force personnel involved in the trials, fulfil the need to manage important safety aspects in this context.
INNOVATION
The approach applied was to break down the problem, using appropriate tools to argue the cases identified. Where design for “reuse” was found to be ready, a classic fault-tree-analysis argumentation was used. But where the uncertainty inherent in the new design solution prevailed, safety was analysed on the basis of an “event tree” approach. Identifying the conditions causing the missile to exit the boundaries and determining the relative probability of this happening made it possible to come up with a new method that can also be adapted to other scenarios.
TEAM
Elbano De Nuccio (leader) – Engineer – MBDA (Rome)
Gaetano Scarano - Engineer – MBDA (Rome)
Marco Pellegri - Engineer – MBDA (La Spezia)
Martin Hocking - Engineer - UK
Michael Franklin - Engineer - UK
Emidio Pizzingrilli Engineer – MBDA (Rome)
Gen. D.A Michele Oballa - Capo di Stato Maggiore del Comando Logistico A.M.
Ten. Col. Antonio Massaiu - Capo Sezione Impiego
Mar. 1^ Cl. Simone Mura – Gruppo Impiego Operativo Centro Calcoli
Where did the project take place?
The activity involved an international team from the CAMM-ER Programme, with members from MBDA Italy (Roma Tiburtina and La Spezia) and the UK, and the Italian Air force staff. The Rome production facility (700 employees, 807 suppliers* and 11,257 people* working in related industries) is active in research and development activities in the field of missiles and advanced defence systems.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
The test method identified is entirely adaptable to other projects, and can provide guidelines in addition to company processes. It allowed MBDA to get the go-ahead for CAMM-ER firing, complying with the contractual milestones plan and contributing to the success of the company’s business. It essentially enabled use of CAMM-ER in firing campaigns, allowing the domestic client to use the system during exercises
Developed under the LEOSS project, this innovative feature allows additional information such as streets, shipping routes, etc. to be superimposed over real images generated by sensors.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: LEOSS Augmented Reality
BUSINESS AREA: Electronics
DESCRIPTION
The Augmented Reality feature developed as part of the LEOSS (Long Range Electro-Optical Surveillance System) project permits superimposition - over real images generated by a turret’s sensors - of various types of information, including streets, railway lines and shipping lines; street names and numbers, permitting geo-localisation (pointing the turret at a specified address); points of interest such as churches, schools, etc; waypoints (reference points specified by operators); city names; and AIS (Automatic Identification System) data.
INNOVATION
Careful definition of display rules in collaboration with subject matter experts permits presentation of the maximum amount of information, preventing the display from becoming crowded and keeping the graphic interface clear and user-friendly. Dozens of parameters are processed in order to determine whether an item of information can be represented, including the area framed by the sensor, its distance from objects, the angle of the sensor, the density of the data present, and the priority of the information.
TEAM
Marco Donarelli (Leader) – Software Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Raffaele Breglia – Software Engineer – Pomezia (RM)
Lorenzo Baldacci – Software Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Nicola Brunetto – Software Engineer – Caselle Torinese (TO)
Massimo Dellisanti – Software Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Pierpaolo Rosin – Software Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Marco Barbina – Software Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Where did the project take place?
The project took place at Leonardo Electronics' Ronchi dei Legionari site near Gorizia (240 employees, 46* suppliers and 1,219* people working in related industries) hosting a number of production lines, including unmanned surveillance and recognition systems, tactical and rapid drones, mini/micro UAS systems, and threat simulation systems (airborne targets).
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
LEOSS augmented reality is Leonardo’s first in-house solution in this field. The advantage of having the know-how and total control over the application permits a rapid response to the customer’s requirements and amplification of Leonardo’s range, installing augmented reality on other sensors, too.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
Intended for use in the production of aluminium aeronautical structures, Aluminium Green Working reduces environmental impact, cuts emissions and regenerates materials.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Aluminium Green Working for aluminium alloy aeronautical structures
BUSINESS AREA: Aerostructures
DESCRIPTION
Chemical etching, currently used to obtain lighter parts and aluminium sheeting of variable thickness, employs the action of certain chemical reagents to remove material - a process that still produces a significant impact on the environment and high disposal costs.
The proposal is for the development and industrial application of Aluminium Green Working, an alternative solution with a lesser environmental and economic impact. The process reduces the use of reagents, sludges and emissions, eliminating the need to dispose of exhausted baths and permitting recovery of materials.
INNOVATION
Aluminium Green Working can reduce the thickness of aluminium components by using an alternative solution which does not alter the surface quality and structural performance required of the material, protecting the environment, safeguarding workers’ health and saving money.
TEAM
Ciro Annicchiarico (Leader) – Aeronautical engineer – R&D, Grottaglie (TA)
Marcello Pellegrini – Mechanical engineer – R&D, Grottaglie (TA)
Francesca D’Angelo – Production engineer – Nola (NA)
Paola Cantone – Ongoing improvement engineer – Pomigliano d’Arco (NA)
Where did the project take place?
The project took place in the Leonardo Aerostructures facility in Grottaglie, Taranto (1,250 employees, 137 suppliers* and 4,467 people* working in related industries), concerned with the production and assembly of carbon fibre fuselages for commercial aircraft through use of what is referred to as “One Piece Barrel” technology, with the significant support of the Leonardo Nola plant, where the idea originated.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
Aluminium Green Working has an important (measurable) contribution to make to the Group’s sustainability, while offering immediate, measurable economic savings. Moreover, application of the process is shared with all Leonardo Divisions and Technologies (sheet metal and additive manufacturing of aluminium).
*figures calculated on a regional basis
The EF PTD (Eurofighter – Procedural Training Device) permits complete pilot training with the utmost fidelity of aircraft simulation and the support of a virtual instructor
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Eurofighter procedural flight simulator – Procedural Training Device (EF PTD)
BUSINESS AREA: Aircraft
DESCRIPTION
The EF PTD flight simulator is a pilot training device covering all the procedural skills required prior to the subsequent transition to more sophisticated training environments. The key goal is to allow pilots to develop the practical skills required to perform the principal procedures of the Eurofighter, supplying them with a synthetic environment, a 3D graphic representation of the cockpit with the utmost fidelity of aircraft simulation, and use of a Virtual Instructor.
INNOVATION
The originality of the project lies in its ability to overcome the existing training system centring around initial classroom training followed by use of higher category simulators, such as the FTD and the FMS. The EF PTD frees up these simulators for the number of hours required to provide the pilot with initial familiarisation with the aircraft and basic and procedural training. This is Leonardo’s first integration of a Eurofighter flight simulator with a virtual instructor and digitised aircraft manuals.
TEAM
Gianluca Visca (Leader) – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Fausto Pusceddu – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Roberta Astengo – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Simone Candeloro – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Alessandro Caso – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Dario Coluzzi – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Cristina Corinti – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Angela Cozzolino – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Carlo Gallo – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Andrea Giordano – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Antonio Grilli – Aerospace Engineer – Turin
Where did the project take place?
The PTD was produced entirely by a team from Leonardo Aircraft in Turin (1,200 employees, 400* suppliers and 7,786* people working in related industries). The site is active in the following production lines: C-27J fuselage and Eurofighter Typhoon major components (left wing and rear fuselage); Eurofigher Typhoon FACO (Final Assembly line and Check Out) , C-27J, ATR42/72 special versions, MRO&U of the Tornado and AMX aircraft, and production and integration of airborne systems.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
With the EF PTD simulator, Leonardo expands the catalogue of training devices offered for training Eurofighter pilots with a versatile, modular product that is lower in cost and environmental impact and is particularly appetising in comparison with competitors’ products. The team is currently experimenting with use of a virtual reality visor to expand its potential uses.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
Designed for the Italian Police Forces, the new technological solutions integrate mobile radio networks and public-private broadband networks in a cyber resilient way.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Multivector hybrid networks for Italian FFPPs: TETRA - LTE integration in mission critical contexts
BUSINESS AREA: Cyber & Security Solutions
DESCRIPTION
As part of the TETRA Interpolice Program (PIT), our solution aims to make innovative broadband mobile radio services (real-time video, multimedia messaging) available to the Italian Police Forces, bringing the services already in use on the TETRA PIT Network (voice and short text messages), without changing the users' operating procedures and with the maximum guarantee of cyber-resilience and confidence.
INNOVATION
First solution in the world that creates a common set of services between a mission critical TETRA mobile radio network, a public broadband network and a private broadband network, in a cyber-resilient way and using a mission critical 3GPP standard application (MCx), developed by Leonardo S.p.A. The customers can thus benefit from the most advanced and effective communication technologies opportunistically and in full safety, exploiting the advantages of each, and maintaining a common interoperability basis.
TEAM
Gianni Giovani (Leader) – Electronic Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Sara Tagliasacchi – Telecommunication Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Giuseppe Biasu – Electronic Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Luigia Micciullo – Electronic Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Marco Pizzorno – Electronic Engineer – Genova
Umberto Amorevoli – Electronic Engineer –Abbadia S. Salvatore (SI)
Giovanni Borghero – Electronic Engineer – Genova
Vincenzo Felicetta – Architect – Roma Laurentina
Stefano Bertoni – Telecommunication Engineer – Campi Bisenzio (FI)
Where was the project developed?
The project was developed at the Campi Bisenzio site, in the province of Florence (900 employees, 311 * suppliers and 4398 * employees in the related industries) which houses the Electronics and Cyber & Security Solutions Divisions specialized in mechanical and optical processing, and in the design and production of electro-optical systems for military and space applications, professional radio communications systems (TETRA, WiFi, GSM-R), and radar seekers and sensors.
How do you expect your project to benefit leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
This experience has made it possible to define and collect a considerable amount of requirements directly from the final users of the solutions. From these requirements, from their analysis, and from the synthesis that we will draw from them, some of the next exciting innovations could be born and developed.
* figure calculated on a regional basis
The artificial intelligence of the new system improves management of the information cycle and knowledge acquired in the theatres of operations. The advantages for intelligence analysis are significant.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Omega1 Unmanned Air System with mission system that applies artificial intelligence technologies
BUSINESS AREA: Electronics
DESCRIPTION
The Omega1 UAS is an upgrade of the Falco EVO, incorporating a laser-guided missile with a Hensoldt turret; the mission system; ESM SAGE 700 and COMINT; an advanced ground control station; and two broadband (Leonardo C-band) LOS data links. The UAS’s payloads provide high-quality data that can overload the data link. Omega1 can thus be integrated with the mission system that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse, index and encode sensor-generated data. AI can improve the use of data links and availability of intelligence data.
INNOVATION
Omega1 UAS is a Leonardo product platform that uses proprietary technology. Integration with the mission system improves the management of the information cycle and knowledge gained in theatre. It confers a significant advantage in intelligence analysis by using surveillance sensors and merging the relevant data. Together with Falco EVO, Omega1 places Leonardo at the cutting edge of tactical UASs for civilian and military missions by offering functions similar to a higher class of UAS while maintaining a logistical advantage.
TEAM
Damiano Macor (Leader) – Project Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Paolo Pirrone (Leader) – Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Andrea Beltrame Pomè, Project Engineering Manager – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Marco Manganelli, Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Gianfranco Fragasso, System Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Mauro Lazzaro, Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Erica Bennici, Caselle (TO)
Giuseppe Pietro Vastante, System Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Francesca Pelusi, System Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Gabriele Dura, System Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Alberto Negrello, Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Dino Nardone, System Engineer – Ronchi dei Legionari (GO)
Marco Zambelli, System Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Marco Dal Pozzo, System Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Paolo Piron, System Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Marco Maffei, Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Alessandra Anella Autunno, SW Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Paolo Olivo, SW Engineer – Caselle (TO)
Where did the project take place?
The project was developed by a large and multi-disciplinary team spread across various Leonardo Elettronica sites in Italy. Leonardo's Ronchi dei Legionari site near Gorizia (240 employees, 46* suppliers and 1219* people working in related industries), hosting several production lines, including unmanned surveillance and recognition systems, tactical and rapid drones, mini/micro UAS systems, and threat simulation systems (airborne targets).
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
Omega1 opens up a vast market for Leonardo’s tactical UASs by promoting in-house technologies and thus ensuring the independence of suppliers. Furthermore, the application of AI techniques addresses the decision superiority and sustainability needs of future aviation by driving research and innovation.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
Designed to improve aircraft safety standards, the new system reacts instantly to possible failures with an emergency device.
CATEGORY: Technology
PROJECT NAME: Redundant tail rotor adjustment bearing with fault alarm system
BUSINESS AREA: Helicopters
DESCRIPTION
The proposal regards the bearing used on all our helicopters to modulate the pitch of tail rotor blades; the dependability of this component is extremely important, as control of the machine is dependent on it. The proposed device, to be installed in place of the existing bearing, instantly reacts to breakage with a second emergency bearing. The device also features a built-in alarm system that notifies the user of the malfunction.
INNOVATION
Operation with the secondary bearing does not limit machine operation in any way, and guarantees a higher overall standard of safety. It may be used on all our helicopters, with a limited impact on existing components; it therefore has a limited impact on cost, complexity and implementability. Each subcomponent has been designed taking secondary fault modes into consideration.
TEAM
Daniele Podda (Leader) – Mechanical Engineer – Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA)
Alessandro Rutilio – Mechanical Engineer – Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA)
Stefano Poggi – Areospace Engineer – Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA)
Fabrizio Losi – Areospace Engineer – Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA)
Where did the project take place?
The project took place at the Leonardo Helicopters Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA) site (about 2400 employees, 1339* suppliers and 16,918* people working in related industries). The production site is active in gearbox development and production, avionic Integration and experimental flight line.
How do you think your project can benefit Leonardo’s innovation ecosystem (both within and outside the company)?
The invention is intended for use in the specific environment of mechanics, a field currently considered very well consolidated with no room for innovation. Managing to design and patent a device that improves the existing system demonstrates that innovation is possible even where it seems most unlikely.
*figure calculated on a regional basis
Made for every land military vehicle, the solution with built-in APNT improves performance by reducing costs and ensuring precision in visual navigation.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Embedded Assured Position Navigation & Timing
BUSINESS AREA: Leonardo DRS
DESCRIPTION
The Embedded APNT (Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing) solution is designed for US Army vehicles on which the next generation Mounted Family of Computer Systems (MFoCS) are already installed. The updating and integration of these systems with APNT allows an upgrade in terms of technology and performance, as well as producing a significant reduction in the costs currently envisaged for similar solutions.
INNOVATION
Using IR DRS cameras currently installed with available satellite images, MFoCS with integrated APNT improves position accuracy by 10 times during visual navigation, achieving results not comparable to other APNTs on the market. MFoCS with Embedded APNT is also much cheaper and much easier to install.
TEAM
Bart Blanchard (Leader) – Director, Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Ricky Case – Product Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Brady Gaughan – Electrical Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Chris Groff – Director Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Charles Niles - VP Business Development – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Duc Pham – Systems Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Bob Santos – Electrical Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
John Schwaller – Systems Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Michael Stucki – Business Development – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Mark Sullivan – Advanced Programs – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Anthony Szelag – Mechanical Engineer – Melbourne, FL (USA)
Where was the project developed?
The project was developed at two Leonardo DRS locations in the United States: Melbourne (Florida) which houses the production lines dedicated to electro-optical and infrared systems and terrestrial electronics; and Dallas (Texas), which designs and manufactures infrared sensors and subsystems that support the aviation, ground vehicle, military and commercial markets. Leonardo DRS employs in the US a total of over 6,700 employees.
How do you expect your project to benefit Leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
This new solution represents an important opportunity for Leonardo DRS to enter new business areas. In fact, the integration of APNT with MFoCS systems helps to expand the existing core business, creating important opportunities in a market that potentially involves over 150,000 vehicles.
Made for the U. S. Army, the Mobile Short Range Air Defense System (M-SHORAD) integrates missile launchers on land vehicles such as the Strykers, providing additional defense capability.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Mobile-Short Range Air Defense System – Leonardo DRS Land Systems
BUSINESS AREA: Leonardo DRS
DESCRIPTION
The project, carried out for the U.S. Army, is aimed at filling a critical capability gap for mobile air defense, which was based on systems from 30 years ago. The US military leadership needed a new system that possessed radar, command and control systems, electro-optical and infrared sensors, Friend or Foe identification, and multiple kinetic effectors for ground-to-ground and ground-to-air combat on a Stryker vehicle. An easy-to-use system for three crew members, which integrates easily on a Stryker with little impact on the utility of the vehicle. Leonardo DRS Land Systems selection for the M-SHORAD mission was based on project flexibility for future capabilities, increased soldier protection, technical maturity of the solution, and minimal impact on the Stryker vehicle.
INNOVATION
It is the world's most efficient mobile air defense system, with a flexible mission equipment package design that allows for rapid integration of future capabilities. It is the first mobile air defense system with 360 ° persistent organic surveillance and the first to integrate the HELLFIRE missile launcher on a land vehicle.
TEAM
Chris Frillman (Leader) – Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Dave Akin – Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Travis Kundel – Program Manager – Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Stephanie Woodward – Program Management Analyst – Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Mike Mareschal – Lead Engineer – Bridgeton, MO (USA)
John Garner – Project Engineer –Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Mike Butchko – Software Engineer –Bridgeton, MO (USA)
Where was the project developed?
The project was developed at the Leonardo DRS production site in Bridgeton (MO) in the United States, which is active in integrating complex technologies into legacy systems and platforms for global military and commercial customers globally. Leonardo DRS employs in the U.S. a total of over 6,700 employees.
How do you expect your project to benefit Leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
This project was the flagship program for Army Futures Command and Cross Functional Teams, making Leonardo DRS a leading supplier of short-range air defense (SHORAD) mission equipment (MEP) package. It has built a very favourable and credible reputation for Leonardo DRS and has forged relationships with key leadership of the US military and key US partners (General Dynamics Land Systems, RADA, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman). The credibility established through this project enabled Leonardo DRS to form an industrial coalition for a single-vehicle Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) prototype for US Army defense worth over $ 1 billion.
The new Beam Director utilises multiple lines of sight to identify and track moving targets, separates them from the background, and reduces aiming errors due to atmospheric effects.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Laser Directed Energy Weapon Beam Director Integration and Trials
BUSINESS AREA: Electronics
DESCRIPTION
The aim of the Dragonfire programme is to demonstrate a UK Laser Directed Energy Weapon capability as part of a UK collaboration with MBDA and QinetiQ. Leonardo have produced a Beam Director that acquires and tracks moving targets to deliver a laser onto the target with high precision. The Beam Director operates multiple sightlines that consist of cameras, fast steering mirrors, and other sensors, along with image processing and control algorithms, to deliver pointing accuracy that optimises the effect of the laser on the target.
INNOVATION
The Beam Director utilises the different sightlines to simultaneously point the laser with high accuracy whilst also tracking dynamic targets. This is achieved by using a large gimbal control system, in conjunction with multiple high bandwidths steering mirrors, controlled by electro-optics sensors integrated with advanced image processing algorithms. It also makes use of a novel laser design to discriminate the targets from the background as well as to reduce the laser pointing errors introduced by atmospheric effects.
TEAM
Ross Mc Laren (leader) – Project Engineering Manager – Edinburgh (UK)
Alistair Downie – Chief Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
David Coote – Systems Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Jamie Lamb – Systems Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Emma Blakely – Systems Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Marek Korda – Mechanical Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Graeme Anderson – Electronic Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Ian McRae – Optical Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Mark Godfrey – Software Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Simon Ogg – Firmware Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Stephen Gifford – Systems Engineer – Edinburgh (UK)
Where was the project developed?
The project was developed at the Leonardo facility in Edinburgh, in the United Kingdom (2,000 employees, 610 * suppliers and 1,300 * people in related industries), specializing in the design and production of technologies such as radar and lasers.
How do you expect your project to benefit Leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
Our experience of developing a complex concept demonstrator is helping to inform the approach to other similar projects in within the Advanced Targeting sector - where the use of COTS can be leveraged most effectively – and has enhanced our ability to work collaboratively with other parts of Leonardo and industrial partners.
* Data drawn on a regional basis
Designed for Military Defense & Intelligence areas, the innovative system improves speed and image quality, impossible to guarantee with traditional methods.
CATEGORY: Product
PROJECT NAME: Sustainable radar tomographic processing on multi-GPU computing systems for very high squinted UWB SAR Imaging.
BUSINESS AREA: Thales Alenia Space
DESCRIPTION
The satellite SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data processing system with decimetric resolution is based on an innovative algorithm in the natural domain (time) and implemented on powerful clusters of GPUs (graphics processing processors). Designed for the Military Defense & Intelligence target, the innovative system responds to two primary needs: speed, derived from an almost tactical use of the system; and image quality, impossible to guarantee with traditional methods in view of the agility characteristics of the satellites. A new algorithm was therefore defined in the natural domain of synthetic aperture radar (time domain) and made compatible with the most modern graphics processing processors, also overcoming the precision limitations that GPUs have compared to conventional CPUs.
INNOVATION
This processing system is the most advanced among those known. The processing speed (one-two minutes instead of several hours) and the high image quality (unprecedented dual / quad polarizations), allow you to pass from the classic strategic use to an almost tactical exploitation of all existing and future Italian satellite resources, and SAR partners.
TEAM
Fabrizio Impagnatiello (Leader) – Electronic Engineer – Thales Alenia Space, Roma
Where was the project developed?
The project was developed at the Thales Alenia Space headquarters in Rome (1003 employees, 807 * suppliers and 11257 * people in related industries) which houses a satellite integration center, an antenna and equipment center. Thales Alenia Space specializes in the design, development and production of dual satellite systems for telecommunications, monitoring of the environment and the earth's climate, defense and security, exploration and scientific research, as well as in the field of space infrastructures.
How do you expect your project to benefit Leonardo's innovation ecosystem (both internally and externally)?
Any present and future civilian or dual-use Earth Observation system focused on emergency management and fast response will take benefits from low latency information availability.
The largest impacts are anyway expected on military specific EO systems because of capability of fast feeding reconnaissance intelligence chains with image products having minute–latency and unpreceded quality, especially in high squint conditions typical and characteristic of high agility space borne platforms.
* data drawn on a regional base
