SAINT Simulation of Remotely Piloted Vehicle/Drone Control Facility: Technical Documentation.

Abstract : A model of a real-time simulation of a Remotely Piloted Vehicle/Drone Control Facility (RPV/DCF) has been constructed using SAINT, a totally digital man-machine modeling and simulation technique. The real-time simulation consists of a mock-up of a DCF, where actual operators control the flight of simulated RPVs through the use of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays of RPV flight paths and parameters. The SAINT model consists of two interacting components. The state variable component of the model duplicates the simulation of RPV flight of the real-time simulation. The task-oriented component represents the control and decision tasks performed by the DCF operators. The interactions between the components include the presentation of mission status information to the operators and the processing of commands sent to the RPVs by the operators. This report describes the technical details of the SAINT model. The SAINT network is presented with a detailed description of each task. The user-written subprograms incorporated in the model are fully defined through verbal descriptions, FORTRAN listings, and variable definitions. Input procedures necessary for the simulation of an RPV/DCF mission are described and illustrated, and example outputs from the SAINT simulation are presented. (Author)