The control station concept is scaleable, from operation from two laptop computers (one for mission planning/control, one for payload control, imagery exploitation) to larger, integrated suites. The mission planning/control workstation displays AV position and status information in real-time, to an aviation-style instrument panel, with integrated checklists and failure procedures. Mission planning and preparation are done using Geographical Information System (GIS) data, and the entire mission can be viewed and rehearsed within a 3-D synthetic environment. The GIS environment allows the display of additional layers of GIS data, such as threat zones, no-fly zones and other intelligence information.

The payload control workstation allows the payload operator to control the payload while also having access to mission planning information.

The pilot control unit provides the operator with the ability to control the AV manually at any time, and return to the autonomous mission. Directional commands may be transmitted

 to the AV's onboard navigation computer via a joystick. A control screen is used to select the flight mode (i.e. vertical take-off and landing, automatic mode, manual mode, and return-to-home). Flight status data are displayed on the control panel's LCD screen.

An intelligent interface unit with PowerPC core processors acts as a highly reliable hub between ground components and provides an Ethernet link to higher-level networks for disseminating payload and AV data.

The system's software architecture allows an AV to be handed over between control stations during flight, thus expanding operational footprint by bypassing obstacles which may interfere with the datalink's line-of-sight. Remote data terminals are also available, to allow tactical personnel to view payload imagery and flight data in real-time during missions.


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