2. Nathaniel Simon
Mechanical Engineering
Original Problem:
“Provide a way for pilots shot
down in combat to keep
critical electronic devices
such as survival radios
powered for 28 days until
they can be rescued.”
Hristo Stoyanov
Computer Science
Final problem:
“In a future conflict, fewer
downed pilots will be rescued
because the survival radio is
cumbersome, dies quickly,
and provides limited
situational awareness.”
Aidan McCarty
Business Experience
106
interviews
Sponsor
Air Force Research Lab
3. Overview of Our Path
#1 - Better battery &
power management
#2 - Better comms
between IP and rescue
#3 - Faster comms to
allow faster rescue
#4 - Solar & other ways
to generate power
Pivot!
#5 - Fire-based
generation & new radio
CSEL is
old & unfit for
mission
Time is critical in
rescue
Solar is limited
+
CSEL needs
replacement
Pivot!
#6 - Radio supplement:
smartphone + satellite
transceiver
Power
generation is
infeasible.
Supplement
solves the
endurance
problem.
Pivot!
8. - Primary: Military pilots that
crash and the individuals
assigned to rescue them
Solo fighter, attack, and
reconnaissance aircraft pilots
- Secondary: Anyone in an IP
(isolated person) environment
with extreme size, weight, and
environmental constraints.
Improved power supply and
management for variety of pilot
devices.
Standardized and integrated
battery across devices.
Electrical system endurance
improvement from 4 to 28 days.
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value
Proposition
Key Activities
Key Resources
Key Partners
Power Management MMC
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
9. 1. Incorporate innovative energy
storage and production
mechanisms
2. Improve energy efficiency of
radio
3. Optimize rescue processes
(SAR/SERE practices)
4. Optimize pack contents to
reduce weight
- Air Force SERE
- 9 RW Beale AFB
-88 TES (Guardian Angel)
- Air Force Research Laboratory
- Material suppliers to the Air
Force (incl. survival gear,
batteries, and electronics)
- FAA and NTSB
- Stanford University1
- National Renewable Energy
Lab
- Primary: Military pilots that
crash and the individuals
assigned to rescue them
Solo fighter, attack, and
reconnaissance aircraft pilots
- Secondary: Anyone in an IP
(isolated person) environment
with extreme size, weight, and
environmental constraints.
Improved power supply and
management for variety of pilot
devices.
Standardized and integrated
battery across devices.
Electrical system endurance
improvement from 4 to 28 days.
- Build electrical system that powers CSEL radio and other devices 28 days
- Preliminary testing batteries as
power supply and similar
devices
- Feedback from 88 Test and
Evaluation Squadron (Guardian
Angel)
Costs:
- Materials, equipment, and facilities to prototype
- Time with experts and travel costs
- $3,000
Timeline:
- 10 weeks
- Relationship with Sponsors,
military contacts and experts
- Team (mechanical and
electrical engineering expertise,
business experience)
-Stanford and course mentors
- pilots and rescue personnel,
by involving them in design
processes
- 88 TES (Guardian Angel Test
and Evaluation Squadron)
- USAF will implement/ evaluate
suggestions to pilot / implement
our solutions
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value
Proposition
Key Activities
Key Resources
Key Partners
Power Management MMC
10. - Primary: Military
pilots that crash and
their rescuers
Solo fighter, attack,
and reconnaissance
pilots
- Secondary:
Anyone in an IP
(isolated person)
environment with
extreme constraints.
Improved power
supply and
management
Standardized battery
for all devices
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value
Proposition
Key ActivitiesKey Partners
Key Resources
Power Management MMC
6-8
days
28
days
1. Incorporate innovative energy
storage and production
mechanisms
2. Improve energy efficiency of
radio
3. Optimize rescue processes
(SAR/SERE practices)
4. Optimize pack contents to
reduce weight
- Air Force SERE
- 9 RW Beale AFB
-88 TES (Guardian Angel)
- Air Force Research Laboratory
- Material suppliers to the Air
Force (incl. survival gear,
batteries, and electronics)
- FAA and NTSB
- Stanford University1
- National Renewable Energy
Lab
- Build electrical system that powers CSEL radio and other devices 28 days
- Preliminary testing batteries as
power supply and similar
devices
- Feedback from 88 Test and
Evaluation Squadron (Guardian
Angel)
Costs:
- Materials, equipment, and facilities to prototype
- Time with experts and travel costs
- $3,000
Timeline:
- 10 weeks
- Relationship with Sponsors,
military contacts and experts
- Team (mechanical and
electrical engineering expertise,
business experience)
-Stanford and course mentors
- pilots and rescue personnel,
by involving them in design
processes
- 88 TES (Guardian Angel Test
and Evaluation Squadron)
- USAF will implement/ evaluate
suggestions to pilot / implement
our solutions
18. DOWNED
PILOT
CSEL
JFACC
RESCUE
CENTER
Key intel (e.g.
where to evade)
Intel +
recommend
action
Rescue
Team
Direct &
command
PR
Field
Updates
situation-dependent rescue
vehicles (“low and slow”)
Intelligence
information
Polaris
● Reliable tech for comms
● Specific, well-established
chain of command
● Plenty of power
Rescue team from
JPRC/PRCC
Intelligence
● Battery endurance is NOT the bottleneck
● Bottleneck the CSEL radio, between pilot and JPRC/PRCC
● Unreliable links to satellite for encrypted coms
● Cumbersome messaging UI
● Heavy and large
● Pilots unfamiliar, infrequent training
Improved Comms MVP 1
19. Improved Comms Learnings
“[Want to] immediately get in touch with
rescue team during ejection.”
- Combat Rescue Officer, Lt Col USAF
20. DOWNED
PILOT
CSEL
JFACC
RESCUE
CENTER
Key intel (e.g.
where to evade)
Intel +
recommend
action
Rescue
Team
Direct &
command
PR
Field
Updates
situation-dependent rescue
vehicles (“low and slow”)
Intelligence
information
● Reliable tech for comms
● Specific, well-established
chain of command
● Plenty of power
Rescue team from
JPRC/PRCC
Intelligence
● Battery endurance is NOT the bottleneck
● CSEL radio is NOT the bottleneck
● Bottleneck is time
● Need a way to communicate critical information before
the pilot hits the ground
PILOT IN
DISTRESS
FRIENDLY
FORCES
Improved Comms MVP 2
29. Choosing a Direction
Improved
Radio
Power
Storage
Power
Generation
- bite-size solution,
easily deployable
(smartphone)
- could improve usability
of CSEL
- Definitely could make a
positive impact right
away for a downed pilot
- addresses original
problem in a creative
way that’s possible in
the course of the class
- could have outside
applications
- lots of existing tech
here, our solution
wouldn’t make a big
improvement
- broadly applicable to
lots of situations
- helpful for a lot of
different groups today
- lots of existing research
and tech will make it
unlikely to make
something better
- no clear path forward
- no solutions fit the
requirements
30. Choosing a Direction
Improved
Radio
Power
Storage
Power
Generation
- bite-size solution,
easily deployable
(smartphone)
- could improve usability
of CSEL
- Definitely could make a
positive impact right
away for a downed pilot
- addresses original
problem in a creative
way that’s possible in
the course of the class
- could have outside
applications
- lots of existing tech
here, our solution
wouldn’t make a big
improvement
- broadly applicable to
lots of situations
- helpful for a lot of
different groups today
- lots of existing research
and tech will make it
unlikely to make
something better
- no clear path forward
- no solutions fit the
requirements
35. ‘Combat mode’:
- only approved apps, e.g. ATAK
- power saving
- secure satellite comms only,
no cell service
- pilots already carry & know how to
use
Weight: 4oz
Battery: enough to last a week
with 10 min location updates
GPS + satellite
RESCUE
CENTER
RESCUERS
DOWNED PILOT
4.7” iPhone 8 has a 6.96 Wh battery. Judicious use (airplane mode) = ~48 hours
2 CSEL batteries = 126 Wh
iPhone + 2 CSEL batteries = ~36 days
MVP 6: Radio Supplement
Combat smartphone
UHF transceiver
41. - Primary:
- Aircrew who carry
survival radio (including
high-risk pilots in ACC,
AMC aircrew, and pilots in
training)
- Secondary:
The rescue team from
JPRC/PRCC
- JFACC
- PJRC/PRCC staff
- Rescue team
- SERE Personnel
Saboteurs:
- ACC PR science and
technology leads
- AFE Personnel
Final Mission Model Canvas
1. Find champion (PM)
2. Develop technology
3. Integrate device with
software for downed pilot
4. Secure funding and unit
support
5. Integrate device into
existing comms
infrastructure
6. Testing and evaluation
- ACC pilots (demand
signal)
- JPRA staff
- JFACC
- PM responsible for PR
- Somewear Labs
- DISA
1. Increase SA and better
UI for navigation
2. SAT texting over a
longer period
Increased odds of
rescuing IP and easier
communication directly
with IP
New device easier to use
and train on
--
Pack more devices for
each mission→ takes time
and energy
Want power generation
instead
Must learn to use and train
pilots on the new devices
Increase downed pilot survivability through transceiver
- Double the number of days that the SAT text communication lasts
- Increase time of evasion by 10%
- Increase probability of rescue by 10%
- Prove mission
achievement factors
- Support from pilots,
SERE specialists, and
JPRA staff to HQ
- Negotiate OTA and
understand joint service
acquisition
Costs:
- $500K RDTE
- $1.0M O&R
- $8.5M OPAF
Timeline:
- 18 months
- Demand signal from
beneficiaries
-IP and tech from
Somewear Labs
-Funds for prototyping
-Test&Eval information
from 88th TES
- warfighters, by involving
them in design processes
- 88 TES (Guardian Angel
Test and Evaluation
Squadron)
- ACC will implement/
evaluate suggestions to
test/implement our
solutions
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value
Proposition
Key Activities
Key
Resources
Key Partners
42. - Primary:
- Aircrew who carry
survival radio (including
high-risk pilots in ACC,
AMC aircrew, and pilots in
training)
- Secondary:
The rescue team from
JPRC/PRCC
- JFACC
- PJRC/PRCC staff
- Rescue team
- SERE Personnel
Saboteurs:
- ACC PR science and
technology leads
- AFE Personnel
Final Mission Model Canvas
1. Find champion (PM)
2. Develop technology
3. Integrate device with
software for downed pilot
4. Secure funding and unit
support
5. Integrate device into
existing comms
infrastructure
6. Testing and evaluation
- ACC pilots (demand
signal)
- JPRA staff
- JFACC
- PM responsible for PR
- Somewear Labs
- DISA
1. Increase SA and better
UI for navigation
2. SAT texting over a
longer period
Increased odds of
rescuing IP and easier
communication directly
with IP
New device easier to use
and train on
--
Pack more devices for
each mission→ takes time
and energy
Want power generation
instead
Must learn to use and train
pilots on the new devices
Increase downed pilot survivability through transceiver
- Double the number of days that the SAT text communication lasts
- Increase time of evasion by 10%
- Increase probability of rescue by 10%
- Prove mission
achievement factors
- Support from pilots,
SERE specialists, and
JPRA staff to HQ
- Negotiate OTA and
understand joint service
acquisition
Costs:
- $500K RDTE
- $1.0M O&R
- $8.5M OPAF
Timeline:
- 18 months
- Demand signal from
beneficiaries
-IP and tech from
Somewear Labs
-Funds for prototyping
-Test&Eval information
from 88th TES
- warfighters, by involving
them in design processes
- 88 TES (Guardian Angel
Test and Evaluation
Squadron)
- ACC will implement/
evaluate suggestions to
test/implement our
solutions
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value
Proposition
Key Activities
Key
Resources
Key Partners
44. Moving on Continuing
Team Polaris Next Steps
Cons Pros
● People already working on it
● Questionable size of opportunity
● Uniquely positioned
● Positive impact for aircrew
45. Acknowledgements
Teaching Team
Col Pete Newell, Ret
Steve Blank
Steve Weinstein
Jeff Decker
Sam Jackson
Annie Shiel
Mentors
LtCol G. D. Hasseltine
Kevin Ray
Col Jason ‘Shrek’ Terry
Maj Kevin Sladek
Sponsor
Jeff Palumbo
Mike Rottmayer, PhD
Air Force Mentors
Col Dean Winslow, Ret
Maj James Hayes
SSgt Catherine Norcom
TSgt Jeffrey Ray
Travis AFB SERE/AFE
Somewear Labs
James Kubik
Alan Besquin