MetaVR Provides Visual Systems for MUSE UAS Simulation Program

MetaVR provides the visualization software for the largest unmanned aerial system (UAS) simulation program in the United States. The Multiple Unified Simulation Environment (MUSE)/Air Force Synthetic Environment For Reconnaissance And Surveillance (AFSERS) program provides the largest number of fielded simulation systems for training command and staff level training for UAS. The MetaVR VRSG provides realistic simulation capability for UAS training packaged in a ruggedized deployable container for the MUSE and AFSERS programs.

	Simulated Shadow 200 UAS view of a village on MetaVR's 3D terrain of Afghanistan, rendered in VRSG. Click the image to see a real-time scenario recorded in VRSG of simulated UAV intelligence gathering set in virtual Afghanistan.

MetaVR visual systems are used in multiple UAS programs, including Shadow, Pioneer, Global Hawk, and ducted fan micro-UAS. UAV and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) simulations based on MetaVR VRSG use Metadesic terrain database technology. Metadesic terrain is a true geocentric, round-earth representation that is free of error-prone projections used by most commercial image generators. Geocentric terrain is necessary to capture earth curvature and for accurate measurement of target positions. Metadesic terrain scales well to even global coverage datasets. With MetaVR's Metadesic geometry and compressed texture paging technologies, the terrain database extent is limited only by disk storage capacity.

The MUSE/AFSERS simulation has evolved into a general intelligence collection platform simulation for airborne collection systems with electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payloads. The MetaVR MUSE VRSG system provides the visualization system component for MUSE that generates synthetic payload scene video and/or imagery of the 3D battlefield with simulated target entities. This video and imagery is subsequently fed to a tactical or generic UAS/intelligence platform control station where operators perform air vehicle and payload control functions, and an air vehicle and datalink simulation.

A screenshot of GV3.0 output of decoded VRSG's MPEG stream and embedded UAV metadata.

MetaVR VRSG's real-time MPEG recording feature includes the option to have UAV KLV metadata multiplexed into an MPEG 2 transport stream. VRSG can encode two types of metadata: MISB 0104.5 and EG 0601. Tactical exploitation systems can use the streaming MPEG feed to visualize sensor payload imagery in real time and extract the UAV metadata. The metadata editor GV 3.0 is an example of a system that can decode VRSG's MPEG stream and embedded UAV metadata. A screenshot of GV output with metadata is shown above. The MPEG stream can be transmitted live over UDP, or streamed to a file for later playback. The MPEG encoding and metadata multiplexing runs as a plugin for VRSG on the same computer. The plugin requires no extra hardware, software, or cost beyond a VRSG 5.5 license.

	Simulation training in the classroom at Ft. Huachuca, AZ, on the Shadow TUAS Ground Control Station embedded trainer using VRSG.

	The image below shows a ruggedized container-based system that is designed such that it can be palletized and airlifted to training exercises in the field on short notice and can survive the journey and the training scenario under harsh environmental conditions. MUSE unmanned training systems are deployed for overseas training exercises.