VRSG Provides Simulated Views in ROVER Device

For fielding in joint tactical air controller (JTAC) simulation training facilities, MetaVR's Virtual Reality Scene Generator™ (VRSG™) works with remotely operated video-enhanced receiver (ROVER) devices. When the device is coupled with MetaVR's 3D visualization technology, VRSG generates the simulated 3D scene and the range and coordinates of a designated target on the device's monitor.

The ROVER device is a remote operations video enhanced receiver that displays video feeds from multiple aircraft platforms. The ROVER device has been fielded since 2002 for directing airstrikes in Iraq and Afghanistan. During close air support (CAS) missions, the ROVER provides JTACs the identical time-sensitive streaming imagery of potential targets that is seen and transmitted by aircrew or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators. With shared situational awareness across data networks, JTACs, and others on the ground can view reconnaissance data in real time and collaborate on close air support with pilots overhead.

To set up the communication with the device in VRSG, on the VRSG Dashboard you simply set the output to network, set the IP address to that of the ROVER device, and set the port to the one the ROVER is configured to listen to.

VRSG’s recording feature simulates a plug-and-play video feed for applications such as the ROVER. VRSG can record a high quality and high performance MPEG encoded video stream in real time with support for EG 0601.1 KLV metadata encoding. By simply connecting the ROVER to VRSG to view the feed, you can record and stream the feed by setting up the Record tab on the VRSG Dashboard to stream the output to network, set the IP address to the IP address of the ROVER device, set the port to 1, and set the metadata format to EG0601.1.

Some networked environments do not have the bandwidth to handle VRSG's streaming MPEG directly. In such a case, a site can set up a UAV regeneration station to capture the streaming MPEG of the VRSG-simulated UAV camera payload video in the form of data packets. The packets are then regenerated as video, and streamed to another device on a local network, such as a ROVER. This regeneration station is a computer with another VRSG license that can receive UAV Master messages over a long-haul network from a remotely located UAV operator. The local receiving device can be a ROVER device or any device that can play back video from an ISR video feed.

Available for several years running on a laptop computer with an external antenna (as shown in the image above) and carried by infantry in backpacks, ROVER technology is now also available in a handheld receiver that can fit in a soldier's cargo pocket.