SkynetSam Gussman (creative generalist), Alvin Goh (hacker), Olga Musayev (project

development), Kevin Mott (project manager)

Mentors/Liaisons: Steve Behmer, Ryan Blake, Mike Hard, Jooyong Lee, Wayne Chen, Brian CS

# Interviewed this week: 104 Users, 3 Buyers, 3 Experts

# interviewed total: 43

Developing autonomous drones for situational awareness. Helping prevent battlefield fatalities by

pinpointing friendly and enemy positions.

Customer DiscoveryHypotheses Results Actions

Image Recognition is a “must have”

Stakeholder and User interviews

Validated. Both stakeholders (PM) and tactical users are very interested in image recognition software. No current system in the space.

Continue to confirm this is a request from Operators and survey the commercial/military space to see what is available.

No other tools are used by SOCOM for automatic classification

Operator and Stakeholder interviews.

Use of image recognition is only used by intelligence personnel and not in real time.

Work with current image recognition software companies (Neurala) to find efficiencies and determine if there is tech out there that helps solve the problem

SOCOM Acquisitions are driven by users

SOCOM acquisitions document reviewStakeholder interviews

Users determine capability gaps and communicate those gaps to the PMs. PMs try to fill the gaps with tech. Users make first draft of requirements.

Continue to engage users and communicate the responses to the small UAS PM at SOCOM and sponsor to confirm we are filling the gap and stakeholders are aware.

Experiments

MVP

ATAK screen 1: Satellite imagery ATAK screen 2: Drone feed

ATAK screen 1: Satellite imagery ATAK screen 2: Drone feed

MVP

Mission Model Canvas- Identifying and tracking friendlies- Object detection- Object recognition, classification and threat detection

- Integration with ATAK

- SOF (green beret, ranger, SEALS)

- SOCOM

- Programmable drone manufacturers (eg: Solo)

- ATAK Program

- Neurala (or other computer vision firm)

Tactical operators - SOF (SF, Ranger, SEALS, MARSOC/Recon, drone operators)

Private sector partners (Neurala, drone manufacturer)

ATAK Program Manager

SOCOM Small UAV S&T/Acquisition Program Managers

- Keep track of friendly, potential hostile and neutral actors/equipment automatically- New contracts and revenue stream- Opportunities for tech development -Added value to current program/technology-Cost effective, agile and quick method of filling capability gaps

-Improved situational awareness for small units in combat

-reduce workload for tactical operators and feed-monitoring operators

-decrease strain on other traditional aerial assets

-Deploy to select teams under $25k level. Hardware purchased COTS-Incorporate commercial partner software in app dev-Work with ATAK to include future app update with our capabilities-Work to make program of record after buy in

Fixed:- Equipment - drones, development toolkits- Software design & engineering

Variable:- Costs of maintenance, updates, and training

-Demonstrate utility- gain support from senior personnel-Show opportunities for new revenue streams-Add utility to current program of record to increase adoption-Provide low cost product with new capability filling gapSaboteur - competition within SOCOM PMs

Beneficiaries

Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs

Buy-In/Support

Deployment

Value PropositionKey Activities

Key Resources

Key Partners

- DJI phantom 3 programmable drone

- Computer vision SDK (preferably neurala)

- ATAK API + source code

Saboteurs + Other DangersProject Manager for Personal Reconnaissance Devices

There is a jurisdictional fight between the PMs for Personal Reconnaissance Devices and Small UAV Projects

Raven ProgramSmall fixed wing reconnaissance drones, the Raven chief amongst them, stand to lose both funding a prestige

Ourselves Any misclassification of a civilian that leads to injury is likely to completely derail the project.

‘Personal’ saboteursThis week we learned about an angry secretary who almost killed a project’s funding.

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

- Knowing the locations of friends/enemies/civilians- Reduced ambiguity - autonomous assessment of aerial perspectives and video feed Custome

r JobsShoot bad

guys without getting shot- Cognitive overload from

existing tools-Manpower losses - Hassle of systems not communicating

SOF Elements (combat)

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

-Increased situational awareness on the battlefield- Reconnaissance of inaccessible places

- Integrate with current systems that soldiers are familiar with- Frees up another soldier

Products& ServicesSituationally

awaredrone with visual

interface

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

- Automatic patrol- Facial Recognition of people identified in vicinity- Automatic threat detection to flag security threats Custome

r JobsForce protectionDay-to-day security patrols

are manpower intensive

Difficult to be always aware of surroundings

SOF Elements (non-combat)

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

- Reliable 24/7 Security Awareness- Knowing who lives around you, and who doesn’t- Ability to respond quickly to threats

- Swarms of drones can replace patrol units

-24/7 situation awareness of surroundings

Products& ServicesSituationally

awareautonomous

drones

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

- Access into SOCOM acquisitions

- building company’s presence in military

Customer Jobs

Make more moneyBuild customer relationships

- Difficult to get large contracts, technology still maturing, only have limited consumer market share

Commercial Partners

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

-New revenue stream-Potential long term partnership

- Contracts with military, willing and eager to adopt new technology (early adopters) even if tech is not fully matured

Products& ServicesPartnership /

contract

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

- Integrating drone camera feed enhanced with image recognition

- augmenting ATAK interface with image processing

Customer Jobs

Manage ATAKSystem under

cost- Proprietary technologythat does not talk to othertech- low adoption rate, ‘fancy new toy’ that’s not used much

ATAK Project Manager

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

-Increased value to ATAK program

- Easy integration with ATAK- Promote culture of open-source- improving receptiveness to ATAK

Products& ServicesAutonomous

drone with live video feed

integrated with ATAK

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

-Image recognition software first of its kind in the military

- tool could potentially be applied across platforms (as a software plugin)

Customer Jobs

Manage ProgramsFill gaps- Tech is new and recognition

of potential enemy may triggerblowback- new technology always too expensive, sometimes they don’t get used after purchasing

SOCOM Small UAS PM

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

- Provides new tool that existing programs don’t provide - Potential to scale

-Retain man-in-the-loop, test software during training stateside and slowly scale to overseas.- Maintain low costs by utilizing COTS, consistently engage user feedback at all stages of development.

Products& Services

COTS Drone with visual recognition

software

Backup Slides: Acquisition Process

Value Proposition BriefProblem Existing solutions Our solution

Identify and locate hostile and neutral actors/equipment

Plot on a mapDrop enemy icons on JCR/BFTSoldier awareness

Real-time updates/tracking of persons of interest through computer vision

Special Forces monitoring of allied force

High level drone feed fed to SF, but limited 2-way communication.ATAK may show locations of allied force

Drone extends communication networks and allow audio and video communicationMonitors locations of allied force to prevent airstrike casualties

Collateral Damage Soldiers mark out potential CD on mapsGround force commander's’ judgementDrone operator in the US runs algorithm to determine CD from potential airstrike

Drone uses existing database to mark civilian buildings on ATAK map; Drone identifies potential civilians and marks location in ATAK using Computer Vision

Fratricide, especially when calling in airstrikes and artillery

ATAK, GPS in radios, 9-line call format, strobe lights on uniforms: all identify friendly locations

Low-flying drone detects friendly locations and conveys to JTAC and pilot. Could also run algorithms determining risk of fratricide; AR shows soldiers locations of friendlies

Force protection duties (guard) are manpower intensive

Patrols and Soldiers at static positions are a staple in force protection duties

Autonomous drone would circle compound and recognize dangers. Can form fleet of autonomous drones to complement patrol duties

Tactical Beneficiary Archetype

Special Forces - they enter an area for few months and live with locals for a while, train them, advise them on combat.

Drone Operators - they pilot and monitor drone feeds to conduct targeted air strikes and protect troops on mission

Rangers - they enter a specific area, conduct a raid, and exit.

JTAC - responsible for calling and targeting air support.

Sergeant of the Guard (SOG) - they are responsible for force protection.

SkyNet: Value Proposition Canvas

Products& Services

-Drones deploy immediately, reducing strain on limited emergency resources (like helicopters)-Drones provides immediate aid (food/water) to trapped individuals Custome

r JobsSearch and rescue operations- Not able to access areas

after disasters- Difficulty operating in tight spaces - Hazard to human rescuers

Disaster SAR

Gains

Pains

Gain Creators

Pain Relievers

-Fast response to disasters- Fast identification of trappedand at-risk persons-Efficient delivery of aid

- Increased agility- Drones fly quickly through zones humans can’t go- using drones in unsafe zones prevents risking lives of rescuers

Economical, low-costsearch drone fleet