82 A GCS must be an intuitive, tactile and multidimensional device, with varying arrangements of processors, control interfaces, screens, radios, protections and more. Such is the challenge of optimising these highly bespoke computer arrangements that it is not uncommon for a new GCS to arrive at its recipient, engineered precisely to their feedback on design, only for them to plug a common gaming controller into it as their preferred form of interaction. With demand for quality, quantity, interoperability and capability growing in fleet and swarm management, it is worth considering all the different facets of GCS design plus the wider GCS industry to understand the evolution and standardisation occurring. Software considerations The system architecture of a GCS consists of a variety of components and arrangements, both in hardware and software terms. While one may traditionally think of such software being little more than a conventional map overlay with some surrounding digital buttons and menus, GCSs are increasingly software-defined solutions with much of their value coming from a As GCSs go from small, bespoke batches to standardised units and sizeable production runs, Rory Jackson investigates the newest innovations and regulations influencing their design and engineering Harder, better, faster, stronger October/November 2024 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Modern GCSs must be highly robust and detailed systems to manage increasingly complex uncrewed operations (Image courtesy of Primoco UAV and UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesia)
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