UAVs: Feedback and wishes

[DarkDruid 96]

Hello everyone!

As you probably know, there is a new UAV (Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle) system in Arma 3. This system should be more stable and robust than the old version presented in Arma 2. We believe that this change was a big step forward from Arma 2, but we also know that there are still some sharp edges in this feature.

I would like to ask you for constructive feedback on current UAV system in Arma 3.

Please try to explain why do you think that specific part of this system should be changed. We would appreciate even your ideal solution for any issue. You can talk about issues, solutions and your wishes as well. But as usual, try to be polite and don't go off-topic. Our main interest is the UAV system itself and its features. Of course, we would like to have more great UAV models in the game too, but that is not the point of this thread.

I can't promise anything specific in the matter of UAVs right now. But I am going to read all your posts here and I hope we will be able to fix at least some weak spots in the UAV system.

Thank you for your feedback!

[St. Jimmy 272]

Well you very likely know these issues because they're assigned for you but I still put these here:

Add camera stabilization to the UAV, and maybe other aircrafts eventually. Ticket has a good video how Mando Missiles did this.

Let the UAV turret controller control ATGMs.

Set flight heigh above sea level. This and all the quick moves makes the current turret stabilization pretty useless.

[das attorney 858]

• Control enemy UAV's if you can pickup an appropriate enemy terminal. (Or hack them somehow).
  
• 
  
• Ability (module/button) to set them to dog-brain mode - so they don't pick and shoot targets automatically.
  
• 
  
• Set cycle waypoints for UAV's.
  
• 
  
• Have some sort of range factored in so you need to be within xxx metres to control them. (optional)
  
• Please also fix the pathfinding as they do weird things when enemies are around.
  

Edited November 7, 2013 by Das Attorney

[Tyl3r99 41]

hello mr dev!

the PIP flickering would be a great start :P

[ramius86 13]

hello mr dev!

the PIP flickering would be a great start :P

:rolleyes: Yeah, maybe.. Before we will have to do this

;)

[mistyronin 1181]

To me one of the things that make A3 UAV a bit cluncky is the need to activate the terminal in the menu to access to the UAV map; I believe that it would be better to have it included in the normal map ( and with a bigger display, to see properly through the UAV camera ) maybe it could be implemented as a gadget like the radio in the previous Arma, that with double click you can minimize it.

Another accesibility issue is that is not allowed to call any support while you control the UAV, when is precisely one of its main uses. In real life, UAV operators are using the radio to coordinate supports while they watch the screen.

The last thing that could be improved, is to allow the use of its weapon systems while in turret mode, so you can focus on the target.

[semiconductor 309]

Yesterday I spent nearly two hours trying to understand why can't I connect my terminal to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that was created using createVehicle command. Well, turned out that you have to create UAV's crew prior connecting to it, which is not very obvious. :D Probably this feature should be at least documented at wiki.

Related issue: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=12851

Edited November 7, 2013 by Semiconductor

[johnnygitarr 7]

hi,

settings for:

flight height in m

speed of flight in kmp

manual circle size

drawing a path for flight

capability to control the drones from heli

manual fire mode for rockets from linked heli,

please more battery power for the small drone

capability to control ai (heli, jet) like the drones

cheers

Edited November 7, 2013 by johnnygitarr

[St. Jimmy 272]

• Ability (module/button) to set them to dog-brain mode - so they don't pick and shoot targets automatically.
  
• Set cycle waypoints for UAV's.
  
• Please also fix the pathfinding as they do weird things when enemies are around.
  

To me one of the things that make A3 UAV a bit cluncky is the need to activate the terminal in the menu to access to the UAV map; I believe that it would be better to have it included in the normal map ( and with a bigger display, to see properly through the UAV camera ) maybe it could be implemented as a gadget like the radio in the previous Arma, that with double click you can minimize it.

Another accesibility issue is that is not allowed to call any support while you control the UAV, when is precisely one of its main uses. In real life, UAV operators are using the radio to coordinate supports while they watch the screen.

The last thing that could be improved, is to allow the use of its weapon systems while in turret mode, so you can focus on the target.

Very good suggestions. Got to comp these.

It would be nice thing that we could have a hotkey for the UAV terminal at least and do things through that rather than the famous clunky action menu.

[Koukotsu 2]

A picture in picture display for monitoring a live video feed from a UAV's turret cam without the need of opening a UAV terminal would be nice :D

Sort of like... a "tactical flip down helmet mounted display" thingy.

It may not be 100% authentic but it would certainly be a welcome addition in my opinion.

[ramius86 13]

A picture in picture display for monitoring a live video feed from a UAV's turret cam without the need of opening a UAV terminal would be nice :D

Sort of like... a "tactical flip down helmet mounted display" thingy.

It may not be 100% authentic but it would certainly be a welcome addition in my opinion.

? some sort of google glasses are already there since alpha!

[Maio 293]

A picture in picture display for monitoring a live video feed from a UAV's turret cam without the need of opening a UAV terminal would be nice :D

Sort of like... a "tactical flip down helmet mounted display" thingy.

It may not be 100% authentic but it would certainly be a welcome addition in my opinion.

I second this.

I would also enjoy some kind of audio feedback from the UAV's when they are in autonomous mode. Similar to the AI radio protocol.

[squirrel0311 16]

The ability to disable the terminator mode.....

Scenario:

I set 3 friendly CAS Grey Hawks and 1 friendly UGV on the runway...

First I play with the UGV, drive it around, then park it near the end of the runway and turn it off..

Then I send the Grey Hawk on a mission to destroy an enemy tank but it gets shot down.

I send the second one but I take control and accidentally crash it.... (Here's the good part)

On November 7th, 2013 at 11:33AM Central Standard Time the UGV becomes self aware... Sensing that I am responsible for the death of it's super sexy robot girlfriend (The Grey Hawk I crashed manually) ...It promptly chases me down with guns blazing and kills me.

Now don't get me wrong, that feature is kind of cool and I think it would be really cool for some kind of scenario.. but I don't want it shooting me every time I make a mistake.

Also:

Turret operator should have control of the bombs and the laser or at least have the option to use both at the same time.

Bombs should have a better glide slope to avoid the need to dive.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Squirrel0311

[Tyl3r99 41]

:rolleyes: Yeah, maybe.. Before we will have to do this

;)

that happened to me already haha

[Tacti-Cool 10]

Having them not explode when turning on would be a nice starting point.

[L3TUC3 32]

I would like the camera focus/track (or target) on a point and have the UAV circle around it without any more manual control from me than the initial targeting. Also stabilization, the turns when on station to be more flat and the ability to turn off automatic seek and destroy.

Edited November 7, 2013 by L3TUC3

[novahot 1]

For Darter it would be nice to have additional batteries as item for a longer lifetime.

This PiP-feature im trying to figure out in editor since days. I would be great if the UAV-Operator could select to who in his group or squad he should share the live feed. And superfun could be to send the live feed from turret to the monitors of a certain vehicle.

[Sgt.Spoetnik 10]

Re-usable respawn'd UAV's to start,this my biggest pain(without going about with scriping it ourself)some more battery juice for darter.and mayby to be able to call them in for support,and yeah mayby some controller station with a updated interface and indeed some possibility to share it with troops on the ground (on foot/in vehicles).

[JamesSaga 1]

Being able to carry extra batterys for the Darter, or the ability to recharge it.

[Ninjaman666 10]

To be able to fire weapons at what ever cruise height is set at. With out dive bombing like a world war 2 fighter.

[celery 8]

Issues:

1. Darter moves unacceptably slowly when under AI control – under player control it can move ~70 km/h
   
2. Darter's yaw rate is way too slow
   
3. Darter has effectively unlimited fuel when you put it in your backpack and back on the ground
   
4. Waypoint completion radius is too big for Darter
   
5. If you want to take over a UAV's gunner in the terminal, you have to go through its pilot first
   
6. No speed setting
   
7. Altitude options are named too vaguely
   
8. ROE and altitude can't be changed without waypoints
   
9. You become an enemy of the state if you crash a UAV – this feature has never been useful even for proper aircraft
   
10. CAS plane doesn't know what to do with its laser designator or laser-guided bombs(?)
    

[murraywcourt 10]

Darter should not engage targets by default, this is very confusing when you dont understand ai behaviours.

Squad leaders / high command should be able to issue orders from uav turret view, this is more realistic than 3rd person command view.

[Rydygier 1317]

I would like the camera focus/track (or target) on a point and have the UAV circle around it without any more manual control from me than the initial targeting.

This, but not "perfect". There should be some shaking, vibrations, oscilations - whatever can be expected from real UAV camera stabilization in given atmospheric circumstancies, so optimally dependent on wind strength etc. Similar with signal quality. Possibility of all kinds interferences in logical circumstancies (signal range boundry, interference sources (perhaps some building on the map like radars... I'm not a specialist, but there are some out there), equipment malfunctions, random...), fading, signal loss and not-better-than-real image resolution. In other words - as close to real in all beauty of imperfections as possible. All this at least/best optional. Let's there will be possibility for UAV operator to feel more "serious" and less "it's only a game" - simply for improved immersion.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Rydygier

[Kerc Kasha 102]

I'd like to see the Darter made a bit more durable. The drone it's based off is very tough when it comes to collisions and hard landings but the way it is now the thing immediately breaks if it doesn't land completely softly

[da12thMonkey 1943]

To be able to fire weapons at what ever cruise height is set at. With out dive bombing like a world war 2 fighter.

+1 to this.

Not only is it fairly uncharacteristic of how airborne guided weapons are employed, but the AI pilot's low-altitude "strafing run" attack behaviour with the UAV is problematic for players operating the turret trying to maintain a lase, and can also be problematic for AI pilots when it comes to not flying into nearby hillsides, wind turbines etc. :D

The evasive rolling and banking that the AI tries to perform when exiting a strafing run also seems pretty uncharacteristic for a relatively low-manoeuvrability MALE/HALE aircraft, and it's ultimately pretty futile when the aircraft doesn't carry any countermeasures to assist in these evasive manoeuvres.