Someone up for creating a MICRO UAV?

[Helmut_AUT 0]

I really like the addition of the Predator and Russian Drone to the inventory, together with the user friendly and easy implementation trough game logic.

But, lets be honest - for what we are using it in game, the Predator is overkill. A player might realistically be commanding a platoon, at best a company in game - I doubt Officers of that rank have a real-time handle on a Predator and where it goes. Also for range and endurance, the Predator is much more than any A2 mission will likely ever need.

Something that would fit in well with the more common mission type, and which is actually used by Marines (not on loan from the Air Force), would be the WASPIII Micro UAV. This thing has a 5km range and 45 minute flight time, quite adequate for most infantry assaults.

If a bit more range and endurance are wanted, the RQ-11 Raven (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RQ-11_Raven) or the Dragon Eye (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Eye) could be modelled.

Downside to these three designs is that their primary camera is a fixed side-looking type, so instead of the movable turret now modelled on the game's Predator, you'd have a system that flys circles around a spot and keeps the camera aligned. But that's plenty for recon work, and no one says you can't still model it as "movable turret" for game purposes.

Upside to them - a considerable upside - is that these are man-portable, hand-launched UAVs. Make it two pieces of large gear (one the Drone, one the control system), only one of which would fit in the "RPG/M136/Javelin Slot" so it needs two soldiers to carry, and give one of them the ability to "launch" (spawn) the UAV when needed. The soldier with the control gear (or the Unit Commander, if the Soldier is AI) can then use a menu action to connect with the UAV and get the images, no need for a dedicated UAV Terminal Object.

So basically, my suggestion is:

Give the user a choice not only for a theatre-level MALE UAV like the Predator which currently has to be placed by the mission designer beforehand, but also for a man-portable, "deployed during the mission" design that might even avoid the need to have it scripted into the mission - if the scripts can be packed with the "Gear", any player could select the UAVs from the Gear Selection screen before a mission.

The hand-launched UAVs would be much better suited to the role I'm seeing them mainly used for in A2 - when an Infantry Squad - or Platoon - under Player Command prepares for an Assault on a village or fortified enemy position, to gain aerial overview and recon information before actually commencing the assault. The Predator doesn't really fit realistically in that role.

Edited June 15, 2009 by Helmut_AUT

[frederf 0]

I think that a micro "recon only" small scale UAV would be a great resource for mission makers. However the Addon Request Thread is http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=74039

ArmA1 and ArmA2 have suffered from the "too big" syndrome for a while: MLRS artillery with 60+km range on a map with a 15km width, 8km range hellfires in a viewdistance of a quarter that or less, etc.

[rstratton 0]

how about a 1/4 scale ah6?

[Helmut_AUT 0]

ArmA1 and ArmA2 have suffered from the "too big" syndrome for a while: MLRS artillery with 60+km range on a map with a 15km width, 8km range hellfires in a viewdistance of a quarter that or less, etc.

Hehe, given that the MRLS in game doesn't even cover all of Chenarus, they are using "too big" stuff and cutting down on capability instead of the right sized material to begin with. My sentiments exactly, that's why I'd want a smaller UAV. Also posted for modders, but it is really something BIS might look into, especially the "packed as gear item" solution.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

A: A reusable 'rocket launcher' (ala SMAW). Can only be 'fired' if a nearby unit has the control module as active weapon. Instant and magical autoreload if he doesn't, but it won't trigger the script.

A: EH-Fired removes the 'shell' and spawns a script where the UAV is launched. AI might have problems with this though (ala ACE disposable problems).

B: Controls the UAV remotely similarly to the current one which I have not tried yet.

A: Provides close security for the operator, and/or make notes on the map marking things manually based on the operators observations. A should have a marker though where it is.

B: Lands the UAV near. If successful creates a new 'ammo round'. If too hard, creates a 'unusable ammo' (but can be picked up, usefor for scripted repair functions if any). Refuel/recharge might have to be scripted.

Although I agree on the 'too big' sort of kind of... What infantry work without support? It's the mission designers responsibility to see to that unreasonable amounts of hardware is avoided. But also players are to blaim. If they see a tank, they destroy it... Wtf? What happened to taking a detour? And even if you hint about it in a mission, they complain when the enemy retaliates for taking out their tank, lol.

Although MLRS seems a little like overkill, I don't mind the range issues of it. Sometimes you might want MLRS and not the smaller stuff. Sometimes you might want the mortars only. Hopefully we won't see missions that utilize everything and too often.

But, and this is important, these new vehicles should not always be a support element, but a threat element you might have to eliminate. There could be missions where you don't get artillery support until their moving BM21s and artillery radar has been taken out. A moving BM21 is a completely different thing than a stationary D30 battery. And when you do get artillery support, maybe all you get is smoke and illumination due to current ROE. It doesn't always have to be about the firepower...

I think some of you guys should grow a bigger imagination :D

[scubaman3D 0]

There's a couple micro UAVs already created...floating around - waiting to be implemented ;)