ChandlerMay, Inc.

Overview

Previously discussed here by UAV Business Review, Huntsville, AL based ChandlerMay, Inc. is a leading UAV ground control station (GCS) integrator. It’s sister company, AME Unmanned Air Systems is a leading UAV and ISR systems developer. Together, they provide a full spectrum of UAV design, development, integration, and manufacturing solutions.

Major Product Offerings

Through both branches of the business, ChandlerMay (CMI) provides a series of solutions in the realms of C4ISR GCS, Unmanned Air Systems, UAV Mission Management, and COTS Rugged and Embedded Computing.

C4ISR Ground Control Stations

Interior of a One System GCS

Provided through ChandlerMay’s Shelter Integration Division, the Company provides shelter enclosed Command and Control systems for tactical UAV applications. Using its expertise in tactical computer systems, is able to provide full turn-key systems support to defense prime contractors and Government end-users.

CMI currently manufactures Ground Control Stations for the US Army’s Shadow (manufactured by AAI) and Gray Eagle (manufactured by GA-ASI) UAVs. Additionally, it provides computing systems and sub-components for both the Pioneer (AAI) and Hunter (IAI) UAVs. All systems, racks, cables, components, subassemblies, and mechanical assemblies in these GCS are built or procured, integrated, and tested by CMI.

Ground Control Stations are utilized by end-users to command and control UAVs. Over 350 ChandlerMay integrated Ground Control Shelters and Portable Ground Control Stations are in the field today.

COTS Rugged and Embedded Computing

CMI uses commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) manufacturing techniques to design and produce unique rugged and embedded computer systems and products for military end-users. CMI has years of experience in Performance Based Logistics (PBL), Reset, and Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3i) and it routinely manages lifecycles for a number of the products it manufactures. CMI is in constant contact with its customers to provide service and has a proven refurbishment process that delivers valuable upgrades to end-users (soldiers) in the field.

Using COTS manufacturing techniques allows CMI to provide faster development turns with a structured update path and forward/backward compatibility for its products.

Unmanned Air Systems

ChandlerMay’s sister company, AME Unmanned Air Systems (AME) designs and manufactures UAVs for military end-users. It specializes in small hand-launched UAVs and larger small tactical UAS (STUAS) for special missions supporting ISR and electronic warfare mission requirements. AME has produced over 1,500 aircraft, making it one of the world’s largest developers and manufacturers of complete unmanned aircraft systems. Its flagship UAV is the Fury, and AME also builds a line of low-cost aerial targets (LCAT), and small handheld UAVs, complete with GCS, data links, ISR payloads, and mission management control software (SharkFin®).

AME's Fury UAV

The Fury is a runway-independent UAV with long-endurance and large-payload capabilities. Originally designed for electronic warfare missions, the Fury’s multiple variants are able to withstand high electronic emissions environments while delivering more than 400 Watts to the payload during sustained flight. With its low signature, the Fury can support missions where radar, visual, infra-red, and acoustic detection is to be avoided.

The Fury is launcher-deployed and net-captured, similarly to Boeing/Insitu’s ScanEagle and Integrator, can operate from any situation across today’s mission spectrum. It has a wingspan of 14.3 feet and a length of 6.8 feet. The Fury’s large and modular payload bay and plug-and-play architecture simplifies payload integration while its STANAG 4586 control design enables quick implementation across multiple mission sets. For more information on the Fury UAV, see a company-provided product card here.

On the small UAV side of the house, AME has produced over 1,500 unmanned aircraft systems, including capabilities for full system customization, payload integration, and mission control.

AME's SkyShark

Among its engineered UAV products, AME produces a stabilized camera gimbal system, known as the SkyShark It was designed for use in small unmanned aircraft. It is a high-end camera payload for small UAVs which incorporates a compact design with advanced control and image processing algorithms. It provides high definition EO, high resolution LWIR, and low light EO video capabilities that yields high performance 24 hour imagery.

UAS Mission Management

AME produces UAV and ISR mission management software known as SharkFin. It provides navigation control, video display, and payload control in one integrated, commercial software package. It includes a sophisticated toolset of decision aids, optimization algorithms, and situational awareness displays. Furthermore, SharkFin is meant for extension — its modular architecture allows for customization, integration, and expansion, all done as plug-ins to the core.

SharkFin is designed for a network environment, wherein many planners and operators collaborate across a network, simultaneously planning and controlling multiple aircraft. Using the SharkFin interface, customized as desired, operators, planners, and analysts can collaborate over multiple UAV and ISR assets, optimize mission performance, and pass control of payloads and even aircraft to others on the network. All of this is done using a simple interface directly on a geo-referenced video display. For more information on the SharkFin, see AME’s product card PDF here.

Company Ownership and Strategy Overview

Founded in 1989 and based in Huntsville, Alabama, ChandlerMay was privately-held until being acquired in December 2005 by Arlington Capital Partners, a Maryland based private equity group with more than $1 billion of committed capital. Arlington Capital focuses its investments in fields that include aerospace and defense, government IT, and highly-engineered manufacturing.

In September 2009, under the ownership of Arlington Capital, CMI acquired Aeromech Engineering, Inc., now known as AME Unmanned Air Systems. Presumably, this acquisition was made to improve and expand CMI’s UAV offerings and to give it credibility as a legitimate player in the design and manufacture of combat-ready UAV platforms.

Back in August 2011, AME formed a strategic alliance with AAI Unmanned Systems regarding unmanned systems development. AAI develops the highly-successful RQ-7 Shadow UAV, so this alliance should be seen as direct evidence that AME is taken seriously in the world of platform development and manufacture. For more on the strategic alliance, see UAV Business Review’s coverage here.

Industry Position

Given the nature of private equity ownership, one can assume that ChandlerMay will one day be on the sale block. With its investment in AME and subsequent capabilities in UAV platform development and manufacture as well as its UAV control software and hardware offerings, CMI will likely be seen as an attractive acquisition candidate by a strategic player looking to expand its unmanned capabilities.

 

Sources: ChandlerMay’s website, publicly available information