Advancing Military UAS and CUAS Technologies: A Two-Day Event at Xelevate’s Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence

For a two-day event hosted by George Mason University at Xelevate’s Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence in Leesburg, Virginia, on May 21st and 22nd, industry providers gathered to fully demonstrate the latest UAS and CUAS technologies for real-life military operations. TruWeather Solutions was co-located in the Command Center advising on weather impacts to planned mission scenarios ensuring operational readiness.

Attendees included members of the 9th Air Force (AFCENT) and the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), who explored the full capabilities of advanced drone infrastructure.

TruWeather Solutions played a crucial role in the event, primarily focusing on maintaining situational awareness of localized weather conditions throughout both days. The weather team, comprising Don Berchoff, Marshall Hobbs, and James Luehrs, utilized the V360 weather software to provide the flight operation team, event staff, and distinguished guests with timely updates on any potential inclement weather. Fortunately, weather conditions remained favorable for flying during the entire event.

In addition to monitoring weather, TruWeather Solutions educated attendees on the potential impact of inclement weather on military UAS operations. While the event experienced favorable weather, TruWeather emphasized that in real military scenarios, conditions such as thunderstorms, sandstorms, high winds, and heavy fog could significantly affect drone mission effectiveness. Understanding how to leverage weather as a tactical advantage could be crucial for future military operations.

TruWeather Solutions demonstrated its advanced capabilities for battlespace scenarios by the integration of real-time weather data into defense systems and providing mission-critical analysis through API services. The event marked a significant milestone for TruWeather Solutions, highlighting the importance of their low-altitude sensing and analysis technologies as military operations increasingly rely on BVLOS drone flights in an evolving battlespace.