Pioneer Award - Frank Pace, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
This award distinguishes an AUVSI member or non-member whose innovative ideas and ground-breaking research have contributed to the development of outstanding unmanned systems. The recipient’s dedication to the advancement of unmanned systems is evident through his/her perseverance from the initial concept and design, through advanced testing and production, to the final delivery phase.
For nearly three decades, Frank Pace has been a pioneer in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). As President of the Aircraft Systems Group of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), Mr. Pace leads the engineering development, design, and oversight of the company's UAS programs. His innovative engineering programs have dramatically improved UAS capabilities, accelerated global UAS procurement, and established the standard against which all other UAS are judged.
Mr. Pace has engineered a series of innovative improvements that have revolutionized UAS capabilities, including laser designation, aircraft weaponization, triple redundant flight controls, heavy-fuel engine, digital engine controller,sophisticated ground control stations, a Ku-Band data link satellite control system, and many more. His superb engineering judgment and foresight allows him to make quick critical decisions with limited data and keep programs moving forward at a rapid pace. Mr. Pace has spearheaded the engineering conceptualization, design and development of numerous UAS programs, including the GNAT® 750, I-GNAT, Predator®, I-GNAT Extended Range (ER)/Sky Warrior® Alpha, Predator B, Altair®, Sky Warrior, Predator C Avenger®, and several other UAS. His engineering prowess, vision, and innovation have been pivotal to GA-ASI's development and production of more than 430 proven and reliable UAS that have logged over 1,000,000 flight hours, with nearly 90-percent of that time spent in combat. Additionally, he has successfully managed contracting and delivery of the company's UAS to the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S . Navy, NASA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Turkey, Italy, and the UK, as well as other U.S. and international customers.
Mr. Pace's engineering achievements have produced a series of proven UAS that have been critical to both U.S. and coalition forces during combat operations in the Balkans Conflict, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. As such, Frank Pace is most deserving of the AUVSI 2010 Pioneer Award.