In a first for civilian unmanned air vehicles, a Codarra Advanced Systems Avatar has autonomously changed its flight plan and taken the quickest route to a waypoint.
The UAV achieved the feat over the Australian Army's Graytown range, north of Melbourne, on a 2km (1nm) course. Using real-time GPS wind readings and flight performance data, the UAV's navigation software directed its autopilot to one of the optional waypoints for a quicker route. In the next 12 months continued testing will include teamed UAV flights, starting with two UAVs that can autonomously communicate.
"We are looking forward with confidence to the day when a team of 10 UAVs could be controlled by one operator," says Dr Andrew Lucas, managing director of Agent Orientated Software, which supplied the decision-making software. In the project organised by Australia's Defence Science and Technology Organisation, the UAV had two optional waypoint goals, both about 500m (1,640ft) east and west of the original track. The UAV has a personal digital agent (PDA) linked to its flight control system. The PDA carries intelligent agent software, which made the route decision.
Source: Flight International
