News

Congress Sets 2015 Deadline for Unmanned Aircraft Systems to Fly in the National Airspace
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a compromise FAA bill including UAS provisions
By Ben Gielow 2/2/2012

After five years, and 23 extensions, Congress is finally poised to put an FAA bill on the President’s desk for his signature.  For the first-time ever, Congress tasked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with coming up with a plan to safely expedite the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system. AUVSI, the world’s largest non-profit trade association representing the unmanned systems industry, played an instrumental role in drafting and advocating for the UAS language in the bill.

 “Although unmanned aircraft have been around for decades, the rapid technological advancements made by the military in the past decade has matured the technology to the point where we now know we can safely fly UAS to accomplish those tasks that are too dangerous, difficult, dull, or expensive, for manned aircraft,” said AUVSI’s President & CEO Michael Toscano. “UAS are a revolutionary-type technology that will completely alter the way we think about aviation in the future, and this legislation marks the beginning for how the FAA will regulate this fast-evolving industry.”

Some of the major UAS provisions in the FAA bill include:

• Setting a 30 Sept. 2015 deadline for full integration of UAS into the national airspace;
• Requiring a comprehensive integration plan within nine months;
• Requiring the FAA to create a five-year UAS roadmap (which should be updated annually);
• Requiring small UAS (under 55lbs) to be allowed to fly within 27 months;
• Requiring six UAS test sites within six months (similar to the language in the already-passed Defense Authorization bill);
• Requiring small UAS (under 55lbs) be allowed to fly in the U.S. Arctic, 24-hours-a-day, beyond line-of-sight, at an altitude of at least 2,000 ft, within one year;
• Requiring expedited access for public users, such as law enforcement, firefighters, emergency responders, etc.;
• Allowing first responders to fly very small UAS (4.4lbs or less) within 90 days if they meet certain requirements;
  • The goal is to get law enforcement and firefighters immediate access to start flying small systems to save lives and increase public safety.
• Requiring the FAA to study UAS human factors and causes of accidents; and
• Exempting model aircraft, so long as the aircraft weighs less than 55lbs and follows a set of community-based safety standards.

The Senate is expected to pass its version of the FAA Bill early next week.

Defense officials gave another forecast of future defense spending changes on 26 Jan., including saying the Air Force Block 30 variant of Northrop Grumman's high-flying Global Hawk will be canceled.

“It's an example of the way that we need to pay attention to cost performance with a budget like the one we have,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said in a Pentagon briefing. “Block 30 was supposed to replace the U-2 for taking pictures from the air, and that was the idea, to do it with the UAV.”

However, he said, “The Block 30 priced itself out of the niche for taking pictures from the air. The Global Hawk became expensive, and that's the fate of things that become too expensive in a resource-constrained environment.”

Carter noted that the Block 40, Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) and NATO versions of the Global Hawk are unaffected by the change.

Northrop Grumman released a statement saying that while it's pleased about the fate of those variants, it's disappointed in the Block 30 move and plans to work with the Pentagon to “assess alternatives to program termination.”

It said the U-2 program is aging and  “places pilots in danger, has limited flight duration and provides limited sensor capacity. Extending the U-2’s service life also represents additional investment requirements for that program.”

Other Systems

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, speaking at an earlier briefing, said unmanned systems in general are one area of investment protected over the next five years, as they are one element needed to support a more agile force.

“What we're looking at is multimission weaponry and technology that can support that agile force,” Panetta said.

The pending five-year budget plan, to be revealed in February, calls for increasing defense spending to $567 billion by fiscal year 2017, rather than growing to the previously projected $622 billion, a reduction of $259 billion over five years.

“We have to retain a decisive technological edge,” Panetta said. “We have to retain the kind of leverage the lessons of recent conflict have given us.”

To that end, the budget protects “key components of the force that are adept in executing” the mission of counterterrorism, say budget documents released at the briefing. The budget maintains the people and platforms needed to sustain 65 Air Force combat air patrols using unmanned aircraft, with the ability to surge to 85 CAPs when needed. The budget also contains funding for sea-based systems such as Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout helicopter and “new unmanned systems with increased capabilities” for advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

However, it notes that Predator aircraft are being used longer than previously planned, which allows the DOD to slow the buy of larger, more advanced Reaper aircraft, although funding is retained for the U.S. Army's Gray Eagle UAS. All are built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

House Homeland Security Committee member Rep. Henry Cuellar to Address AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Program Review
By: Mario D. Mairena 1/17/12

AUVSI confirms that Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security and co-chair of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus will be the luminary speaker for Maritime Systems Day on 9 Feb. at AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Program Review 2012.
 
“I am thrilled to attend AUVSI’s unmanned systems conference. We have seen the tremendous asset that unmanned vehicle systems have been for our homeland security agencies, especially along our Southwest border, and it is imperative that we continue exploring and expanding the many possibilities that this cutting-edge technology has to offer,” commented Rep. Cuellar upon confirming for USPR 2012.
 
“AUVSI is honored to have Congressman Cuellar as the luminary speaker on Maritime Day for AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Program Review 2012. As co-chair of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus, Congressman Cuellar has been a friend and great supporter to the unmanned systems community,” said AUVSI President & CEO Michael Toscano.

AUVSI applauds DOD for continued funding of unmanned systems in strategic defense review
By: Melanie Hinton 1/5/12

The Association for  Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) applauds Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for ensuring the U.S. Department of Defense will continue funding for unmanned systems in the Strategic Defense Review.

The language in the review calls for a continued reliance on new technology, including armed and unarmed unmanned systems, as the military increasingly focuses on security in the Asia-Pacific region and forges “small footprint” alliances with other nations around the world.

“In light of the budget cuts the Department of Defense must make, we are heartened to see that Secretary of Defense Panetta will continue to invest in utilizing unmanned systems to protect and work with troops in theater,” said AUVSI President & CEO Michael Toscano.

US-Canada sign agreement on regulatory cooperation, includes UAS

On 7 Dec. President Barack Obama and Canada Prime Minister Harper signed an agreement that deals primarily with impediments to cross border traffic, but it also includes a small section dealing with small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). The agreement is based on a Regulatory Cooperation Council Joint Action Plan and contains in part:

“... for unmanned aircraft systems—aircraft weighing less than 35 kg used for flight testing, aerial photography, filming for television documentaries, or offshore geophysical surveys. Canada and the U.S. can jointly undertake to develop and adopt common standards for unmanned aircraft systems and establish a mechanism to share regulatory experiences, with a view to aligning regulatory approaches.”

AUVSI members are currently heavily involved with a Transport Canada working group developing regulations for operation of UAS in Canadian air space – Phase 1 of that exercise is nearing completion.

AUVSI remembers those who served in Iraq

As the war in Iraq comes to an end, AUVSI would like to thank and honor the brave men and women of the U.S. armed forces and allied troops for the past nine years of their tireless service in the conflict in Iraq.

This war saw the proliferation of the unmanned systems technology that AUVSI and our members are so passionate about. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all the companies that, through their technology, kept soldiers safe, be it unmanned aircraft monitoring from above or ground vehicles taking soldiers out of harm’s way of dangerous improvised explosives.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has said, “The cost was high — in blood and treasure of the United States, and also for the Iraqi people. But those lives have not been lost in vain — they gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign Iraq.”

We would like to echo Panetta’s sentiments and recognize the sacrifice of the Iraqi citizens, who have struggled to live in a free country.

The continued growth of the unmanned systems industry has helped maintain the security of the United States’ borders, and will continue to watch over our soldiers in Afghanistan. During this holiday season, we at AUVSI ask that you take some time to think of the sacrifices made abroad for there to be peace at home in the United States and our allied nations.

AUVSI announces new date for AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2012
By: Melanie Hinton

Mark your calendars with the new dates for AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2012. This year’s annual conference will be held 6-9 Aug. at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The date change reflects new formatting for this year’s conference, which will kick off on Monday, 6 Aug. with educational programming in the afternoon. The tradeshow portion of the week will run 7-9 Aug. New this year — all attendees will have access to the daily General Sessions.

According to AUVSI President & CEO Michael Toscano, “We made the format change this year to promote more dedicated time in the exhibit hall and continue offering our high-quality educational programming with fewer conflicts. We will still have the fantastic networking opportunities for attendees that AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America has become known for providing.”

For more information, visit www.auvsishow.org

HASC Chair Rep. McKeon will Address AUVSI Program Review Attendees

AUVSI is pleased to confirm that Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), chair of the House Armed Services Committee and co-chair of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus, will be the keynote speaker on Air Day, Wednesday, 8 February, for AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Program Review 2012.
 
“I’m honored to accept AUVSI’s invitation. Unmanned systems give our forces a definitive edge in combat, and AUVSI has been at the forefront of innovation and advocacy for this critical field. I look forward to engaging with the men and women who have made this indispensable technology possible,” commented Rep. McKeon upon confirming for the event.
 
“AUVSI is honored to have Congressman McKeon speaking on Air Day for AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems Program Review 2012. Congressman McKeon has been, and continues to be, one of the biggest supporters for the unmanned systems community,” said AUVSI President & CEO Michael Toscano.
 
For more information about AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Program Review 2012, visit www.auvsi.org/uspr.

ADEX 2011: Korea Wants Robots

By: Danielle Lucey, October 24, 2011

While no unmanned systems could be seen flying over the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, the swell of their numbers on the show floor was indicative of the Asian peninsula country’s desire for increased security and surveillance capability.

Many of the show’s Korean-based companies and UAS projects detailed by the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration seemed in their infancy, many still in production or testing, some even after 10 years of work.

Korean Air, known more for their commercial airliners, displayed around five UAS display models in its booth, ranging from medium to large in size, all in different stages of development.

The company’s KUS-9 — with its distinctive twin booms and helicopter-style skids — is currently in production, according to Ho Jip Keum, deputy general manager of Korean Air’s aerospace business division. Its KUS-X is appears very similar to Northrop Grumman’s X-47B combat air vehicle, and the KUS-15 looks like Korea’s answer to the MQ-9 Reaper minus the bulbous nose. Keum was hesitant to give any details on the aircraft’s operational capabilities, though he said the KUS-15 is up for DAPA project consideration.

The company also showed the Smart UAV, a tiltrotor aircraft that is also currently going through flight tests at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute.

Speaking through a translator at the show’s AUVSI-sponsored Unmanned Systems East seminar, KARI’s Sam Ok Koo talked about the project, which has been ongoing for nearly 10 years.

“The Smart UAV program started in 2002, and this program is designed … with our local technologies to develop unmanned aircraft. … Many experts have gathered together at KARI, but industry, university students and overseas organizations are also participating in our program so there are more than 100 people participating.” 

While the aircraft has successfully demonstrated its helicopter-style flight tests, the project has yet to test-fly its fixed-wing capability. The company also has yet to test the aircraft’s autonomous conversion between the two flight styles.

“This is a very careful and sensitive process,” he says.

Another large homegrown player, Hanwha, one of the busiest booths at the show, displayed its air, ground and maritime unmanned systems, including small UAS and a ground robot that also acts as a smart grenade. Some of these projects were also in evidence at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2011, where the company also exhibited.

Hanwha’s Crow UAV comes in two sizes, the larger for battalions and the smaller a hand-launchable for squad troops. The company plans on supplying the smaller unit starting in 2012, while the larger Crow is still in development.

Through work with the U.S. military, Hanwha has also developed a flapping wing unmanned system, the Flapping MAV, which the company will be done developing in three or four years, says Fatin Yoon, international business development and marketing manager for Hanwha. 

The SG Robot, while a little out of place at an air show, is a throwable robot that can be tossed by grenade launchers up to 100 meters and relays back video of its surroundings. If a threat is presented to the SG Robot, it turns into a “smart grenade” and detonates.

All AUVSI photos. Please ask for permission before use.

AUVSI Cautions FAA to Stay the Course on UAS Integration into the National Airspace System
September 30, 2011

In light of this week’s failed plot againt the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol with remote-controlled model planes packed with explosives, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) cautions the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) against implementing burdensome regulations that could potentially set back the safe integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) by 2015 as currently written in the pending FAA Reauthorization Bills (H.R. 658, S. 223).

The FAA also is devising new rules, via a federal aviation rulemaking process, for the safe integration of small UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS) with an anticipated integration deadline of 2013. AUVSI continues to support this effort and hopes this incident does not affect the FAA's current timeline.

AUVSI feels we need more intelligence not more regulation and concur with Rep. John Mica (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, when he stated that although model aircraft could be attractive to terrorists, the way to combat that problem is through better intelligence.

Michael Toscano, president and CEO of AUVSI, stated, "we remain committed to assisting the FAA in developing solutions to this complex issue and we look forward to our continued work with the FAA on ensuring safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System."

About AUVSI:
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) represents 7,000 members worldwide from more than 2,100 organizations from industry, government and academia and is the leading global organization representing the views of the unmanned systems community to lawmakers and regulators. AUVSI is involved with efforts to increase access and safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system; create standards for all types of unmanned systems; address restrictive export control policies, and expedite license approvals for unmanned systems technologies. www.auvsi.org

AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2011 DVDs, proceedings now available
September 27, 2011

Couldn't make it to AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2011? Want to see the General Sessions and Panel Sessions again because they were THAT good? We have the DVDs you need.

The DVD includes audio and powerpoint presentations of all General Sessions and Panel Sessions (where the speaker approved content). Orders can be placed at: http://www.associationarchives.com/auvsi. The DVD pricing is $249/members and $349/nonmembers.

Event proceedings (technical papers and PDF presentations with NO audio) are available at www.auvsi.org/2011proceedings. Full registrants can access them at no charge, others can purchase them by emailing info@auvsi.org. 
 

Army Makes MUSIC with Manned, Unmanned Aircraft
By: Brett Davis, September 16, 2011

One after another, the unmanned aircraft took to the clear blue skies over Dugway Proving Ground, Utah: an MQ-1C Gray Eagle; an MQ-5B Hunter; an RQ-7B Shadow; a Puma hand-launched UAS; and the even smaller hand-launched RQ-11B Raven. Two manned helicopters took off as well, an Apache and a Kiowa.

Within minutes, the U.S. Army demonstrated how these systems could work together, relaying information and video and swapping control of the various sensors on the aircraft.

The demonstration was Manned Unmanned System Integration Capability (MUSIC), the first of many planned exercises intended to show how increasing levels of interoperability can benefit the warfighter.

It highlighted a series of recent developments: The first time a Universal Ground Control Station operated three types of unmanned aircraft (Gray Eagle, Hunter and Shadow); the first time a One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) controlled the sensor ball on an unmanned aircraft; and the debut of the Triclops sensor suite, three sensor payloads carried by a single Gray Eagle.

Pulling off MUSIC took an unprecedented level of cooperation among Army offices and a variety of defense contractors, said Col. Timothy Baxter, the new project manager for unmanned aircraft systems at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., which headed up the effort.

"It's something that ... I haven't seen on any other program," Baxter said on 15 Sept. at a media day preview of the event.

Baxter's deputy, Tim Owings, said "What we're going to see today is going to change the future of the Army for a long while."

The MUSIC demo went off without a hitch, as the eyes in the sky tracked the movements of pretend enemies on the base in real-time. Control of the various sensor feeds in the air was handed back and forth with little delay, including the new ability of the hand-held OSRVT to take command of a sensor ball. The Hunter was also able to send its video feed into the cockpit of the Apache, a capability that has already been fielded in limited amounts.

At the end of the demo, the Kiowa, cued with data from the unmanned aircraft, mock-destroyed a friendly tank to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

Army officials said at a question-and-answer session later that MUSIC is the first of a planned series of demonstrations, one that will include more capabilities — data from signals intelligence sensors, wide-area surveillance systems, etc. — and even inter-service cooperation.

Unmanned Systems Make a Bang at DSEi 2011
By: Danielle Lucey, September 13, 2011

Unmanned systems companies are abound at this year’s Defence and Security Equipment International, a soup-nuts defense conference taking place this week in London.
 
About 100 unmanned systems companies are represented at the event, some of which are located in a special unmanned pavilion area at the show.
 
Inside the unmanned area is the Unmanned Theatre, allowing companies the opportunity to show their latest wares. Some of the companies that have taken up the challenge today are Cranfield Aerospace, a U.K. company tasked with commercializing the concepts borne at Cranfield University.
 
With work on the Boeing Phantom Works X-48B and QinetiQ’s Observer under its belt, the company discussed how simplification of unmanned platforms and their operation could enhance the capabilities of smaller-sized unmanned systems.
 
The company has developed an essentially half-sized platform of the Observer, the MinO, and is currently developing and hoping to commercialize a vertical takeoff and landing system, unique in its four-wing design. Shaped similarly to the feathers of a dart, the new single-motor, single-propeller system is aimed at reconnaissance and surveillance needs. Cranfield is currently working on simplifying its takeoff and landing process, which currently uses a parachute.
 
Another UAV company, the United States’ Insitu discussed its foray into the VTOL market with Inceptor. Designed for the law enforcement market, the lithium battery-powered mini helicopter costs as little as a squad car, said Steve Tanner, director of business development for the company.
 
Sponsored by AUVSI, a Robotics and Unmanned Systems Showcase area sits next to the Unmanned Theatre and is not only showing attendees the capabilities of air and ground robotics, but it’s also making for a loud and lively event.
 
Robots from Selex Galileo, ReconRobotics, Northrop Grumman and QinetiQ, to name a few, are playing out an anti-IED scenario twice a day, with live fire fighting scenarios sending artificial gunfire whizzing past the systems. Through the smoke and explosions, the robots aerially survey the enemy while troops on the ground use a variety of sized ground robotics to open a car trunk and examine a possible IED threat, scope out the area so the troops can advance, pull a casualty from the battlefield and fly into a building to get up-close information. The demos will continue daily in the mornings at 10:30 and every afternoon through Thursday at 3:30.

MTSU, Army team to start UAS center
By: Danielle Lucey, August 22, 2011

Middle Tennessee State University and the Army Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems announced Thursday they have joined in a memorandum of understanding to establish the Center for Unmanned Systems Operational Advancement and Research at the university.

Located in Murfreesboro, Tenn., about two hours from the PM UAS office, MTSU will begin a dedicated curriculum centered on unmanned systems inside its airspace sciences major.

said Kyle Snyder, UAS program director for MTSU.

The school also has multiple certificates of authorization from the FAA that allow them to fly Insitu’s ScanEagle, AAI Corp.’s Aerosonde and an L-3 Viking 400. Next they will work on securing smaller UAS, starting when the Army supplies the school with Ravens this fall. The COAs allow the school to fly at less than 10,000 feet in Savannah, Tenn., at ISR Group’s facility, the school’s industry partner. MTSU’s flying data will be available for use by the PM UAS.

Currently 16 students are enrolled in the first unmanned systems course, starting this fall. 

AUVSI Announces Newly Elected Board of Directors
August 18, 2011

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) announced during its annual AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2011 its newly elected leaders on its Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee will be led by incoming Chairman of the Board Peter Bale, Executive Vice Chair John Lademan, First Vice Chairman Ralph Alderson, Treasurer Joe Brannan; and Immediate Past Chairman John Lambert.

Newly elected AUVSI Board of Directors:
COL (Ret) John Burke
Tom Faller
RADM (ret) Timothy Heely
Neil Hunter
Dr. Mark Patterson
Dr. Virginia (Suzy) Young

Continuing Board of Directors Members:
Michele Kalphat
Chris Mailey
Chad Partridge
Dave Seagle
Grant Begley
Matt England
Gene Fraser
Stephen Newton
David Place
Peter Smith

“We are grateful to the continuing dedication of our members to help take AUVSI to the next level and meet the needs of this growing, ever changing industry,” said AUVSI President and CEO Michael Toscano. “The AUVSI staff and I look forward to working with Peter and the rest of the board to meet the challenges and opportunities available to the unmanned  systems and robotics industry.”

Lynch: Some robots are good, more would be better
By: Brett Davis, August 16, 2011

Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch said he has seen progress in the development of military robotics and unmanned systems, but he’d like to see more, including a renewed push for more autonomous systems.

The United States is worrying about deficits and jobs, but is still fighting two wars. A greater use of unmanned systems is one way to cut budgets while still winning conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere, he said at the opening session of AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2011.

Unmanned systems can help achieve three goals, said Lynch, the commanding general of U.S. Army Installation Management Command and the assistant chief of staff for installation management. They are: improve surveillance; reduce the soldiers’ workload; and increase the survivability of service members.

Using small unmanned aircraft can provide an overview but don’t have enough loiter time to provide “persistent stare,” he said, and that’s something soldiers need to be able to spot enemy fighters who are placing improvised explosive devices.

Greater autonomy can help ease the burden on unmanned systems operators, Lynch said, but too often the military is satisfied with the remotely operated systems of today.

“I used those tele-operated systems, my soldiers did as well, and I thank God for those systems,” Lynch said. However, “I believe candidly that we could accelerate the development of autonomous technology” if it’s deemed important enough.

“If you want to reduce the workload, and we do, you’ve got to keep the warfighter in the loop but he doesn’t have to be dedicated to that particular mission,” Lynch said. He also said he doesn’t see a problem with armed robots, which already exist in theater in the form of armed unmanned aircraft and remote-controlled gun stations.

Increasing the survivability of soldiers is the best thing unmanned systems can help achieve, Lynch said, which can partly be achieved by getting more of the technology into the field.

Many soldiers die clearing routes of IEDS in vehicles and “the majority of those vehicles, unfortunately, are manned vehicles, and they don’t need to be.”

Others die in convoys delivering needed weapons and supplies. “We could have done [robotic] convoy technology a long time ago, we have the technology,” Lynch said.

DOD Throws Support to National Robotics Initiative through Defense University Research Instrumentation Program
By: Melanie Hinton, August 5, 2011

On 3 August the Office of Science & Technology Policy announced that the Department of Defense is also supporting the National Robotics Initiative through the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. This $40 million program, supported by the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, strengthens the capability of universities to conduct research and educate scientists and engineers in areas that are important to national defense.

The FY12 solicitation specifically encourages proposals for purchases of equipment that can support research in robotics, “given the continuing priority of that research area to a wide range of defense technologies and applications, including unmanned ground, air, sea and undersea vehicles and autonomous systems.”

This announcement is critical to the success of the National Robotics Initiative, given the role that equipment can play in enabling researchers to develop next-generation applications. It is hoped that DURIP's participation in the NRI will serve as a catalyst for additional partnerships between the robotic industry and the academic research community.

About the NRI
At a speech at Carnegie Mellon University on 24 June, President Obama launched the National Robotics Initiative as part of a broader effort to promote a renaissance of American manufacturing through the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.  Four agencies (the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, and the Department of Agriculture) have issued a joint solicitation that will provide research funding for next-generation robotics.

This initiative focuses on developing robots that work with or beside people to extend or augment human capabilities, taking advantage of the different strengths of humans and robots. In addition to investing in the core technology needed for next-generation robotics, the initiative will support applications such as robots that can:

• Increase the productivity of workers in the manufacturing sector;
• Assist astronauts in dangerous and expensive missions;
• Help scientists accelerate the discovery of new, life-saving drugs; and
• Improve food safety by rapidly sensing microbial contamination.

Partial FAA Shutdown Continues – Dramatically Impacting the UAS Offices

By Ben Gielow
August 1, 2011

Update: The House adjourned for its August recess on Monday, 1 Aug., and the Senate is expected to adjourn by the end of the week. If the Senate does not take up and pass H.R. 2553, the FAA will remain partially shutdown until sometime in the fall. To read the bill, click here.


On 22 July the Federal Aviation Administration’s authority to collect and spend taxes that fund much of the aviation system expired. Since the last multi-year FAA bill expired in 2007, the FAA had been operating under 20 short-term extensions. Although Congress usually passes “clean” extensions, which do not include policy changes, the House attached a controversial provision on its 21st extension bill, which the Senate refuses to take up. The current fight is over subsidies to the Essential Air Service program, which provides airlines incentives to provide service to small airports. The House bill would prevent EAS subsidies from going to airports that are closer than 90 miles from a major airport and prevent subsidies over $1,000 per passenger per flight (which currently affects three airports in the United States).

The result of this partial shutdown means that 200 capital projects at airports have been stopped or cut back and that 3,500 FAA employees have been furloughed. The FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Program Office has about half of its employees furloughed, while the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Group staff has been decreased by 80 percent. Because of the reduced staff, the FAA is currently only reviewing UAS emergency and disaster relief certificates of authorization. In addition, the shutdown means that the federal treasury is losing $25 million to $30 million in tax revenue each day.

Because the FAA shutdown largely has been overshadowed by the negotiations surrounding the federal debt ceiling, some are concerned that the FAA may not get an extension until after the Congressional August recess. AUVSI members are encouraged to contact their members of Congress and tell them to take up and pass the multi-year FAA authorization bill, which includes important provisions in integrating unmanned aircraft into the national airspace. If you're an AUVSI member, you can send a pre-written letter to your representatives by clicking here.

Team SONIA Lands Elusive RoboSub Win

By Danielle Lucey
July 19, 2011

It’s been 11 years in the making, including four third-place and two second-place results, but team SONIA from the École de technologie superieure has finally achieved what has escaped it for so long — a first-place win at the AUVSI Foundation’s RoboSub contest. 

With the win, SONIA not only trumped history but also a very strong team from Cornell University, winners of the last two years of the competition, held once again this year at SPAWAR San Diego’s TRANSDEC facility. 

Competing with an all-new sub design, new mechanical and electrical configurations, and mostly new software didn’t phase the team much, according to team leader Kevin Larose, especially since the 26-person team logged around 250 hours in the pool before coming to the competition. 

“Last year we wanted to achieve all the obstacles, and we’ve worked on them individually,” says Larose. “When we arrived here, to try to do them one after the other was our main challenge, so this year what we did is we started to work on chaining each obstacle right in the beginning of the year. .... So this year the vehicle is a lot more reliable and a lot more stable, so we know what it’s going to do because we’ve been chaining obstacles since a very long time now.” 

Unlike many of the teams at RoboSub that had to battle San Diego’s constantly changing cloud coverage, SONIA perfected the art by archiving imagery and readjusting their sensors accordingly for their practice and final runs. 

“The first thing we did was record images with clouds, with sun and different lighting conditions, and as long as we know what it is beforehand, we will be able to adjust our camera even though it’s very bright or cloudy,” says Larose. 

SONIA, which is a French acronym for an intelligent and autonomous underwater system, is now looking to become repeat winners of the competition for 2012, with none of the undergraduate students set to leave next year. 

Not only the most capable team at RoboSub, SONIA also focused on befriending other teams and helping them become more robust where they could. 

“You don’t have a lot of pool time, and if your stuff doesn’t work here, they won’t start magically working during the week,” says Larose. “So we feel that it would be a shame that people come from so far, and arrive here and they don’t get the parts that we need, so we try to help them as much as we can, lend them stuff and make sure everyone is capable of proving what they can do.” 

One of those teams turned a normally game-ending disaster into a fourth place win. Reykjavik University's sub flooded on the first qualifying run, but the team rallied to rebuild it overnight to qualify for the finals. 

Only the second year the team has participated in the competition, Reykjavik used its creativity to get its sub up and running again in time to qualify after the initial tragedy. 

“We had some spare parts, we got extremely lucky,” says team leader Gudmundur Viktorsson. “It seems most of the electronics shorted out before being destroyed, so we used about half of the components back again. And just we rinsed everything out [and] did some damage assessment. The electrical team stayed up all night just fixing our makeshift rack. We used our file server we had onsite as the boat’s computer so we had to make do with that.” 

Their sub, Freyja, named after the Norse goddess of love and fertility, fit the 14th annual competition’s theme, Robo Love.

The following teams rounded out the list of this year’s winners and awardees: 

University of Alaska Fairbanks Researcher Tests Unmanned Aircraft to Study Wildlife
July 9, 2011

Researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute in conjunction with the North Pacific Fisheries Foundation have begun evaluation flights of small-unmanned aircraft (UAS) to assist in research and monitoring of the current Steller sea lion population.

Since the 1970s the population of Steller sea lions has declined dramatically and the Western Aleutian Islands stock is currently listed as an endangered species. Fisheries practices are often implicated in the decline, but so far research has not found a definitive link between fishing and the decline of this magnificent animal. In spite of this, the National Marine Fisheries Service
finalized a biological opinion last year that includes as mitigation measures a drastic reduction in the commercial fishery in the central Aleutians, and eliminated the fishery entirely in the western Aleutians.

The National Marine Mammal Laboratory conducts annual, manned aerial surveys of the Steller sea lion population throughout their Alaska range. During June and July, these surveys are flown from southeast Alaska to Attu in the western Aleutian Islands. These flights carry two pilots and up to three biologists, along with high-resolution digital photographic equipment. However, in the central and western Aleutians adverse weather and distantly spaced airfields (Dutch Harbor, Atka, Adak, and Shemya) make it difficult and potentially dangerous to consistently perform extensive annual surveys.

This effort’s goal is to determine if UAS launched locally from boats could provide a cost-effective and safe means to survey these hard to reach locations with their unpredictable weather conditions.

This week, with sponsorship from the North Pacific Fisheries Foundation and the US Navy, staff from the Geophysical Institute conducted several successful flights of UAS, the AeroVironment Puma AE, off a commercial fishing boat, the Arctic Explorer, outside Dutch Harbor.

“These experiments will help us determine the suitability of working with this aircraft in these conditions and prepare ourselves for further testing and evaluation” says Greg Walker, the project’s leader. “These first tests have given us quite a lot of information about both the aircraft and the camera’s payload”.

The Puma AE aircraft is hand launched and lands in the water where an inflatable boat can easily go pick it up to return to the fishing boat. Researchers at the university will be working on processing the low-altitude, high-resolution imagery they collected of the varying coastline to generate 3-dimensional aerial images of the beach using image processing tools originally developed for the film industry to animate objects in 3-D.

In addition to collecting coastline imagery, they conducted acoustic testing at both the Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks and aboard the Arctic Explorer fishing boat to ensure that the flights would not disturb any of the marine mammals that they may observe. In these tests at 70 feet altitude, much lower than would be flown over the animals, the aircraft “sounded like a
room fan in the next room over” said Todd Loomis, onboard as a representative of the North Pacific Fisheries Foundation of Seattle.

During the flight operations the university’s developed Portable Airspace Surveillance System, the iPASS, which monitors air traffic out to 12 miles, was deployed to ensure that the unmanned aircraft would always stay well clear of any manned planes that may venture into the area. This was the first time this NASA Certified system was deployed aboard a ship. This week’s successful testing of recent upgrades to account for the ship’s motion will be the basis for further additions to the integral RADAR system.

“Because safety is of the utmost importance, we employed this proven system to help our airspace observers know early of any approaching aircraft to give more time to react if needed” said Walker. “The iPASS saw other aircraft as expected during the transit time to the flight area but no planes were detected within 12 miles of the operation during our flights.”

Mr. Walker believes that “as this project progress we may discover uses for the technology that can go beyond simply counting animals to help scientists improve their understanding of the animals use of their habitat.”

National Robotics Initiative (NRI) Opens BAA Solicitation
July 5, 2011

The goal of the National Robotics Initiative is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside or cooperate with people. Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots acting in direct support of and in a symbiotic relationship with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
 
The purpose of this program is to develop the next generation of robotics, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas. It will address the entire life cycle from fundamental research and development to industry  manufacturing and deployment.  Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long-term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative.  Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development, deployment and use.
 
Two classes of proposals will be considered in response to this solicitation:
 
1.Small projects: One or more investigators spanning 1 to 5 years.
2.Large projects: Multi-disciplinary teams spanning 1 to 5 years.
 
As detailed in the solicitation, appropriate scientific areas of investigations may be related to any of the participating funding organizations.
 
Deadlines:
Small Proposals

Letter of Intent Deadline Date: 1 October 2011
1 October, Annually Thereafter

Full Proposal Deadline Date: 3 November 2011
3 November, Annually Thereafter

Group Large Proposals

Letter of Intent Deadline Date: 15 December 2011
15 December, Annually Thereafter

Full Proposal Deadline Date: 18 January 2012
18 January, Annually Thereafter

Public Briefings: One or more collaborative webinar briefings with question and answer functionality will be held beginning in September 2011 prior to the first submission deadline date. Schedules will be posted on the sponsor announcement websites.
 
For more information, visit the National Science Foundation website. 

GPS Concerns Delay Proposed National Broadband
By: Stephanie Levy,  June 28, 2011

A Congressional committee concluded 23 June that lawmakers could order the company LightSquared to conduct additional testing of its proposed nationwide wireless broadband system. LightSquared delayed the release of a report that would outline the effects its proposed network would have on current GPS technologies, but independent studies and the unmanned systems community have already expressed concern that the proposed network would compromise safety, technology and job growth.

“This is a threat to NexGen and to the further development of the unmanned [systems] community because there are obvious interference issues,” says Bobby Sturgell, senior vice president of Washington Operations at Rockwell Collins.

AUVSI also has expressed opposition to LightSquared’s proposed wireless broadband system.

“All around the world, unmanned systems (air, ground and maritime) rely on accurate, dependable GPS signals,” AUVSI President and CEO Michael Toscano said in a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on 12 April. “The lack of a reliable GPS signal poses a serious threat to our public safety and national defense, and the potential cost of retrofitting or replacing affected GPS receivers would be an undue burden.”

Current GPS satellites operating in space carry a very weak signal by the time that signal reaches Earth. LightSquared’s proposed 40,000 ground antennae send a signal more than 1 billion times stronger than current GPS, making GPS receivers useless from the resulting interference. Specifically, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorized a 1626.5-1660.5 MHz uplink band range for LightSquared to use in its endeavor, but the GPS spectrum, 1560-1610 MHz, is only 16 points away.

“There’s substantial interference and in some cases complete blockage, which I think speaks a lot to the rushed nature of this process,” Sturgell says. “No waiver should have been granted. It should have been handled from a regulatory perspective, much differently and much more formally.”

A report conducted by RTCA Inc. found that LightSquared’s terrestrial receivers would negatively affect GPS reception on aviation receivers. According to the study, the proposed use of LightSquared’s uplink band could result in “complete loss of GPS receiver function.” Sturgell says there’s “absolutely no reason to believe that the report the working group puts together is going to be any different.”

After its latest Congressional hearing, LightSquared’s working group must now release its findings no later than 1 July. The original deadline for that report was 25 June. However, even when LightSquared does release its findings, Sturgell says the results won’t include testing in the unmanned systems industry.

“What was missing in the conversation was, ‘What about the unmanned? What about the semi-autonomous vehicles; what about the unmanned ground stations?’ All that stuff depends on GPS, so more than likely all of that stuff is going to be equally affected as the aviation receivers were.”

According to a 20 June Congressional memo on the LightSquared hearing, LightSquared is poised to move ahead with its plan regardless of the final results of its report or the FCC’s final decision on its waiver application. The FCC is soliciting public opinion on the matter before making a final decision on LightSquared’s waiver.

“Without the waiver, consumers would have to subscribe to integrated satellite and terrestrial wireless services, but the interference with GPS receivers would occur regardless of whether end users subscribe to ground-only or to integrated satellite and ground components,” the memo said.

Sturgell says there is still time for opponents in the unmanned systems community to have their voices heard.

“The unmanned community can say they’re going to be interfered with just like the aviation receivers that were tested,” Sturgell says. “Some of them are on UAS vehicles. You cannot just approve something like this based on a plan. That plan has to be verified through comprehensive testing to ensure it doesn’t interfere with GPS receivers in unmanned aviation, in agriculture, in ground unmanned, all of these different GPS activities that are embedded in the nation.”

Sturgell says that for proponents of a nationwide wireless broadband system, there are still ways to make that goal a reality without compromising GPS reception.

“Broadband is a good thing for the country,” Sturgell says. “Certainly when it’s done in the right way it can be compatible with GPS. The problem in this case is it’s not. It’s very clearly not.”

Read more about AUVSI’s stance on the LightSquared GPS issue on the advocacy documents page.

Obama Announces Manufacturing Plan that Includes Unmanned Systems
By: Stephanie Levy, June 24, 2011

President Barack Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) Friday at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The national effort invests more than $500 million in manufacturing and emerging technologies, with $70 million going specifically to development in the robotics and unmanned systems industries.

"These investments will help create the next generation of robots that will work closely with human operators - allowing new ability for factory workers, healthcare providers, soldiers, surgeons and astronauts to carry out key hard-to-do tasks," the White House said in a press release about the initiative.

The National Robotics Roundtable commended the president's focus on the role that unmanned systems and robotics will play in "creating jobs, strengthening the economy and ensuring American competitiveness in the global marketplace."

"Among the many strengths of robotics and unmanned systems, one of the most important is that they are a revolutionary technology that will extend the functionality of a human being's hands, eyes and ears to allow them to perform dirty, dangerous, difficult and dull operations from a safe distance," Michael Toscano President and CEO of AUVSI, said in the National Robotics Roundtable press release. "As men and women look for better ways to accomplish their jobs, robotics and unmanned systems will be at the forefront as applications to use them continue to increase."

While visiting Carnegie Mellon, President Obama got to see examples of research and development in the unmanned systems industry firsthand. When meeting with technicians before his address, Obama saw a pipe inspection robot demonstration from RedZone Robotics. The company's unmanned underwater vehicles navigate wastewater pipes to collect data to help with waste water management and infrastructure controls. President Obama joked that as Commander in Chief, he has a vested interest in keeping an eye on these types of unmanned systems and robots.

"The robots you make here seem peaceful enough for now," Obama said in his speech.

Utah State Wins 2011 SUAS Competition
By: Stephanie Levy, June 21, 2011

Students at Utah State University took home first place with their fixed-wing vehicle at AUVSI's 9th annual Student Unmanned Air Systems Competition at Webster Field in Patuxent River, Md. Utah State won all three phases of the competition: journal, oral brief and mission performance. They are the first repeat winner of SUAS, having won the competition for the first time in 2009.

“We’ve all been overjoyed,” Cal Coopmans, the team’s graduate advisor, says. “I’ve been especially proud. As the graduate advisor I try to hang back and direct without pushing them too hard. We pulled a lot of late nights and it payed off.”

Coopmans says the team, comprised exclusively of students, designed, built and tested the UAV. The team made some modifications to get the vehicle competition ready, adding a real-time imagery downlink and larger camera than had been used in previous research.

"The reason we have operable UAVs at all is because we do natural resource management," Coopmans says. "We build UAVs for research, for water management, tracking riverbeds, looking at avian habitats, that kind of stuff. We do the same testing protocol in the competition stuff that we do in the research stuff."

North Carolina State University, last year’s winner, slipped to second place in the competition with their UAV. The team is already making plans for how to improve their vehicle for next year’s competition.

“We’ve been flying gas for years,” senior Alex Kesling says. “One thing we’ve really wanted to do is switch to electric because it simplifies a lot of pieces in the system, but we have to build a new airframe for that.”

Kesling says the team, named Wolfpack after their alma mater’s mascot, also wants to upgrade the camera on its vehicle.

“The problem is it’s really heavy, really big, and the amount of drag for the camera is scary,” Kesling says.

Some of the teams who participated were not so lucky. When the team from Mississippi State University tried to fly their UAV, a control on the engine malfunctioned and the engine wouldn’t start.

“We opted to take a time out in place because we didn’t think it would be that serious of an issue,” student Eric Hill says. “It turned out to be a little more involved than we thought, so we didn’t have the opportunity to come back and do a full time out.”

In all, 24 teams participated in the five-day competition. The total purse for the competition was more than $70,000; Utah State received $13,400 of that total.

Paris Air Show Roundup: Camcopter Flies, Thales Deploys, Rockwell Sees the Future
By: Brett Davis, June 21, 2011

For the second Paris Air Show in a row, Schiebel's Camcopter S-100 was the only unmanned aircraft flying.

The company had hoped to fly it closer to the crowd, said Neil Hunter, the managing director for sales, marketing and strategy, but it was again kept away from the main viewing area. To make the small helicopter more visible this time, Schiebel covered most of the fuselage in red foil.

"For us, this is much more than just a marketing event," Hunter said. "I think it's visible proof that we have a proven product that's accepted in the world today."

The company flew a variety of sensors on the aircraft during the show, relaying video back to its booth in an exhibit hall. One was Wescam L-3 Communications' Wescam MX-10 electro-optical/infrared payload, which had been integrated on the systems only in January. The company has demonstrated its use in inspecting power lines in Austria, the first time such work has been undertaken by an unmanned aircraft in Europe, Schiebel announced at the show.

Ready for Deployment

Amid competing efforts to develop new European unmanned aircraft--BAE Systems and Dassult with the Telemos, Cassidian with the Talarion--one UAS is preparing to enter service and has already had a large impact on the airspace picture in the United Kingdom.

That's Thales UK's Watchkeeper, based on the Elbit Systems Hermes 450 but built and upgraded in the United Kingdom. Watchkeeper is expected to be fielded in Afghanistan by the end of the year, but in the meantime it has already changed the airspace picture in its home country, the company said in a briefing at the Paris Air Show.

Watchkeeper has been flying out of ParAberporth in Wales and as a result of its experience the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently announced a new swath of airspace that will be available to unmanned systems. That airspace extends 40 nautical miles inland to the east from Aberporth, making up an area of 499 miles; the area where Watchkeeper has been flying since 2010.

"CAA has now granted that on the back of the Watchkeeper trials," said Nick Miller, Thales' business director for UAV systems. "We have been proving the airspace for the U.K. and CAA said, yeah, no problem, you can fly over people, it's safe, it meets the safety standards. This is a major step change."

In military airspace, too, at Boscombe Down over the Salisbury Plain, Watchkeeper has been approved to fly "over some pretty serious cities," Miller said. "Everybody said that's not a problem, watchkeeper's fine to do that."

Thales is currently providing military ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) for the U.K. using Hermes 450s, which will be pulled out as Watchkeeper enters service. Ultimately, the program calls for 54 air vehicles and 15 ground control stations.

Ultimately the system could carry weapons as well, although there is no current requirement for that, and the company is eyeing export opportunities.

The Future

Rockwell Collins' David Vos sees a strong future for small personal aircraft in the world, one where taking a flight could be as simple as hopping in a car and going for a drive.

A lot of technology would have to come together to make that happen, but most of it has been demonstrated already and it's more of a regulatory issue now, the senior director for UAS and Control Technologies said at a briefing at the 2011 Paris Air Show.

The adoption of next-generation air control, which relies more on data exchange than voice exchange, is one of the keys to this, Vos said. Such data exchange is a component of both NextGen in the United States and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) in Europe.

Rockwell Collins' own damage tolerance software could be component of this as well, and some aspects of the software will soon be making their way into both military and commercial aircraft.

That software, demonstrated several times on a hapless F/A-18 scale model unmanned aircraft as part of a DARPA-backed program, allows the aircraft to keep flying even if significant portions of a wing or other control surface is damaged.

Vos told AUVSI that the U.S. Army is deciding what parts of the system to incorporate into its Shadow unmanned aircraft program, and control software for general aviation systems is also expected to benefit.

The company conducted various demonstrations, including losing the engine, losing part of the wing, and finding the nearest landing site for an emergency landing.

"Those are all very real pieces that they want," he said. The overall damage tolerant effort looks at the whole plate of what can be done, and the Army "is in the process of defining what pieces they want and then we'll get that on Shadow."

Civil Aviation Authority Segregates Airspace for UAS
By: Danielle Lucey, June 15, 2011

Today the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority announced that it has created a dedicated airspace to fly unmanned systems in an area east of the West Wales airport after an appeal from the Welsh government to allow flights.

The airspace, which will be open to manned aircraft when not in use, will be designated as “Danger Areas” by the CAA, a term already in use by the agency that it defines as “airspace which has been notified as such within which activities dangerous to the flight of aircraft may take place or exist at such times as may be notified.”

A prior statement by the CAA on Danger Areas states, “There are certain activities, such as unmanned aircraft system operations which need to be conducted in segregated airspace. While the activity might not in itself be considered inherently dangerous, it currently demands an enhanced level of protection from other airspace users.”

The parameters of the airspace, designated as EG D202 and EG D202A/B/C can be seen on the map below.

The airspace covers about 499 square miles of land below it. 

“The CAA announcement to allow this specialized airspace is now the strongest recognition that West Wales is the focal point for UAS development in the U.K.,” says Ray Mann, West Wales Airport’s managing director. “The airspace adds significantly to the many specialized assets that already exist at the airport and gives Britain further opportunity to benefit from a market that is forecast to be worth 60 billion pounds annually by 2020.”

The airspace is the result of four years of lobbying by the Welsh government, QinetiQ and the West Wales Airport, according to a Welsh government release.

“The ability to have dedicated airspace and facilities available in the U.K. is seen as key to ensuring that Wales and the U.K. are at the forefront of this new and growing sector,” said Edwina Hart, the Welsh government’s business minister. “It provides Wales with a unique proposition to attract companies working in this sector and also has the potential to raise the profile of Wales in international markets. Our ultimate aim is to create sustainable employment opportunities in the region.”

“By working closely with the Welsh government and other key stakeholders, the Wales UAS environment is unique in Europe and represents a world-class facility for the development of unmanned aircraft systems and the critical sensors and technology they carry,” said QinetiQ’s Carl Davies. “UAS can be used where manned flight is too dangerous or expensive and could be used to make sure humanitarian aid gets to the right places, to detect storms, observe forest fires or inspect pipelines and electric power lines.”

“An unmanned aircraft has many useful applications, for instance it would be perfect in situations such as monitoring and reporting the recent ash clouds,” continued Mann.

West Wales Airport will operate the flights out of a 1,200-meter runway where it will allows for systems approval, training, payload integration and demonstration flights.

The Thales Watchkeeper UAV, tested by QinetiQ, had its first flight out of the ParcAberporth facility in April 2010 in a demonstration of segregated unmanned flights.

The West Wales/ParcAberporth facility will only allow flights under certain operational and environmental conditions and will go into effect 28 July. Details on the airspace will be published in a revised AIC: Y 052/2011 document that will be available at www.ais.org.uk beginning 16 June.

“AUVSI applauds the U.K. CAA for this bold step in opening the skies for advancement and fielding of unmanned aircraft systems,” says Gretchen West, vice president of government relations and executive vice president of AUVSI. “This vast and newly segregated airspace is the first area in the U.K. designated for sole UAS flight allowing for manufacturers and operators to train, demonstrate technologies and further the capabilities of UAS.”

RoboBoat 2011 Results to be Replayed 14 June

The University of Rhode Island took the top prize at RoboBoat 2011, an unmanned surface vehicle competition sponsored by the AUVSI Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.

You can see a repeat of the webcast of the finals tomorrow, 14 June, from 12-4 p.m. here: http://www.todocast.tv/500films/roboboat2011.

The team had several good practice and qualifying runs but ran into some trouble during the finals, held 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, 12 June. However, it was the only team to attempt some of the extra missions on the course, which included putting out a mock boat fire and turning off a small "waterfall."

The team members were disappointed by their final run, when their vehicle mistook a bucket for the switch that turned off the waterfall, but it was enough to boost them to first place. The scores included judging of each team's vehicle presentation.

The final standings are:

1: University of Rhode Island
2: University of Central Florida
3: Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Lab
4: Virginia Tech
5: Stevens Institute of Technology
6: Diponegro University
7: Georgia Tech Savannah

Teams Vie for Final Slots at RoboBoat 2011

The team from the University of Rhode Island had the best showing at the first day of qualifying competition at RoboBoat 2011, sponsored by the AUVSI Foundation and the Office of Naval Research.

The team expressed some surprise at their good showing, as "the boat did not work  five minutes before going into the water," says team captain Kevin Hopkins, a graduate student. "This is great. I'm thrilled."

The nine-person team has three returning members from last year's competition (where Rhode Island took third place), five new members and one member, graduate student Rick Kollanda, who is on his third competition.

"Our robots have gotten better," Kollanda said. "Every year is the best."

That doesn't mean the team can rest easy entering into Sunday's final day of competition. The boat's robot arm, needed to complete one of the competition's task, blew a controller motor and the water cannon, needed for another, failed to operate.

"We've got to tweak everything," Hopkins said.

Other teams were nipping at Rhode Island's heels by the end of Saturday, including Stevens Institute of Technology and the University of Central Florida (which finished second in 2010).

Last year's winner, the University of Michigan, suffered software problems and had a bad day, failing to even get through the starting gate. The team's programmers planned to work on their algorithms late into the night.

To see recaps of the first two days of the competition, Friday, 10 June, and Saturday, 11 June, go to the AUVSI Foundation website, www.auvsifoundation.org.

To see a webcast of the final day, Sunday, 12 June, from 1:00-5:00 EST, go to www.roboboat.org. To find out the final results immediately during the awards dinner on Sunday night, follow the AUVSI Foundation at @AUVSIFoundation on Twitter.

California State Northridge Takes Top Honors at IGVC
By: Danielle Lucey, June 7, 2011