AUVSI Selects Near Earth Autonomy for Xcellence in Mission – Humanitarian Award Finals

April 10, 2023

Near Earth earns recognition for developing autonomy enabling uncrewed drones to reliably fly to the point of need to deliver life-saving blood and medical supplies.

PITTSBURGH, April 7th, 2023 / The Association For Uncrewed Vehicle Systems (AUVSI) has selected Near Earth Autonomy as an Xcellence in Mission – Humanitarian Award Finalist, out of over 100 candidates.

The AUVSI Xcellence Awards honor individuals and organizations that are innovators in the uncrewed systems industry, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing autonomy, leading and promoting safe adoption of uncrewed systems, and developing programs that use these technologies to save lives and improve the human condition.

Near Earth develops technology enabling uncrewed aircraft across scale to autonomously take off, fly, and land, without requiring GPS. Near Earth partnered with L3Harris to develop a safe and efficient method for autonomous just-in-time, long- distance, precise delivery of blood and critical medical supplies to warfighters in contested, unprepared, maritime, and confined environments.

Blood loss is a leading non-age-related cause of death for both warfighters and civilians. Traditional alternatives having humans transport supplies to the injured with helicopters or trucks, or keeping massive amounts of medical supplies on hand, leading to risk, inefficiency, spoiling, and waste.

System detects obstacles in planned landing done and selects safe new landing point

Near Earth integrated their autonomy technology with the L3Harris FVR-90 fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) gas-electric hybrid aircraft designed for long endurance flight (12-18 hours), and temperature-regulated blood transportation containers. In test and demonstration events, Near Earth’s system guided aircraft from take-off to hazard avoidance and safe delivery at the point of need. Over 30 autonomous land-based deliveries and 10 ship deck landings have been successfully completed to date.

“We are grateful to AUVSI for recognizing the importance of delivering critical medical supplies to rapidly treat the injured at their point of need,” said Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth. “The combination of our autonomy technology, fixed-wing VTOL, and temperature-regulated containers is uniquely suited for the long-distance, precise delivery of medical supplies to complex, unprepared areas. Our entire team is motivated by the knowledge that at scale, our technology can help save countless lives.”

“I’m confident that Near Earth Autonomy’s autonomous blood delivery work will positively impact how we support forward care providers in future military and civilian settings,” said Nathan Fisher, Division Chief of Medical Robotics and Autonomous Systems at the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center. “This technology provides a lifeline in austere settings, sustaining life in the critical window between injury and when more advanced care is available.”

“Xponential is all about designing a shared plan for the future of autonomy,” said Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI. “The 2023 Xcellence Award finalists are

redefining what’s possible with uncrewed and robotic technology.”

About Near Earth Autonomy

Near Earth’s technology allows aircraft to autonomously take off, fly, and land safely, with or without GPS. Their solutions enable aerial mobility applications for partners in the commercial and defense sectors. Near Earth bridges the gap between aerospace and robotics with complete systems that improve efficiency, performance, and safety for aircraft ranging from small drones to full-size helicopters.

Their work won the 2022 Pittsburgh Technology Council AI/ML/Robotics – Innovator of the Year Award, the 2018 Howard Hughes Award recognizing outstanding improvements in fundamental helicopter technology, and was a 2017 finalist for the Collier Trophy, one of the top aviation awards in the world. More information is available at https://www.nearearth.aero/.

For additional media and information, please visit:

Website: https://www.nearearth.aero/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Near-Earth-Autonomy-238476926498289/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/near-earth-autonomy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NEAutonomy

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/NearEarthAutonomy

Press Releases: https://www.nearearth.aero/press-releases

Press Contact: PR@NearEarth.aero

About AUVSIThe Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) — the world’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics — represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government, and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil and commercial markets. For more information, visit AUVSI.org.

About XPONENTIALCo-hosted by AUVSI and Messe Düsseldorf North America, XPONENTIAL is the leading annual gathering for global leaders and end users of uncrewed technologies. Founded on a belief that cross-pollination drives innovation, it’s the only event designed to advance the entire autonomy ecosystem. Each year, the show welcomes thousands of the

industry’s top minds to cultivate collaboration, spark new ideas, and this year, build the blueprint for autonomy. XPONENTIAL is a catalyst – helping each attendee transform their vision into real opportunities. For more information, visit https://www.xponential.org.