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UAV Knows JACK
A mini unmanned aerial vehicle with autonomous guidance like one that was tested earlier this month by the Australian Defense Science and Technology Organization (DST0) is on display here at Farnborough.
"JACK," an intelligent software agent developed by Agent Oriented Software Group of Melbourne, Australia, guided the Avatar UAV in the flight demonstration run by the Australian military research organization at a military testing range. The ongoing program involves testing the Avatar's intelligent agent control and autonomous mission selection capabilities this year and demonstrations with multiple UAVs in 2005.
With JACK, the UAV can be given a goal to achieve that it then pursues autonomously using a database of various routes mapped by the programmer using a laptop computer. A change in the weather can prompt JACK to change its track to achieve the same goal. JACK runs on a Hewlett-Packard iPaq, a personal digital assistant.
The 3.5 kg. (7.7 lb.) Avatar UAV received real-time flight and weather data via links to the autopilot and GPS during the test earlier this month. The UAV is a product of Codarra Advanced Systems of Canberra, Australia, a privately owned consultancy that provides technical services to the Australian Defense Dept. The air vehicle is aimed at the market for tactical surveillance supporting patrols by an infantry platoon.
Andrew Lucas, PhD., CEO of Agent Oriented Software, said JACK is already being used by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Army, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Australian Army and the UK Ministry of Defence.
A wingless Avatar fuselage is on display at the U.S. Pavilion, State of Maryland, Hall 3, Stand C10.
Many other scientific organizations are pursuing research on autonomous control of UAVs, particularly in military applications. For example, Draper Laboratory, an MIT affiliated organization in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has long been known for its research and experimentation in autonomous vehicle management systems starting in the 1950s and 1960s for NASA's Apollo spacecraft. Currently it is working on autonomous modes for unmanned systems, including agile maneuvering guidance.
—Dave Hughes
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