DASA, on
behalf of the Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory (Dstl), launched
the Autonomy in a
Dynamic World competition last year seeking
proposals for innovative solutions and novel techniques
to improve the way autonomous systems work in
conditions such as rugged landscapes, dense vegetation,
varying wind speeds and sea states – and man-made
conditions such as congested and contested
electromagnetic spaces.
The call also sought solutions to the Human-Autonomy
Teaming (HAT) problem – the effective integration of
humans, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics into
military systems.
All these factors affect the military effectiveness of
current autonomous technologies.
Project manager Helen Mullender said:
The work being funded is to mature autonomous systems
with the capability to operate on demand, under all
conditions that may be encountered.
Military operations are undertaken in all kinds of
challenging environment. The inclusion of autonomous
systems in these operations will demand their ability
to operate effectively and efficiently regardless of
the environment.
DASA delivery manager Laurence Bickerton said:
DASA is pleased to be working with Dstl and some of
the best and brightest minds in industry to provide a
step change in the capability of unmanned autonomous
military systems.
In society, we are becoming increasingly dependent
and trusting of unmanned, autonomous and
semi-autonomous systems to operate our machinery,
cars and even our home deliveries.
Similarly, in defence, autonomous systems are driving
a revolutionary change in military operations,
transforming the battlespace with improved
intelligence and mobility.
The competition is funded through the MOD’s Chief
Scientific Adviser’s Research Programme’s Autonomy
Incubator project that aims to: Identify and develop
underpinning research and technologies to support the
development and fielding of unmanned systems across
defence which may be matured through the Dstl Autonomy
Programme and other Research and Development
programmes.
The organisations that have been funded are:
- Animal Dynamics (3 proposals funded)
- Archangel
- Autonomous Devices Ltd (2 proposals funded)
- Beamagine SL
- Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd
- Createc
- Deep Vision
- Fleetonomy.ai
- Frazer-Nash Consultancy
- Horiba Mira
- Imperial College London
- Plextek Service Ltd (2 proposals funded)
- QinetiQ Business Unit Farnborough
- SeeByte Limited
- Sonardyne International Limited
- University of Dundee
- Zenotech Ltd
DASA – the MOD’s innovation hub – finds and funds
exploitable technology to give Her Majesty’s Armed
Forces and UK security a strategic advantage over
adversaries while supporting the nation’s prosperity.
DASA works with scientists from Dstl, academia, and
industry to rapidly develop these new technologies.
