top of page
Unmanned-Systems_banner.jpg

Unmanned Systems and Autonomous Robotics

STA's expertise in Unmanned Systems contributes to life-saving applications, including various unmanned air and ground vehicles. Unmanned Systems are now a critical component in military operations — be they fixed-wing air vehicles, ducted-fan air vehicles, or unmanned ground vehicles. These vehicles are proving to be invaluable reconnaissance and attack assets, and their use is increasing both in the field of battle and in protecting the border. STA's understanding of operator-controlled and autonomous unmanned vehicles is applied to remove the operator from the zone of danger, and to create increased endurance capabilities by removing the operator's physiological limitations.

We have experience supporting the development of Unmanned Systems designed to perform in a variety of environments and under unique conditions—specializing in designs ranging from backpackable, affordable, and easy to operate reconnaissance systems for the dismounted soldier to larger, more complex systems to be used by multiple soldiers.

In addition to applying Robotics technologies to Unmanned Systems, STA's technical staff excels in utilizing Robotics technologies in other applications such as Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), countermine and explosive ordnance disposal, force protection, and physical security. Unlike some unmanned vehicles, which require operators to perform all of their functions, these Robots lighten the operator’s load and provide for increased capability to autonomously locate targets using multi-mode sensors.

The various Unmanned applications in which STA's technical staff maintains expertise include:

 

​Unmanned Air Vehicles

  • Fixed-wing and ducted-fan technologies

  • Flight control

  • Collision avoidance sensors and algorithms

  • Vertical take-off and landing

  • Fuel, power, and propulsion

  • Noise suppression

  • Navigation and communications

  • Target location and designation sensor suites

  • Taskable agent software kits designed to provide autonomous capabilities to unmanned aircraft

  • Digital control systems that provide fast, reliable automation and failure recovery for flight control systems

Unmanned Ground Vehicles

  • Vehicle platform development

  • Vehicular control/reaction

  • Autonomous vehicle decision functions

  • Sensor suites

  • Propulsion systems

  • Secure/stable multi-vehicle communications

The various Robotics applications in which STA's technical staff maintains expertise include:
  • Mobile autonomous robot software that is applicable in: Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), countermine and explosive ordnance disposal, force protection and physical security, and logistics support operations

    • This software promotes warfighters' safety by allowing for dangerous tasks such as explosive ordnance disposal to be performed by machines rather than humans​

    • Mobile autonomous robotic software also increases safety and efficiency by providing a means for supplemental 24/7 physical security, without relying on humans and their corresponding physiological limitations

  • Distributed robotics

    • Software development enabling the coordinated action of many robots to achieve a collective goal​

    • Development of coordinated behaviors

    • Inter-robot communications

    • Human-robot interfaces

    • Computational architectures that support necessary processing functionality

bottom of page