Aurora Flight Sciences Partners With Air Force Office of Scientific Research to Develop Autonomous UAV Aerial Recovery Technology
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/19/08 -- The Air Force Office of Scientific Researchhas awarded Aurora Flight Sciences a Small Business Technology Transfer(STTR) Phase 1 contract to begin development of an innovative concept forthe aerial recovery of Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) by larger Unmanned AerialVehicles (UAVs). Aurora's research partner for this effort is ProfessorJonathan How of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This technology could become akey enabler to allow larger UAVs to deploy and retrieve MAVs. Largervehicles tend to be faster and have longer ranges, whereas MAVs are able toinvestigate specific areas more closely. Combining the two operationalregimes allows for new capabilities to emerge.
Aurora intends to test the concept at the MIT Real-time Autonomous Vehicletest Environment (RAVEN) Aerospace Controls Laboratory. This facility isequipped with a high-resolution motion capture system that is ideal forcharacterizing complex three-dimensional motions. The Phase 1 project willculminate in a small-scale indoor demonstration.
About Aurora Flight Sciences
Aurora Flight Sciences designs and builds robotic aircraft and otheradvanced aerospace vehicles for scientific and military applications.Aurora is headquartered in Manassas, VA and operates production plants inBridgeport, WV and Columbus, MS and a Research and Development Center inCambridge, MA. To view recent press releases and more about Aurora pleasevisit our web site at www.aurora.aero.
Contact:Patricia WoodsideDirector, Public Relations(703) 396-6304Email Contact
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