Uncrewed Systems Technology 051 August/September 2023

• Intro - Exploiting different power sources, testing swarms of satellites and quantum navigation – uncrewed systems continue to evolve
• Platform one: Mission-critical info - Digital fibre optic gyros from Advanced Navigation, MIT uses image reflections to improve vision systems, researchers develop better ways to make flexible solar cells, and much more
• In conversation: Dr Cara LaPointe - The co-director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy explains the factors that need to be taken into account to gain widespread trust in the technology
• Dossier: Primoco One 150 - UAV developers with an eye on the military and defence markets first need to comply with a host of NATO standards, which as this company explains is difficult but ultimately worth it
• Focus: Power management - New power sources are prompting the development of new power management architectures to boost the efficiency and safety of uncrewed systems, as we show here
• Digest: Ocius Bluebottle USV - Exploiting wind, wave and solar power gives this vessel a theoretically unlimited endurance. We show how its developer was able to optimise the contribution of each one
• Digest: Steel E-Motive robotaxi - Autonomous commuter transport has come a step closer thanks to this eco-friendly, road safety-compliant cab
• Insight: UAVs - More and more uncrewed aircraft such as these are stepping in to carry out dirty, difficult or dangerous missions
• Show report: Xponential 2023 part 2 - Reflecting the sheer scale of this expo, here’s our second – and larger – report of the products that were on display
• Dossier: Aant Farm TPR72 - Heat recuperation is the ace up this microturbine’s sleeve, as it allows it to use a lower fuel-to-air ratio to power heavy UAVs running on jet fuel. Here’s how it was designed and developed
• Focus: Servos- A new wave of servo designs and architectures are emerging to supply high-performance devices that don’t break the bank
• Digest: Tampa Deep Sea Barracuda - Fitting thrusters on the ends of its dive planes has given this torpedo-like AUV some distinct advantages, as we explain
• PS: Quantum navigation - This emerging technology could provide a solution to the problem with even the best navigation systems – drift