SSCI and MIT propose to further develop, implement and test the Integrated Mission Planning & Autonomous Control Technology (IMPACT) system software for autonomous ISR missions employing collaborating UAVs. IMPACT system is based on real-time learning about dynamic and stochastic environments, and on a capability to autonomously react to contingencies while satisfying the mission objectives and the overall flight safety.
Phase II focus will be on real-time vehicle assignment & trajectory planning technologies for forest fire monitoring, overall system integration, and evaluation of its performance through computer and hardware-in-the-loop simulations and flight tests at Olin College or Great Dismal Swamp. Key technologies to be further developed & tested in Phase II include: (i) Vehicle assignment & real time trajectory generation for
collaborative ISR for fire boundary identification using the MOTOR system (Multi-objective Trajectory Optimization & Re-planning); (ii) Robust on-line learning for prediction of the fire spread using the
intelligent Cooperative Control Architecture (iCCA); (iii) Collaborative assignment for fire perimeter tracking with reactive trajectory planning based on predicted fire spread using MOTOR and iCCA; (iv) Contingency management, including the loss of vehicle, vehicle replacement & mitigation of lost communication link; and (v)
Predictive camera pointing control based on predicted fire spread. The project will leverage a number of technologies recently developed by SSCI and MIT, and integrate various system modules within a flexible and
user-friendly software product. Phase II deliverables will include the IMPACT software and accompanying documentation, while Phase III will be focused on commercialization of the IMPACT software.