The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base awarded a six-year $24.1 million contract to Defense Engineering Corp. to develop advanced sensing equipment to prevent mid-air collision between aircraft.
The research is one of numerous efforts to develop so-called “sense and avoid” sensor technology that could allow remotely piloted, unmanned aircraft to “see” an oncoming plane and automatically change course to avoid a collision.
Development of reliable sense-and-avoid technology is a key to the Federal Aviation Administration’s determination of safe methods for allowing remotely piloted, unmanned aircraft to fly in airspace used by planes with people aboard. It is integral to the Dayton region’s ongoing effort to develop itself as a center of research, manufacturing, training and operator certification for remotely piloted aircraft.
“This will be a particularly essential capability to enable unmanned aircraft to operate in civil airspace,” John McCalmont, of the AFRL’s sensors directorate, said Friday. “It is expected to dramatically increase the safety of flight for unmanned as well as manned aircraft.”
Defense Engineering Corp. is also to develop warning and surveillance sensors that would help protect troops from surface-to-air missiles and small-arms fire, McCalmont said.
Source: Dayton Daily News