Photo credit: www.therobotreport.com
Near Earth Autonomy has secured a significant contract worth $790,000 from SURVICE Engineering to support the U.S. Navy’s operations. This collaboration focuses on providing miniaturized autonomy systems for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS) program.
The TRUAS utilizes a Group 3 TRV-150 unmanned aerial system (UAS), developed by SURVICE in partnership with Malloy Aeronautics. This drone is engineered to deliver essential supplies to small military units operating in isolated or challenging environments.
According to Near Earth Autonomy, this drone facilitates fast and precise resupply operations. After its anticipated delivery this summer, the integrated UAS is expected to assist the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in enhancing Concept of Operations (CONOPS) amid complex logistical challenges.
“The Firefly autonomy system is designed to give the U.S. Marine Corps a critical edge in contested and complex environments,” noted Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth. “By enabling autonomous resupply without requiring pre-mapped routes or clear landing zones, we’re reducing risks to personnel and ensuring that vital supplies reach frontline units more quickly and reliably than ever before. This capability enhances operational agility and reinforces the Marines’ ability to sustain their missions under the most challenging circumstances.”
This contract forms part of a broader $4.6 million initiative aimed at supporting integration and demonstration efforts within the program.
Near Earth Autonomy’s technology enables aircraft to autonomously take off, navigate, and land safely, independent of GPS. The company’s solutions are designed to improve aerial mobility for both commercial and defense partners, seeking to merge aerospace with robotics to create efficient, high-performing, and safer systems for varying aircraft types, from small drones to larger helicopters.
Firefly: Transforming Unmanned Logistics
The TRUAS initiative aims to provide frontline units with critical supplies, all while mitigating risks to personnel, as explained by Near Earth Autonomy. Conventional resupply methods often struggle with difficult terrains and unpredictable environments, necessitating meticulous route planning and experienced handling.
The Firefly system addresses these challenges, allowing for mission planning without prior awareness of the route and without guarantee of flat and clear landing zones. Near Earth asserts that the lightweight Firefly system provides:
- Hazard detection capabilities for obstacles such as trees, buildings, rocks, and other impediments
- Identification of safe flight paths and possible landing zones, enabling effective mission planning in unfamiliar territories
- High cargo capacity and extended range paired with improved mission reliability
Near Earth’s miniaturized systems work seamlessly with the TRUAS platform, ensuring accurate navigation and landing capabilities while accommodating substantial cargo weights. This allows TRUAS to perform efficiently in restricted environments, thereby enhancing operational effectiveness and minimizing personnel risks.
This development is part of Near Earth’s wider ambition to facilitate autonomous logistics operations across a range of vehicle sizes, from small UAVs to larger helicopters.
A Decade of Innovation in Autonomous Systems
Near Earth’s miniaturized systems are the culmination of over ten years of advancements in autonomous aerial logistics, evolving from helicopter technologies tailored for the specific weight constraints of smaller unmanned aerial systems. The journey began with the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS), which set the groundwork for rotorcraft autonomy supporting Marine Corps resupply missions in austere settings.
Building on this foundational work, Near Earth adapted its systems for the Talon Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) to enhance Unmanned Logistics Systems – Air (ULS-A), effectively demonstrating the capabilities of small, uncrewed aircraft to operate in spatially constrained areas.
The Firefly system represents the latest evolution in this journey, offering autonomous flight capabilities designed for small cargo UAS within the context of the Navy and Marine Corps’ TRUAS program.
“We are continuously seeking technologies that enhance the operational effectiveness of our warfighters in unpredictable and intricate environments,” stated Mark Butkiewicz, vice president of applied engineering at SURVICE. “Our platform has been designed with standardized modular and open interfaces to facilitate the integration of technologies like Near Earth’s Firefly, providing capabilities that bolster the warfighters’ operational sustainability in contested and confined battlespaces, ensuring that vital supplies are available whenever needed.”
Source
www.therobotreport.com