Researchers at Oklahoma State University get the nod from the Federal Aviation Administration to carry out some unusual testing of swarms of unmanned fixed-wing aircraft.
The researchers are with OSU’s Unmanned Systems Research Institute according to the Enid News and Eagle.
Current FAA regulations require one pilot and one set of controls for every unmanned aircraft. The new flight authorization will permit a single pilot — along with visual observers for safety — to operate a swarm of up to 20 fixed-wing unmanned aircraft, according to an OSU press release.
Jamey Jacob, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of the Unmanned Systems Research Institute at OSU, said research started four years ago to prove that flying a swarm of unmanned fixed-wing aircraft was possible.
“One of the things we do really well at OSU is fixed-wing unmanned aircraft,” Jacob said. “They’re much more difficult to control and operate than rotary-wing. There’s a lot more computing power and algorithm development for a fixed-wing swarm to work. Using intelligent flight management and path planning systems, the aircraft communicate with each other in flight.”
OSU researchers hope to create a “swarm of swarms” of fixed-wing aircraft “where groups of unmanned aircraft fly within smaller flocks as part of a larger swarm, communicating with a local group leader which then coordinates flights with the overall swarm formation,” according to the press release.
Researchers hope their work could be applied to different industrial and scientific applications, including environmental and infrastructure monitoring, agriculture, package delivery, national security, airspace operations and weather research.
Jacob said unmanned aircraft swarms could gather information about thunderstorms that isn’t currently available.
“Aircraft flying in formation could gather data about temperature, pressure and humidity — information that doesn’t show up on radar,” according to the press release. “A swarm of unmanned aircraft could also map a wildfire, providing a comprehensive picture of its movement and intensity. Using a swarm could also save money. A group of aircraft measuring gas levels around an industrial plant, for example, could complete a job in hours that would take a single pilot and aircraft days.”
Jacob said those kind of applications will be commonplace in the future.
“Swarms are the future of autonomous flight,” Jacob said. “This unique, first-of-its-kind approval just takes us one step closer to demonstrating for the first time the safe and efficient autonomous flight that will be common place in years to come.”
Gary Ambrose, research development manager and adjunct professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at OSU, said the new FAA authorization clears the way for important research into autonomous flight and its potential applications.
“It is incredible to be a part of such groundbreaking research as OSU paves the way ahead for expanded autonomous operations,” Ambrose said. “This step opens the door for many of our research partners and sponsors as we expand their UAS operability and capability.”