Over the past year, Sikorsky’s Autonomy Programme, with MATRIX Technology as its centrepiece, has demonstrated autonomous functionality by taking a differentiated, platform-agnostic approach to autonomy to improve reliability and safety, enhance mission capability and lower lifecycle costs.
Mark Miller, Vice President of R&E at Sikorsky Aircraft, provided details yesterday on the latest autonomy achievements in the maturing of MATRIX with the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) and MURAL Optionally Piloted BLACK HAWK Programme.
Sikorsky Aircraft is a leading aviation company providing innovative solutions in the design, manufacture and service of military and commercial helicopters.
In August 2013, Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies, has unveiled a major research programme — designated MATRIX Technology — to develop, test and field systems and software that will improve significantly the capability, reliability and safety of flight for autonomous, optionally piloted, and piloted vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
In collaboration with the United Technologies Research Center, MATRIX Technology aims to give both rotary and fixed wing VTOL aircraft a high level of system intelligence needed to complete complex missions with minimal human oversight, and at low altitudes where obstacles abound.
“VTOL pilots increasingly will become mission managers, either on the aircraft or when monitoring from the ground via datalink, because they will feel comfortable letting the aircraft fly itself,” said Mark Miller. “The game-changing Matrix Technology we are developing and testing will provide order-of-magnitude improvements in system intelligence and contingency management to ensure high levels of reliability, and ultimately make unmanned missions by helicopters and VTOL aircraft of all sizes highly affordable.”
The MATRIX Technology programme is spearheaded by Sikorsky Innovations, the same rapid prototyping organization that in 2010 proved the physics of efficient 250-knot flight in a rotorcraft with the X2 Technology Demonstrator programme.
For its autonomy initiative, Sikorsky Innovations has acquired and outfitted an S-76 commercial helicopter with fly-by-wire controls to act as a flying lab. Called the Sikorsky Autonomous Research Aircraft (SARA), it enables rapid flight testing of software and hardware, including multi-spectral sensors. When not in flight, SARA can be configured as its own simulator to develop and test autonomy software and hardware. For the early flight test work, a safety pilot will remain aboard the aircraft. Through the end of 2014, the programme has set rigorous key performance parameters (KPPs) that will test and refine software apps and complex algorithms. KPPs include demonstrating safe flight in obstacle rich environments, shipboard and brownout condition landings, and cargo transport using an optionally piloted fly-by-wire BLACK HAWK helicopter. Beyond 2014, the programme will continue to tackle new challenges, and address customer requirements that further advance autonomy capability for VTOL aircraft.
On 26 February 2014, Sikorsky Aircraft’s MATRIX Technology autonomy research programme has progressed to the second phase of flight test activities with the installation of advanced sensors that will allow SARA to conduct real-time perception work.
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| Over the past year, Sikorsky’s Autonomy Programme, with MATRIX Technology as its centrepiece, has demonstrated autonomous functionality by taking a differentiated, platform-agnostic approach to autonomy to improve reliability and safety, enhance mission capability and lower lifecycle costs. (Photos: Sikorsky) |
Mark Miller, Vice President of R&E at Sikorsky Aircraft, provided details yesterday on the latest autonomy achievements in the maturing of MATRIX with the Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft (SARA) and MURAL Optionally Piloted BLACK HAWK Programme.
Sikorsky Aircraft is a leading aviation company providing innovative solutions in the design, manufacture and service of military and commercial helicopters.
 |
| On 26 February 2014, Sikorsky Aircraft’s MATRIX Technology autonomy research programme has progressed to the second phase of flight test activities with the installation of advanced sensors that will allow SARA to conduct real-time perception work. |
In August 2013, Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies, has unveiled a major research programme — designated MATRIX Technology — to develop, test and field systems and software that will improve significantly the capability, reliability and safety of flight for autonomous, optionally piloted, and piloted vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
In collaboration with the United Technologies Research Center, MATRIX Technology aims to give both rotary and fixed wing VTOL aircraft a high level of system intelligence needed to complete complex missions with minimal human oversight, and at low altitudes where obstacles abound.
“VTOL pilots increasingly will become mission managers, either on the aircraft or when monitoring from the ground via datalink, because they will feel comfortable letting the aircraft fly itself,” said Mark Miller. “The game-changing Matrix Technology we are developing and testing will provide order-of-magnitude improvements in system intelligence and contingency management to ensure high levels of reliability, and ultimately make unmanned missions by helicopters and VTOL aircraft of all sizes highly affordable.”
The MATRIX Technology programme is spearheaded by Sikorsky Innovations, the same rapid prototyping organization that in 2010 proved the physics of efficient 250-knot flight in a rotorcraft with the X2 Technology Demonstrator programme.
For its autonomy initiative, Sikorsky Innovations has acquired and outfitted an S-76 commercial helicopter with fly-by-wire controls to act as a flying lab. Called the Sikorsky Autonomous Research Aircraft (SARA), it enables rapid flight testing of software and hardware, including multi-spectral sensors. When not in flight, SARA can be configured as its own simulator to develop and test autonomy software and hardware. For the early flight test work, a safety pilot will remain aboard the aircraft. Through the end of 2014, the programme has set rigorous key performance parameters (KPPs) that will test and refine software apps and complex algorithms. KPPs include demonstrating safe flight in obstacle rich environments, shipboard and brownout condition landings, and cargo transport using an optionally piloted fly-by-wire BLACK HAWK helicopter. Beyond 2014, the programme will continue to tackle new challenges, and address customer requirements that further advance autonomy capability for VTOL aircraft.
On 26 February 2014, Sikorsky Aircraft’s MATRIX Technology autonomy research programme has progressed to the second phase of flight test activities with the installation of advanced sensors that will allow SARA to conduct real-time perception work.