Design, Analysis and Research Corporation (DARcorporation) is selected to continue the NASA 2018 Phase I SBIR award on Evolving and Certifiable Autopilot for Unmanned Aerial Systems into Phase II.
An intelligent flight control system is developed with learning capabilities and a high degree of assurance that can be certified by the FAA and tested on a modular reconfigurable UAS. Existing lack of intelligence, adaptability and high performance of current automatic flight controllers is addressed by taking advantage of high-performance computing platforms, state-of-the-art machine learning and verification algorithms to develop a new intelligent, adaptable and certifiable flight control system with learning capabilities.
The autopilot system will be able to learn from flight experience and develop intuition to adapt to a high level of uncertainties. An artificial neural network model is built and trained to mimic the performance of classical robust optimal controllers, extending robustness, adaptability and curiosity of artificial neural network controllers and integrating a Real-Time Assurance system.
Technology demonstration of the intelligent flight control system is achieved by flight testing of a Modular Air Vehicle, where the configuration can be customized to fit flight test needs and test adaptability of the proposed technology. A Modular Air Vehicle is designed and prototyped. Once the intelligent flight controllers are integrated with the airframe, ground and flight tests will be carried out to verify the performance and reliability of the proposed technology.
DARcorporation is an aeronautical engineering firm, located in Lawrence Kansas that has been offering aeronautical engineering consulting services, software and books since 1991.
Projects include single and multi-engine propeller and jet powered aircraft, Business Jets, Very Light Jets (VLJ), Kit, LSA and Experimental Category aircraft, VTOL combat force insertion vehicles, VTOL aircraft, UAV’s for civil and military applications and hybrid air/ground vehicles.
DARcorporation recently moved into a 16,000 sqft facility that includes a 5,000 sqft manufacturing and testing complex, 3-D Printing lab, software training room and technical library.
