GNC Challenges for Miniature Autonomous Systems Workshop
Sponsored by The Air Force Research Lab, Munitions Directorate
Facilitated by
The Institute of Navigation |
TECHNICAL PROGRAM & WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT
October 26-28, 2009
Emerald Coast Conference Center
Fort Walton Beach, FL
WORKSHOP CO-CHAIRS AND PLANNING COMMITTEE
Workshop Co-Chairs:
Mr. Fred Davis, AFRL/RW
Dr. Mikel Miller, ION President
Dr. Gregg Abate, AIAA NWF Section Chair
Planning Committee:
Mr. Fred Davis, AFRL Munitions Directorate
Dr. Mikel Miller, ION Presisdent
Dr. Gregg Abate, AIAA Northwest Florida Section Chair
Dr. Tom Doligalski, ARL/ARO
Dr. Leslie Perkins, AFRL Air Vehicles Directorate
1Lt Caroline New, AFRL Munitions Directorate
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This workshop is intended to bring the DoD technical and user community, academia, and industry together to review and discuss advances in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) for Miniature Autonomous Systems. Current trends show that future systems will be miniature (i.e., less than 20 lbs total system weight) for a number of reasons. First, they will be much cheaper to develop and build than current systems. Second, their smaller size will allow them to be carried in large numbers and be compatible with small UAVs for air-launched systems. Also, Miniature Autonomous Systems have the potential to fill the capability gap that is necessary for access to difficult targets such as hardened command and control facilities.
Miniature autonomous systems capable of agile locomotion or flight in urban, forested, and indoor (including transitions from outdoor to indoor) environments present many unique technical challenges to the controls and systems engineer. It is envision that the military use of miniature systems will include acquiring, tracking, and engaging non-traditional targets. Such miniature systems will use economies of scale and synergies in time-space trajectories to compensate for individual small payloads with subsequent small chemical and kinetic energies. There are many fundamental technical gaps that must be bridged so that we can build these systems. Today’s small sensor apertures have poor resolution, making a MAS system that can be built today less observable and harder to control. Miniature systems, either airborne or ground-based, have built-in plant nonlinearities and instabilities stemming from the fact that some physical forces (e.g., viscous and friction) become comparable in magnitude to inertial forces. Miniature systems will also face fundamental challenges with insufficient actuation and will need to exploit small but dense power systems and (perhaps distributed) computational resources with limited performance.
A benefit of miniature weapon systems is the potential to greatly limit collateral damage in urban scenarios. However, very precise engagement is required to achieve the desired effects in defeating targets. Urban environments and scenarios offer unique GNC challenges for Miniature Autonomous Systems as well. Since small, agile vehicles will be required to traverse the complex flight environment in so-called “urban canyons” and the possibility exists that such systems will include both outdoor and indoor applications. “Tight” operating environments, clutter, obstacles, and RF interference can create situations where extremely agile GNC techniques are required. All of these applications will challenge GNC technologies for miniature autonomous systems. This workshop offers a review of active programs in the field, a window on significant trends, and the opportunity to present new technology to the community.
The workshop will feature presentations from leaders in the DoD technical and user communities, academia, and industry. The first day of the
workshop will feature perspectives from the operations community, and GNC research challenge talks from senior research representatives of the
Air Force, Navy, Army, and DARPA. The afternoon of the first day will feature For Official Use Only (FOUO) presentations. The second and third days
of the workshop will feature public forum presentations and discussions on a variety of topics including Multi-use Miniature Seekers/Sensors;
Advanced Navigation Sensors and Techniques; System Integration Challenges; and Multi-vehicle Cooperative Operations.
| Monday, October 26, 2009: FOUO Sessions |
Plenary Session
8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
|
Chair Dr. Mikel Miller ION President |
Technical Speakers: |
Panel Discussion: Navigation-Grade Integrated Micro Gyroscopes (NGIMG) Development & Potential Uses
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
|
Chair James Doherty Institute for Defense Analyses
Co-chair |
This panel discussion will provide information on the various NGIMG technologies being developed under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Microsystems Technology Office (DARPA MTO) program and on potential military uses for these technologies. The panel members will consist of the NGIMG technology developers and DoD personnel active in the research and development of future host systems requiring advancements in GNC technologies. Currently, three different NGIMG technologies being developed to meet challenging DARPA performance goals and size, weight, and power (SWaP) restrictions. At this phase of development, the NGIMG developers will be considering user system needs in order to determine engineering trades needed to position each technology for manufacture and use. The potential host system users will be assessing host system architectures needed to take advantage of the emerging NGIMG technologies. This panel discussion is intended to enable dialog between NGIMG technology developers and host system users that will facilitate transition of these technologies into military host systems. In addition, this discussion will provide workshop participants, interested in future GNC technologies and systems, the opportunity to interact with NGIMG technology developers and with DoD personnel who have considered possible GNC advancements for future systems through the use of this technology.
|
FOUO Program Addresses
3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
|
Chair Dr. Mikel Miller ION President
Co-chair |
1. An Extreme SWAP Budget, Navigation-Grade 5-DOF IMU for Broad DoD Application: B. Dillard, M. Greene, V. Trent, D. Sellers, B. Hill, M. Anderson, D. He, B. Recktenwald, Archangel Systems, Inc. |
| Tuesday, October 27, 2009: Public Access Sessions Day 1 |
Miniature Multi-Function Seekers/Sensors
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
|
Chair Dr. Bill Humbert AFRL/RWGS
Co-chair |
Keynote Speaker: Prof. Rob Wood, Harvard Microbotics Laboratory
|
Advanced Navigation Techniques
2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
|
Chair Dr. TJ Klausutis AFRL/RWGI
Co-chair |
1. Indoor Navigation Using a Three-Axis Magnetometer: W. Storms, J. Raquet, M. Veth, Air Force Institute of Technology |
| Wednesday, October 28, 2009: Public Access Sessions Day 2 |
System Integration Challenges
8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
|
Chair Johnny Evers AFRL/RWAV
Co-chair |
1. Low Cost Guidance Navigation and Control Solutions for an Indoor MAV based Only on Range Sensors: G. Chowdhary, E.N. Johnson, Georgia Institute of Technology |
Controlling Miniature Autonomous Systems
2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
|
Chair Dr. Rob Murphey AFRL/RWGN
Co-chair |
1. Technical Challenges for Autonomous Systems: J. Evers, AFRL/RWAV |
| GENERAL INFORMATION |
LOCATION
All workshop sessions will be held at the Emerald Coast Conference Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway, SE, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32548.
Hotel Reservations: There are numerous hotels available in the area that provide government rated rooms.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION: REGISTER ONLINE!
Online registration form
Registration includes all sessions, refreshment breaks and on-line access to public release presentations that have been submitted by the author.
ION Member/Corporate Member Rate: Registration Received and Paid by October 5: $325; After October 5: $395
Non-Member Rate: Registration Received and Paid by October 5: $415; After October 5: $485
FOUO SESSION REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance Requirements:
Must meet all of the following:
1) U.S. Citizen
2) Visit Request/Authorization Request and Need-to-Know Statement
3) Photo ID
4) Workshop Participation Badge and payment of registration fees
Security Clearance:
The FOUO sessions will be limited to U.S. citizens, DoD personnel and support contractors whose attendance is related to their position or program. All visit requests must be received by October 5, 2009, and be approved by the AFRL/RW Security Office. For your convenience, an FOUO Visit Request Form is available.
All non-government personnel must also complete a form DD 2345.
FOUO Visit Request Form (all attendees)
Form DD 2345 (non-government attendees)
Fax All Visit Request and Need-to-Know Statements to:
Caroline A. New, 1Lt, USAF
101 W Eglin Blvd Rm 152
Eglin AFB, FL 32542
Phone: 850-882-0673
Fax: 850-882-4974
E-mail: caroline.new@eglin.af.mil
PDF BROCHURE
The technical program brochure is also available as a PDF.
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