Experiences with the design and implementation of an agent-based autonomous UAV controller

  • Authors:

  • Samin Karim;Clint Heinze

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia;Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Melbourne, Australia

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the fourth international joint conference on Autonomous agents and multiagent systems
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

This paper reports experiences and outcomes of designing and developing an agent-based, autonomous mission control system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Most UAVs are not truly autonomous or even unmanned but are more correctly termed 'uninhabited' or 'remotely piloted'. This paper explores two quite different approaches for adding autonomous control to an existing UAV. Both designs were implemented using an agent-based language. The first takes a fairly standard approach, adding a layer over the flight control system to control the mission. The second takes the human metaphor of agency more seriously and implements an autonomous controller based on a model of human decision making widely referenced in the military command and control literature. Implementing these two designs allowed a comparison of their relative strengths and weaknesses. Preliminary findings indicate both the feasibility and usefulness of a human cognitive modelling approach to providing autonomous UAV control but indicate a number of important considerations. This paper also reports on the successful first flight trials of the Codarra Avatar UAV under the mission control of the agent and discusses the future flight test program.