• Home
  • Business
    • Insurance
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Infrastructure
  • News & Features
    • Airlines
    • Airports
    • Safety & Security
    • World
  • Life & style
  • Tourism
  • Contact us
  • Rate Card
No Result
View All Result
Subscribe
Nnyonyi Magazine
Saturday, February 4, 2023
  • Login
  • Home
  • Business
    • Insurance
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Infrastructure
  • News & Features
    • Airlines
    • Airports
    • Safety & Security
    • World
  • Life & style
  • Tourism
  • Contact us
  • Rate Card
Nnyonyi Magazine
  • Home
  • Business
    • Insurance
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Infrastructure
  • News & Features
    • Airlines
    • Airports
    • Safety & Security
    • World
  • Life & style
  • Tourism
  • Contact us
  • Rate Card
No Result
View All Result
Nnyonyi Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home News & Features

Robot pilot completes first successful flight, heralds’ future of aviation

by nnyonyiadmin
September 9, 2019
in News & Features
133 3
0
Robot pilot completes first successful flight, heralds’ future of aviation

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Dzyne Technologies have developed a robotic system that successfully flew a 1968 Cessna 206 for 2h during a demonstration at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah on 9 August.

156
SHARES
1.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A robot pilot is learning to fly. It has passed its pilot’s test and flown its first plane, but it has also had its first mishap too.

Unlike a traditional autopilot, the ROBOpilot Unmanned Aircraft Conversion System literally takes the controls, pressing on foot pedals and handling the yoke using robotic arms. It reads the dials and meters with a computer vision system.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Dzyne Technologies have developed a robotic system that successfully flew a 1968 Cessna 206 for 2h during a demonstration at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah on 9 August.

The Robotic Pilot Unmanned Conversion Programme intends for a mechanical robot to fly an aircraft in same way as a human pilot would, says the AFRL. Its robotic system is called Robopilot.

To fly the aircraft, Robopilot grabs the yoke, pushes on the rudders and brakes, controls the throttle, flips switches and reads the dashboard gauges in the same physical way a pilot would, says AFRL. To maintain situational awareness, it uses sensors, such as a GPS and an Inertial Measurement Unit device. A computer processes information from those devices to decide the best way to control the aircraft.

Like many of the human pilots, this ROBOpilot has also passed the Federal Aviation Administration’s Practical Test, which is essential for flying light aircraft.

With modern autopilots, even small modern aircraft already have surprising ability to fly themselves, but there’s a big difference between maintaining a course and actually flying an aircraft the way a human pilot does. From the opposite direction, autonomous drones are becoming increasingly sophisticated, but these tend to be highly specialized and expensive.

Funded by AFRL’s CRI Small Business Innovative Research project, ROBOpilot is designed to make these two paths meet in the middle by replacing the pilot seat (and pilot) with a kit consisting of all the actuators, electronics, cameras, and power systems needed to fly a conventional aircraft, plus a robotic arm for the manual tasks. In this way, ROBOpliot can operate the yoke, rudder, brakes, throttle, and switches while reading the dashboard gauges and displays like a human pilot.

“Imagine being able to rapidly and affordably convert a general aviation aircraft, like a Cessna or Piper, into an unmanned aerial vehicle, having it fly a mission autonomously, and then returning it back to its original manned configuration,” said Dr. Alok Das, Senior Scientist with AFRL’s Center for Rapid Innovation.

According to the Air Force, the installation is simple, non-invasive and non-permanent, using standard commercial technologies and components. This allows planes to be converted to unmanned operations without the complexity and costs of purpose-built UAVs, and switched back to human control configuration when required.

Das continued, “All of this is achieved without making permanent modifications to the aircraft.” It’s a smooth and easy transition but still has to be carefully monitored.

Turning fighter jets into autonomous drones can be a lengthy and costly mission, so ROBOpilot could be the answer to this problem. It can be inserted into almost any lightweight aircraft, and easily taken out afterward.

There are other robotic pilots out there, notably Pibot from South Korea and ALIAS by the U.S. Department of Defense. That said, both have yet to man an entire plane unaided like Robopilot.

Tags: AFRLDzyne Technologies
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Five tasty Wonders of Uganda

Five tasty Wonders of Uganda

March 2, 2021

Adungu: more than just a musical instrument

March 2, 2021
Malaysia Views Africa with Optimism

Malaysia Views Africa with Optimism

March 3, 2021
KIHUMURO CAVE: Where private lives are made public

KIHUMURO CAVE: Where private lives are made public

March 3, 2021
Kampala is one of the world’s cheapest cities – global survey

Kampala is one of the world’s cheapest cities – global survey

0
Pilatus PC-24 Gets Transport Canada Nod

Pilatus PC-24 Gets Transport Canada Nod

0
Delays Lengthen for 737 Max Return to Service

Delays Lengthen for 737 Max Return to Service

0

Six keys to winning the Urban Air Mobility race

0
The aircraft will use enhanced data links and carry next-generation, low collateral, precision strike weapons

AERALIS announces industry collaboration with Rolls-Royce

September 16, 2021
Uganda Airlines Airbus A330 named Mt Elgon made its maiden commercial flight from Entebbe Airport departing for Johannesburg at 13:00hrs on Saturday and arriving at Oliver Tambo Airport in South Africa at 16:30hrs. It set off for Entebbe at 19:00hrs and arrived at Entebbe Airport at 23:00hrs.

Uganda Airlines resumes direct flights to S. Africa

September 6, 2021

Uganda Airlines announces tough COVID protocols

September 5, 2021
A Uganda Airlines plane at Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport yesterday

September 2, 2021

Categories

  • Airlines
  • Airports
  • Business
  • Infrastructure
  • Insurance
  • Life & style
  • News & Features
  • Op-Ed
  • Safety & Security
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • World

Site Navigation

  • About us
  • Objectives
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact us

The Nnyonyi magazine is Uganda’s in-flight magazine that keeps you up to speed with all the happenings on the ground. The Nnyonyi magazine will inform you about the latest aviation reports, especially pertaining to Uganda and its destinations, as well as keep you amused with its in-depth travel features, general entertainment news, motoring activities and health tips.

© 2021 Nnyonyi Magazine - A product of PrimMedia

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
    • Insurance
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Infrastructure
  • News & Features
    • Airlines
    • Airports
    • Safety & Security
    • World
  • Life & style
  • Tourism
  • Contact us
  • Rate Card

© 2021 Nnyonyi Magazine - A product of PrimMedia

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In