Modular system for in-flight drone deployment and carrier drone for uncrewed rovers
The use of uncrewed ground and aerial vehicles is becoming increasingly important in civilian applications. In crisis management in particular, swarms of uncrewed ground and aerial vehicles could support emergency responders in a variety of ways. However, the coordinated control of heterogeneous swarms still poses many challenges, as several key capabilities are currently missing. This is where our cross-institute Swarming project comes in. The project is dedicated to the research, development and validation of new technologies and algorithms for controlling swarms of uncrewed ground and aerial vehicles.
Carrier drone for uncrewed rovers
One area of the research focuses on the Scout rover – a vehicle capable of autonomously searching for missing persons in hard-to-reach and hazardous environments. However, it requires a suitable means of transport to reach the operational area. This is where the superARTIS helicopter drone comes in: it can transport the rover quickly, precisely and safely to affected areas. With its long range, high payload capacity and modular payload system, superARTIS is highly versatile. Once deployed, Scout immediately begins its search, while superARTIS can undertake further missions. Both systems are networked and communicate with one another. Compared to crewed operations, their combined use significantly reduces risks for rescue personnel and enables more effective assistance. Current research aims to deploy such systems in a coordinated swarm to find and rescue missing people more quickly.
Link:
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR)
Institute of Flight Guidance
Institute of Flight Systems
E-Mail contact-dlr@DLR.de
