Autonomous Unmanned Aircraft R&D with a High Performance Flying Laboratory

Abstract The Defence Research Establishment Suffield conducts R&D into aerial target technologies to support the Canadian Forces in meeting current and future technology requirements. At present, a high degree of emphasis is being placed on providing technologies that facilitate realistic, cost-effective target presentations. These activities have included the development of unmanned flying laboratories such as the High-speed Aeronautical Technologies Testbed. This maneuverable flight platform, capable of both autonomous and semi-autonomous flight, is currently being utilized in exploring a number of technologies associated with airborne intelligent autonomous vehicles including highly agile evasive maneuvering. the ability to take “intelligent” actions to counter defensive measures, and novel control system architectures