Long Term UAS-related Basic Research Opportunities at AFOSR

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Grace Welch
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1 Long Term UAS-related Basic Research Opportunities at AFOSR Dr. Kel Burtt Air Force Office of Scientific Research Office of the Chief Scientist Approved for public release 1

2 AFOSR Vision: Semi-autonomous, swarming, sensing, shooting Micro Air Vehicles 2

3 UAS-related Research Categories Autonomy Chip Design Communications Cooperative Control Decision Making Endurance Energetics/ Power Flight Modality Health Monitoring Human- Robot Interaction Information Fusion Miniaturization Modularity Networking Security Sense and Avoid Sensing Signal Processing Simulation and Training Systems Integration Teams / Swarming 3

Interaction Information Fusion Miniaturization Modularity Networking Security Sense and

4 Lining up with the Flight Plan FY15 FY25 Flight Plan Technology Enablers AFOSR UAV research Categories Sense and Avoid Cooperative/Coordinated Missions Networking/bandwidth Sense and Avoid Cooperative Control Human-Robot interaction Communications Networking Security Autonomy (tasking, analysis) Information processing Autonomy Information Fusion Signal Processing 4

Avoid Cooperative Control Human-Robot interaction Communications Networking Security

5 Lining up with the Flight Plan FY25 FY47 Flight Plan Technology Enablers AFOSR UAV research Categories Autonomy (decisionmaking) Autonomy Decision-Making Swarming Teams/Swarming Hypersonics Hypersonics 5

6 Sense and Avoid Sensory Information Systems (PM Dr. Willard Larkin) Research into the natural/biological flight of birds, insects and bats 6

7 Cooperative Control Sensing, Surveillance, Navigation (PM Dr. Jon Sjogren) Research into the integration of electro-optical, radar, lidar, and inertial systems with GPS Dynamics and Control (PM Dr. Fariba Fahroo) Research into Systems Theory: Modeling of deterministic or stochastic systems, to help model cooperative control of UAVs in uncertain environments 7

systems with GPS Dynamics and Control (PM Dr.

8 Human-Robot Interaction Optimization and Discrete Mathematics (PM Dr. Don Hearn) Research into mathematical modeling and algorithms needed for complex human/machine decision problems Systems and Software (PM Dr. David Luginbuhl) Research into modeling of humans as a component with a complex system 8

complex human/machine decision problems Systems and Software (PM Dr.

9 Communications / Networking Electromagnetics (PM Dr. Arje Nachman) Research into the theory behind novel manmade electromagnetic composites for small antennas Quantum Electronic Solids (PM Dr. Harold Weinstock) Research into metamaterials for imbedded antennas Complex Networks (PM Dr. Bob Bonneau) Research into quantifying and guaranteeing critical information transfer in communication networks 9

antennas Quantum Electronic Solids (PM Dr.

10 Security Atomic and Molecular Physics (PM Dr. Tatjana Curcic) Research into Quantum information processing / Quantum encryption Information Operations and Security (PM Dr. Robert Herklotz) The goal of this program is to enable development of advanced security methods, models, and algorithms. Research into the security of software, hardware, human-interface, and protection of information. 10

11 Autonomy (Autonomous Navigation, Target Identification/Acquisition, Self-diagnosis) Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Microsystems (Dr. Byung-Lip Les Lee) Research into neurological system-inspired networks for sensing and self-diagnosis Self-healing materials Sensory Information Systems (PM Dr. Willard Larkin) Modeling of biological flight characteristics, leading to natural autonomous flight 11

Byung-Lip Les Lee) Research into neurological system-inspired networks for sensing and self-diagnosis

12 Information Fusion Information Fusion (PM Dr. Douglas Cochran) Entire program set up to research into enabling simultaneous exploitation of information obtained from multiple disparate sources to facilitate situational awareness Adaptive Multi-Mode Sensing and GHz-THz Speed Electronics (PM Dr. Kitt Reinhardt) Research into devices/methods capable of providing high-fidelity multi-modal (spatial, spectral, polarization) image signals from a single device with a suitable bandwidth format needed for near real-time autonomous data exploitation. Mathematical Modeling of Cognition and Decision (PM Dr. Jun Zhang) Modeling of reasoning systems for fusing information and building actionable knowledge out of raw sensory data 12

awareness Adaptive Multi-Mode Sensing and GHz-THz Speed Electronics (PM Dr.

13 Signal Processing Organic Materials Chemistry (PM Dr. Charles Lee) Research into Photorefractive organic materials for use with optical signal processing Optoelectronics: Components, Integration and Information Processing and Storage (PM Dr. Gernot Pomrenke) Includes investigations into 1) the development of optoelectronic devices and supportive materials and processing technology, and 2) the insertion of these components into optoelectronic computational, information processing and imaging systems 13

Components, Integration and Information Processing and Storage (PM Dr.

14 Autonomy/Decision-Making Mathematical Modeling of Cognition and Decision Discovery Challenge Thrust: Robust Decision Making (PM Dr. Jun Zhang) Research into understanding complex problem solving and decision making by developing and empirically testing mathematical or computational models of human attention, memory, categorization, reasoning, learning, and motivation Dynamics and Control (PM Dr. Fariba Fahroo) Research into dynamic models of control and decision-making for coordinated autonomous/semi-autonomous aerospace vehicles 14

or computational models of human attention, memory, categorization, reasoning, learning, and motivation Dynamics and Control (PM Dr.

15 Teams/Swarming Sensory Information Systems (PM Dr. Willard Larkin) Research into the natural/biological flight of birds, insects and bats 15

16 Hypersonics Hypersonics and Turbulence (PM Dr. John Schmisseur) Objective is to develop the fundamental fluid physics knowledge base required for revolutionary advancements in Air Force capabilities. 16

fundamental fluid physics knowledge base required

17 Other Research areas Energetics / Power Flight Modality Endurance Sensing Systems Integration Chip Design Health Monitoring Miniaturization 17

18 Flight Modality Flow interactions and Control (PM Dr. Doug Smith*) Research into bio-inspired flight (flapping wings) Research into unsteady, low Reynolds number aerodynamics Multi-Scale Structual Mechanics and Prognosis (PM Dr. David Stargel) Research into Novel Flight Structures Flapping wing air vehicles, morphing aircraft * AFOSR representative on AFRL MAV Steering Group 18

Reynolds number aerodynamics Multi-Scale Structual Mechanics and Prognosis (PM Dr.

19 Endurance / Power Bioenergy (PM Dr. Walt Kozumbo) Research into Biofuel cells for MAVs Both Microbial and Enzymatic fuel cells Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials & Microsystems (PM Dr. Byung-Lip Les Lee) Research into structurally-integrated solar cells and batteries Research into harvesting of energy from waste heat or vibrations 19

cells Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials & Microsystems (PM Dr.

20 Special mention Robust Computational Intelligence Brand new AFOSR Portfolio (PM Dr. David Atkinson) Interested in investigating fundamental principles, methodologies, and architectures that will enable computational systems to achieve high performance, adaptation, flexibility, self-repair and other forms of intelligent behavior Potential applications toward Autonomy/Decision-Making, Sensing, Information Fusion, and Human-robot interaction 20

enable computational systems to achieve high performance, adaptation, flexibility, self-repair and other forms

21 Potential UAV-related research spread around Autonomy x x x Chip Design x x x Communications x x x x x x x x Cooperative x x Control Decision Making x x x Endurance x x x Energetics / Power x x x x x Flight Modality x x x x Health Monitoring Human-robot Interaction xx x x x x Information Fusion x x x Miniaturization x x x Modularity Networking x x x Security x x x x Sense and Avoid x x Sensing x x x x x Signal Processing x x x x Simulation and Training Systems Integration x x x Teams/Swarming x Hypersonics x x x x 21

22 Summary 37 different research portfolios within AFOSR 27 involve research with potential UAS applications, most involving multiple UAS-related research areas Focused on long-term research Emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration Multiple funding avenues Detailed information found in AFOSR BAA, found: 22

Depth and Excluded Courses

Depth and Excluded Courses Depth Courses for Communication, Control, and Signal Processing EECE 5576 Wireless Communication Systems 4 SH EECE 5580 Classical Control Systems 4 SH EECE 5610 Digital Control