The market for unmanned and autonomous vehicles continues to grow. 现有的和潜在的应用为工业带来了令人兴奋的机会. 

今天, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are used for search and rescue, 监测, 映射, 作物喷洒, environmental monitoring. 此外，无人地面车辆(UGV)有非常多样化的应用，如安全和扫雷.

克兰菲尔德 has a leading reputation in autonomous systems, established with over 15 years of research in this field. 金沙官网登入的专业知识涵盖所有类型的自动驾驶车辆，包括空中、地面和海上. Current areas of research include:

  • 感知和避免 -使自动驾驶车辆(包括地面和空中)能够在不隔离的环境中运行，能够确定任何路线或高度变化以避免入侵者，或自主操纵无人机/UGV以消除冲突.

  • Insertion into Airspace -目前的空域受到高度管制，无人机必须遵守规定才能安全运行，并与其他空中交通共享相同的空域.

  • Navigation and Path Planning -开发制导和导航算法，使自动驾驶车辆能够在复杂环境中高效、安全地运行. 这包括为飞行i的不同元素开发轨迹管理算法.e. coordinated with other vehicles, optimised search or optimised routing.

  • 能源管理 – exploring novel power generation concepts, including innovative electrical machine topologies, 多组件发电系统和替代发电方式, 比如燃料电池, solar or thermo-electric power. 金沙官网登入还从事高效电源管理和能源自主的研究, 无论电力系统和环境的状态如何，允许电力系统继续满足对它的要求.

  • Autonomous Maintenance and Health Management -开发技术，提高复杂系统的可靠性和可用性，最大限度地减少停机时间. 金沙官网登入的目标是改善自动驾驶汽车运行所需的整个生命周期成本，并为集成系统健康管理开发预测/诊断算法.

  • Network Decision Systems -开发算法和架构，使多个代理之间的通信和协调存在不完整和不完善的信息.

  • Cyber Physical Systems 网络/物理耦合导致网络和物理特性的高度动态演变. 信息物理系统的分析和设计需要了解计算机的关节动力学, 软件, networks and physical processes.

We work with a number of organisations across various sectors including defence, 军事, 航空航天, 运输, research councils and UK/European Government. We often collaborate with other Universities on projects, for example Loughborough and Imperial College.

金沙官网登入的研究

金沙官网登入最大的优势是能够将大学的学术严谨性和长期视角与行业的商业和商业重点结合起来.

60多年来，金沙官网登入在战略和应用研究方面的卓越成就使金沙官网登入能够为周围的世界做出重大贡献. 金沙官网登入解决现实生活中的挑战，并专注于具有战略和实际重要性的研究.

金沙官网登入为学生提供一个支持性的研究社区，金沙官网登入的学术工作定期发表在期刊文章上, book or thesis form.

金沙官网登入的设施

金沙官网登入的设施 include the new Autonomous Vehicles Laboratory which is equipped with a netted area for flight tests and a variety of sensors, used for testing in the areas of guidance, 导航, control and 监测. This facility was launched in 2013.

The Off-Road Dynamics facility can provide a controlled, 可重复和现实的环境，验证任何自主系统的越野操作. 车辆可能会失去牵引力或稳定性，这些挑战都可以在设施内进行模拟和测试.

We also have access to industry-standard 软件 as well as in-house codes. 金沙官网登入的计算能力由大学的高性能计算设施提供支持.

与金沙官网登入合作

企业可以与金沙官网登入合作开展各种规模的研究，从资助硕士学生项目到持续数年的探索性研究.

Our research focuses on autonomous system design, 包括机身在内的系统和子系统的有效载荷和操作计算, avionics and guidance, control and 导航. We have experience in developing algorithms for sensor and data fusion, information management and target tracking and estimation.

Our research also includes modelling, design and analysis of multiple vehicle reasoning, verifiable autonomy and distributed estimation and control in networked systems.

金沙官网登入的影响

金沙官网登入带领“恒星”队参加了由国防部举办的挑战赛. 比赛的目的是找出最好的空中和地面机器人车辆，以识别诸如狙击手和路边炸弹等威胁. Unmanned aerial vehicles are already used by the 军事 to gather intelligence; however gathering of ground-based information is crucial. 这些地面车辆可以部署在城市环境中，协助部队识别潜在危险，同时保护军人和平民生命.

各小组事先没有得到车辆测试环境的情报，这是典型的军事情况. Each team had one hour to identify the location of targets such as snipers, vehicles mounted with heavy weapons, enemy patrols and explosive devices.

克兰菲尔德开发了自动目标探测软件，以及协调车辆引导和执行的系统，在12个月的时间里，每个团队都被要求开发他们的原型.

恒星团队首先使用一架7公斤重的高空机器人飞机绘制村庄地图，然后再发射较小的飞机, 1.8kg robots to fly between the buildings and take video and thermal images. The team also deployed an autonomous mini-tank for more detailed reconnaissance. Using sophisticated communications systems, our vehicles were able to relay this information back to the team on the ground.

Baroness Ann Taylor, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, 说, “金沙官网登入很自豪地为Stellar团队加冕国防部最负盛名的战场创新者比赛的获胜者. They follow in the footsteps of RJ Mitchell, 他是一位伟大的英国发明家，他开拓了科学的前沿，开发出了喷火战斗机的原型机. 正是这种远见卓识和奉献精神使英国成为世界科技的领导者."

The winning team included partners such as Selex Gailleo, 马歇尔西班牙, TRW Conekt, Blue Bear Systems 研究 and Stellar 研究 Services.