I/UCRC: Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Phase II Site: Virginia Tech

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The Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) addresses the issues common to the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) industry that limit widespread application across national security, scientific, civil, and commercial domains. Research within the UAS industry is driven by both technical gaps existing for specific high-value applications and the current under-developed regulatory framework that is needed for integration of UAS into the national airspace. The full value of unmanned aircraft systems, especially for a broad range of scientific and civil applications, cannot be realized without significant multidisciplinary research efforts such as those proposed here. Toward that goal, C-UAS investigates and develops new algorithms, architectures, and operational procedures for unmanned aircraft systems. The center contributes to the advancement of the state of the art for UAS through its research at the center's universities and by training graduate students in areas supporting the advancement of UAS. The research pursued in C-UAS has potential application to unmanned aircraft of all sizes. The primary focus of research activities, however, is on small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS), which feature aircraft with wingspans in the 1 ft to 8 ft range. C-UAS university sites have distinguished themselves with their experimental flight test demonstrations on these smaller platforms. The research interests and needs of industry in the area of UAS align well with the skills, knowledge, and background of the university participants in the center. Research focus areas for the Virginia Tech site can be described in terms of (1) technical areas and (2) application areas. Technical topic areas in which Virginia Tech has particular strength and interest include: (i) Advanced flight control (e.g., methods to construct robust, secure, and mathematically certified control algorithms), (ii) Airworthiness, cybersecurity, and reliability (e.g., reliability prediction methods that incorporate imprecise uncertainties intrinsic to small UAS), (iii) Machine vision and machine learning (e.g., software for real-time, on-board intelligent image processing), (iv) Multiphysics design optimization (e.g., aircraft design optimization tools that incorporate unsteady fluid/structure interaction), and (v) Wireless communication (e.g., the use of software defined radio and intelligent communication protocols that adapt the information flow to the environmental conditions). Application topic areas in which Virginia Tech has particular strength and interest include: (i) Agriculture (e.g., methods to monitor plant pathogen transport), (ii) Civil infrastructure (e.g., bridge inspection), and (iii) Geographic information systems. Specific research projects proposed by Virginia Tech faculty members in these technical and application areas are selected annually by the Industry Advisory Board (IAB).