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

无人机系统中心(C-UAS)致力于解决无人机系统(UAS)行业普遍存在的问题，这些问题限制了无人机系统在国家安全、科学、民用和商业领域的广泛应用。UAS行业内的研究既受到特定高价值应用存在的技术差距的推动，也受到将UAS纳入国家空域所需的目前不发达的监管框架的推动。无人驾驶飞机系统的全部价值，特别是在广泛的科学和民用应用方面，如果没有像这里建议的那样的重大多学科研究努力，就不可能实现。为了实现这一目标，C-UAS研究和开发无人机系统的新算法、体系结构和操作程序。该中心通过其在中心大学的研究和在支持无人机进步的领域培训研究生，为推进无人机的最先进技术做出了贡献。C-UAS开展的研究可能适用于各种大小的无人机。然而，研究活动的主要焦点是小型无人机系统(SUA)，该系统的特点是翼展在1英尺到8英尺范围内的飞机。C-UAS大学网站以其在这些较小平台上的实验飞行测试演示而脱颖而出。工业界在无人机领域的研究兴趣和需求与该中心大学参与者的技能、知识和背景很好地吻合。弗吉尼亚理工大学网站的研究重点领域可以从(1)技术领域和(2)应用领域两个方面进行描述。弗吉尼亚理工大学特别擅长和感兴趣的技术主题领域包括：(I)高级飞行控制(例如，构建稳健、安全和经数学认证的控制算法的方法)，(Ii)适航性、网络安全和可靠性(例如，结合小型无人机固有的不精确不确定性的可靠性预测方法)，(Iii)机器视觉和机器学习(例如，用于实时、机载智能图像处理的软件)，(Iv)多物理设计优化(例如，结合非定常流体/结构交互的飞机设计优化工具)，以及(V)无线通信(例如，使用使信息流适应环境条件的软件定义的无线电和智能通信协议)。弗吉尼亚理工大学特别擅长和感兴趣的应用主题领域包括：(I)农业(例如，监测植物病原体运输的方法)，(Ii)民用基础设施(例如，桥梁检查)，以及(Iii)地理信息系统。弗吉尼亚理工大学教职员工在这些技术和应用领域提出的具体研究项目每年由行业咨询委员会(IAB)挑选。

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).