THE AUTONOMOUS SCOUT ROTORCRAFT TESTBED (ASRT) AS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM

The ASRT project is an U.S. Army sponsored technology demonstration involving an industry led team (Sikorsky Aircraft) and a university led team (Georgia Tech). A full partner of the Georgia Tech team in Guided Systems Technologies (GST), a high technology small business, located on the Georgia Tech campus. Two major objectives were identified for the Georgia Tech ASRT Project: • Demonstrate automation technologies for Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) •Demonstrate an Integrated Product /Process Development (IPPD) approach applicable for technology development programs The ASRT is an autonomous unmanned VTOL system that can conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions. A typical mission will require the ASRT to vertically take off and fly at a low altitude (below 50 feet above ground level) to a surveillance area and search for a man-sized object. Upon selection of a particular object, the system will report the location of the object back to a ground station, maintain stable aerial surveillance and provide video to the ground station, track the object as it moves throughout the area, and then upon command return and vertically land at a prescribed location. This mission may contain redirects that require the ASRT to search in different locations. It provides an opportunity to send unmanned systems in to look over the hill and in the shadows of a hostile environment and provides increased situational awareness for the scouting team. This paper will provide an overview of the ASRT project and a videotape of the mission used to demonstrate the integration of the different elements will be shown.