An Open, ROS2, AGVRA-Based Autonomy Software Architecture for Military Robotic and Autonomous Systems

This paper reports on a prototype project to develop and mature a common, open, comprehensive, collaboratively developed, Government-owned, autonomy software architecture for ground robotic and autonomous systems (RAS). The prototype architecture, codenamed “SCION” promises the flexibility needed by the both the Government and industry research, development, testing, and engineering (RDT&E) communities to leverage reusable software and more rapidly innovate new capabilities; while ensuring the discipline and enabling the modularity required to develop RDT&E software structured to meet the software safety, cybersecurity, upgradeability, and other needs of RAS programs of record. Accordingly, program offices can adopt an acquisition strategy that requires compatibility with the de facto, military RAS standard, SCION architecture, while providing OEMs with baseline, SCION-compatible, GFE software (e.g. a future version of RTK). Such a strategy encourages optimal innovation, increases competition, provides for greater IP flexibility, and incentivizes OEMs to propose solutions based on the GFE software, while ensuring that the responsibility and accountability for the software remain with the OEM.

Citation: A. William Thomasmeyer, Jon St. John, Dave Martin, Rich Mattes, “An Open, ROS2, AGVRA-Based Autonomy Software Architecture for Military Robotic and Autonomous Systems”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 11-13, 2020.