Test and Certification Techniques for Autonomous Guidance and Navigation Algorithms for Navy Air Vehicle Missions Navy SBIR FY2015.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2015.2 Topic No.: N152-084 Topic Title: Test and Certification Techniques for Autonomous Guidance and Navigation Algorithms for Navy Air Vehicle Missions Proposal No.: N152-084-0245 Firm: Near Earth Autonomy 5001 Baum Blvd. Suite 750 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213 Contact: Sanjiv Singh Phone: (412) 855-3675 Abstract: Near Earth Autonomy proposes to develop and prove the feasibility of new test and certification techniques for autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS) guidance and navigation algorithms. The adoption of autonomous UAS that can plan their own trajectories based on real-time sensor data while executing a complex mission, has been slow because the algorithms have not been shown to have sufficient performance or airworthiness. Advanced guidance and navigation algorithms that consider vehicle dynamics are challenging to certify because they can generate a very large number of possible plans to avoid collisions, and land on ships or at unprepared sites. We propose a general methodology that can be used to ensure correct behavior of a large class of unmanned aircraft. The key proposed innovations are a certifiable and testable architecture; a test case generation and benchmark approach; and a formal certification approach for the safety critical components that maximizes coverage with minimum effort. During Phase I Near Earth will design an architecture and tool-chain for testing and certification of guidance and navigation algorithms that is agnostic to the specific algorithmic implementation. The approach will be evaluated in case studies for ship-to-ship flight and cargo delivery missions. Benefits: Market forecasts indicate the UAS market will be in the billions of dollars and will create more than 100,000 new jobs by 2020. Their widespread usage, however, is predicated on regulatory bodies such as the FAA accepting UAS as safe enough to operate in the National Air Space. By speeding up formal testing and certification of guidance and navigation algorithms our tools have the potential to be a key enabler for safety, efficiency and performance of UAS whose widespread use is eagerly anticipated by a large number of industries. Since the proposed architecture and tools are not specific to a particular algorithmic approach, they will be an attractive option for multiple UAS developers. In addition to serving military applications, our tools will enable expansion and the realization of UAS applications in survey, transportation, agriculture, mining, insurance, disaster response and policing. Return