Title: Towards unmanned systems for dismounted operations in the Canadian Forces

Authors: Blake Beckman, Jack Collier, David Mackay, Simon Monckton, Michael Trentini, Franklin Wong, Pierre Richard Bilodeau

Addresses: Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Box 4000 Station Main, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8K6, Canada. ' Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Box 4000 Station Main, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8K6, Canada. ' Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Box 4000 Station Main, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8K6, Canada. ' Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Box 4000 Station Main, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8K6, Canada. ' Defence R&D Canada – Suffield, Box 4000 Station Main, Medicine Hat, AB, T1A 8K6, Canada. ' Defence R&D Canada – Valcartier, 2456 Pie-XI Blvd North, Quebec, QC, G3J 1X5, Canada. ' AEREX Avionique, 36 Du Ruisseau, Suite 102, Breakeyville, QC, G0S 1E2, Canada

Abstract: Unmanned systems are designed to reduce risk and magnify the impact of manned forces. Expanding unmanned involvement in military operations will require greater vehicle autonomy and the adoption of new concepts of operations. This paper discusses the technical challenges of unmanned systems in support of dismounted operations and research efforts by Defence R&D Canada to support unmanned vehicles in this role. New projects have been formulated to address these technical challenges.

Keywords: autonomy; control algorithms; intelligent mobility; path planning; perception systems; unmanned aerial vehicles; UAVs; unmanned ground vehicles; UGVs; unmanned systems; UxVs; defence support systems; Canada; dismounted operations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIDSS.2011.037807

International Journal of Intelligent Defence Support Systems, 2011 Vol.4 No.1, pp.50 - 69

Published online: 28 Feb 2015 *

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