Innovation: Sprind launches competition for fully autonomous flying
Fully autonomous flights still lack robust GPS-free navigation systems. The Agency for Jump Innovations is now addressing this gap in aviation technology.
(Image: Shutterstock/Kletr)
The Federal Agency for Jump Innovations (Sprind) has published the call for entries for its latest innovation competition: "Fully Autonomous Flight 2.0". The aim of the initiative is to develop fully autonomous unmanned flying objects. Autonomously flying drones could deliver goods to regions that are difficult to access, save lives in extreme situations and take on tasks that are dangerous or simply impossible for humans, explains the Leipzig-based authority. However, real leap innovations are still needed to exploit this potential.
"The dream of fully autonomous flight is not yet a reality," says Sprind, encouraging participation in the competition. In addition to a regulatory infrastructure, robust systems that can navigate safely through complex environments and unforeseen situations without GPS, Galileo or other satellite tools and without human intervention are lacking. The competition, which starts on July 1 and runs over a total duration of 14 months in two stages, aims to change this.
First drone competition took place in 2024
According to the plan, a jury of as yet unnamed experts will support the agency in evaluating the applications and select up to 15 teams to take part in the first round. Participants can receive up to 150,000 euros net for these seven months. In the second stage, up to 350,000 euros are up for grabs after another sifting process. The closing date for applications is June 9.
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The new attempt builds on its predecessor, which started in February 2024 with fourteen teams in the first round. In mid-September, the remaining candidates met at Erding Air Base to demonstrate their results. Their drones had to prove that they could fly autonomously over a nine-kilometer route without GPS or manual control. This consisted of various environments such as urban areas, open fields and forests to test spatial awareness, complex 3D mapping and the precise control of the drones. There were also obstacles such as smoke, fog and water to make it difficult for the flying objects to find their way. At the last of the 27 waypoints, a package had to be identified and picked up.
(akn)
