GA-ASI Awarded Contract to Enhance the Autonomous Sensing Capabilities of Unmanned Aircraft

The JAIC Smart Sensor project will be deployed on the remotely piloted Reaper MQ-9, along with GA-ASI’s Metis product commanding the aircraft By Joseph Macey / 27 Nov 2020

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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.(GA-ASI) has been awarded a $93.3 million contract from the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) to enhance the autonomous sensing capabilities of unmanned aircraft. The goal of the JAIC Smart Sensor project is to advance Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology by demonstrating object recognition algorithms using an unmanned aircraft, as well as employing onboard AI to control the aircraft’s sensors and direct autonomous flight. 

 “GA-ASI is excited to leverage the considerable investment we have made to advance the JAIC’s autonomous sensing objective,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Strategic Development J.R. Reid. “This will bring a tremendous increase in unmanned systems capabilities for applications across the full-range of military operations.”

GA-ASI will deploy the technology on the MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft configured with multiple sensors, including GA-ASI’s Reaper Defense Electronic Support System (RDESS) and Lynx® Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).

GA-ASI’s Metis product will be used to command the MQ-9. Metis is an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) tasking and intelligence-sharing application that enables operators to specify effects-based mission objectives and receive automatic notification of actionable intelligence.

Posted by Joseph Macey Joseph Macey is a Content Specialist at Defense Advancement, where he has focused on emerging defense technologies since joining in 2022. His expertise spans tactical UAS, rugged computing, and Satellite Communication Systems. After graduating in Journalism from Falmouth University, Joseph began his career in 2019 as a local reporter. His journalism background enhances both his reporting and interview skills, enabling him to provide insightful, authoritative analysis of the latest trends shaping the defense industry. Connect
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