Luis Mejias

Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA) has developed an automated emergency landing system (AELS) that enable unmanned aircraft to land itself.

Called Detect, Think, Act, the first-of-its-kind system is said to detect possible landing areas and control the aircraft to a safe landing in the selected area.

The AELS is designed for small unmanned aircraft that weigh less than 20kg.

As part of Project ResQu, QUT tested the technology on its Cessna aircraft and onboard a small unmanned aircraft.

"Called Detect, Think, Act, the first-of-its-kind system is said to detect possible landing areas and control the aircraft to a safe landing in the selected area."

The ResQu project previously developed an on-board vision system for small unmanned aircraft, to detect and avoid crashes with other aircraft while in flight.

ARCAA director professor Duncan Campbell said: "The research and technologies developed throughout Project ResQu amount to significant advancements that will ultimately pave the way for the routine use of UA in disaster management, such as during fires and floods, as well as environmental monitoring and other uses."

The project team will focus on regulations and standards to further develop these technologies.

Mr Campbell said on the finalisation of standards, unmanned aircraft operators will be able to identify parameters to fly unmanned aircraft under certain conditions.

ResQu is a two-year project that develops technologies for safe unmanned aircraft flights in civil airspace.

The project is funded by the Queensland government, QUT, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T) Australia and Insitu Pacific.


Image: ARCAA deputy director Luis Mejias and team developed AELS for unmanned aircraft. Photo: courtesy of Queensland University of Technology.