Autonomous Systems

Ground, air, or sea-launched kinetic munitions that utilize onboard sensors, algorithms, and control methods to improve estimates on the target state, understand the implications of the engagement situation/environment, or develop engagement geometries that are otherwise unavailable
to a conventional weapon.

Recent Inquiries

What are the current or past implementations of robotic process automation for radio link network mission planning and dynamic reconfiguration/decision-making?

What are the current or past implementations of robotic process automation for radio link network mission planning and dynamic reconfiguration/decision-making?

What service labs are developing electronic warfare (EW) payloads/packages for small unmanned aircraft systems, and what companies can be leveraged to create attritable (attrition tolerant) EW payloads?

What service labs are developing electronic warfare (EW) payloads/packages for small unmanned aircraft systems (Groups 1 and 2), and what companies can be leveraged to create attritable (attrition tolerant) EW payloads?

What information is available on development efforts for unmanned systems that can transition between air and water (surface and/or below surface)?

What information is available on development efforts for unmanned systems that can transition between air and water (surface and/or below surface)?

Articles

UAS with EM beam shooting through it

UASs in the Modern Electronic Battlefield

With dominance of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum increasing in importance and U.S. military vehicles and systems being faced with an array of threats from various adversaries, control and management of the EM spectrum will determine where future battles are won or lost. Simultaneously, the use of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) in the battlefield for surveillance, targeting, and weapons delivery continues to rise.

BostonDynamics Spot with readings of what is considered hazardous to autonomous robot

Perception and Navigation Algorithms for Legged Robots

Mobile robots, equipped with wheels, tracks, or legs, are designed to move from a start location to a goal in various indoor and outdoor environments. A key area of interest is making them capable of autonomously navigating diverse environments.

ASIMOV logo

DARPA Exploring Ways to Assess Ethics for Autonomous Weapons

The Autonomy Standards and Ideals with Military Operational Values (ASIMOV) program aims to develop benchmarks to objectively and quantitatively measure the ethical difficulty of future autonomy use cases and readiness of autonomous systems to perform…

Webinars

A U.S. Army AH-64D Apache helicopter

Adapted Risk Assessment for Safety Certification of AI-Enabled Mission Software Applications

As the safety functional authority for fielding materiel solutions, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command’s Safety Office uses risk management to certify that materiel is safe when used as intended. While risk assessment processes…

Expeditionary Modular Autonomous Vehicle (EMAV) during a training event on Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Applying the Autonomous Ground Vehicle Reference Architecture to MBSE

Utilizing model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is a key enabler for high-quality system design and application of Modular Open Systems Approach principles. The Autonomous Ground Vehicle Reference Architecture (AGVRA) provides metamodels, architectural guidelines, best practices, and…

ARL's Transonic Experimental Facility

ARL Hypervelocity Ballistic Range Experiments

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory’s (ARL’s) Transonic Experimental Facility (TEF) is an all-purpose research firing range that has been used to investigate propulsion, materials, flight, guidance, and terminal effects across a spectrum of launch (mechanical)…

Events

An F-15E launching flares in an exercise.

2025 Special Air Warfare Symposium

Since its inception in 2022, the Special Air Warfare Symposium (colloquially known as SAWS) has evolved into a growing event for the global special operations aviation community. In the first few years of the event,…

One naval vessel and eleven aircraft traveling over a body of water.

2025 Pacific Operational Science & Technology (POST) Conference

Join NDIA and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for the 2025 Pacific Operational Science & Technology (POST) Conference. This event promises to deliver a platform for collaboration, innovation, and exploration of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)…

Image of several Department of Defense personnel inspecting an unmanned aircraft on a runway.

3rd Annual Unmanned Systems West Conference

Join the 3rd Annual Unmanned Systems West conference this fall as they explore the capabilities and advantages unmanned systems offer to modern defense and security operations, as well as discover how uncrewed systems are enhancing…