Unmanned vehicles and autonomous systems - Annual report 2022

Authors:

  • Jouni Rantakokko
  • Erik Branzén
  • Ellen Lindgren
  • Karin Kraft
  • Jonas Nordlöf
  • Gustav Tolt
  • Jacob Eek
  • Johan Hamberg
  • Karl Lagerkvist Blomqvist
  • Marcus Norgren
  • Jonas Nygårds
  • Joakim Rydell
  • Tim Wiik
  • Jonatan Adolfsson
  • Martin Gelin
  • Fredrik Kullander
  • Lars Sjökvist
  • Peter Strömbäck
  • Mattias Vikgren
  • Mikael Alexandersson
  • Kristofer Bengtsson
  • Victor Lindholm
  • Pontus Winther
  • Rogier Woltjer

Publish date: 2023-03-21

Report number: FOI-R--5397--SE

Pages: 58

Written in: Swedish

Keywords:

  • Unmanned
  • uncrewed
  • UAV
  • UGV
  • autonomous weapon systems
  • international human rights law
  • ethics
  • user interface
  • mission planning
  • vehicle autonomy
  • tactical autonomy
  • positioning
  • navigation
  • laser communication
  • error detection and handling

Abstract

The research that was conducted during 2022 within the project Unmanned vehicles and autonomous systems - technology and operator is summarized in this annual report. The aim is to generate knowledge that can be used to support the Swedish Armed Forces in their capability development within the area of unmanned and autonomous systems. The project has technically centred research activities that aims to build knowledge within areas such as: (i) safety critical autonomous functions (i.e. vehicle-centred autonomy) focused on error detection and handling, and basic self-driving functionality, including obstacle-avoidance, (ii) tactical autonomous functions (i.e. mission autonomy) including mission planning, reactive control based on sensor input, autonomous exploration and automatic landing of an UAV on a UGV, and (iii) enabling basic technologies such as robust position, navigation and communication systems. Research is also conducted on international law applicable to autonomous weapon systems, as well as development of concepts for the efficient collaboration between manned and unmanned assets (focused on the ground domain). The project continues during 2023 and the results will be continuously reported within each research activity.