A University of Sydney robotics researcher has won the 2014 International Simulink Challenge for pioneering a new autopilot for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Daniel Wilson, a PhD candidate at the Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), developed the ‘SkyMaster’ autopilot system using MathWorks’ Simulink Software.
The project is part of an ongoing effort to tackle drone engineering challenges such as in-flight refuelling and docking.
Wilson chose UAV autonomous formation flight as a focus area because he sees the drone community gaining momentum on a global scale.
He was one of many students from around the world who participated, submitting videos which showed their work and the applications of the software.
“Although many technical and regulatory challenges remain, there’s huge scope for the use of UAV technology in how we communicate, work, and go about our daily lives,” said Wilson.
“Unlike large commercial organisations, we’ve been able to take a more cavalier and agile approach to tackle those challenges with our research.”
Source: The Australian