The system is called the 'Panoramic Avoidance and Navigation using OPTics Integrated with Sonar' (PANOPTIS) system. The goal for PANOPTIS is to provide a coherent, lightweight solution for MAVs that enables true urban or 'swallow-like' flight.

In Phase I Aurora has shown that the PANOPTIS components and algorithms are suitable for low size, weight, and power situations; Aurora has also demonstrated robustness to sensor inaccuracies and environmental factors.

Operational standards will include aerial surveillance support of ground operations, special operations forces, Marine expeditionary teams, and other military units that currently use small unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).

In any situation where small UAVs are currently deployed, a MAV outfitted with PANOPTIS would yield greatly enhanced capability for gathering information in tight quarters, surviving during communication outages and/or when the warfighter loses vehicle situational awareness.

"It combines the latest techniques in wide-field optic flow, bat-inspired echolocation and behavioral/automaton-based navigation and maneuvering," stated Dr. Jim Paduano, Aurora's Principal Investigator.

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