The University has a number of strengths in the field of Autonomous Systems with at least three recent, relevant EPSRC grants (Satellite Formation Flying Control (£250K), DECODE (£800K), Autosub (£500k+)) and a track record of undergraduate project success (Student Autonomous Underwater Challenge - Europe (SAUC-E), inaugural European Student Competition for Unmanned Aircraft Systems winners 2008).
The DECODE (Decision Environment for COmplex DEsign) EPSRC project is specifically aimed at developing a coherent set of software tools and a design methodology that will allow users to quickly explore the design space for unmanned vehicles. The DECODE software tools are being tested by using them to develop a set of air vehicles to meet a very demanding long range maritime reconnaissance mission. The first DECODE air vehicle will flew in 2010.
We have partnered with a German company (PACE gmbh) to develop a UAV concept design optimiser module as part of the DECODE project.
The University has UTCs in Noise and Computational Engineering with Airbus and Rolls-Royce and these companies along with BAE systems, Cobham and others support the work being undertaken in the DECODE project.