Unmanned systems are one of the fastest-growing and widely developing technologies in the world, offering many possibilities for a variety of research fields. This book comprises the proceedings of the 2021 International Symposium on Unmanned Systems and the Defense Industry (ISUDEF), a multi-disciplinary conference on a broad range of current research and issues in areas such as autonomous technology, unmanned aircraft technologies, avionics, radar systems, air defense, aerospace robotics and mechatronics, and aircraft technology design. ISUDEF allows researchers, scientists, engineers, practitioners, policymakers, and students to exchange information, present new technologies and developments, and discuss future direction, strategies, and priorities in the field of autonomous vehicles and unmanned aircraft technologies. Covers a range of emerging topics; Addresses current issues on autonomous vehicles and unmanned aircraft; Full proceedings of ISUDEF 2021 held at Howard University.

The attention of many developed countries has increasingly focused on the security and protection of critical infrastructure. The use of Unmanned Systems (USs) for this purpose has been growing rapidly in recent years, as advances in technology, increased versatility and smaller size, together with the reduced risks and costs associated with removing the need for a pilot or operator on board, have all made these systems more attractive. This book, Monitoring and Protection of Critical Infrastructure by Unmanned Systems, presents 15 papers delivered at the NATO Advanced Training Course (ATC) of the same name hosted in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, from 30 May to 5 June 2022. This event was held in a hybrid format, and was attended in-person by 12 of the 31 speakers and the majority of the 92 attendees. The aim of the ATC was to explore the monitoring and protection of critical infrastructure using USs. Various USs, including ground control stations (GCS), data communication links, and a range of unmanned aerial (UAV), ground (UGV) and underwater (UUV) vehicles are covered, and the papers included here also deal with topics such as the use of drones for buildings inspection and the new technologies which can help with the recognition and monitoring of anthropogenic threats and natural hazards. There is also a focus on data analysis and modeling. Providing an overview of the use of unmanned vehicle systems and sensor-network technology for monitoring and protection, the book will be of interest to all those working to protect critical infrastructure.

Aviation Law and Policy Series # 19 The incursion of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is radically reshaping the future of international civil aviation. As the civil uses of UAS increase and the technology matures in parallel, questions around the associated legal implications remain unanswered, even in such fundamental legal regimes of international civil aviation as airspace, aircraft, international air navigation, international air transport, and safety. This book – the first to consider international law and regulations to cross-border civil flights of UAS – explores current legal and regulatory frameworks from the perspective of how they may facilitate the operations of UAS. The author, a well-known air law practitioner and diplomat, identifies the legal challenges and proposes sound, well-informed measures to tackle those challenges. The book explores comprehensively the means of incorporating UAS within the arena of air law while stimulating further research and debate on the topic. Analysis of the cross-border operations of UAS focuses on aspects relevant to their immediate future, and address such questions as the following: What processes are currently in place? What factors require attention? What aspects particularly influence the future of UAS? Is the current international legal framework adequate to ensure the operation and development of UAS while preserving high levels of safety? How will artificial intelligence impact the civil operations of UAS? The author’s analyses draw on relevant initiatives in existing and proposed Standards and Recommended Practices for the operation of UAS on cross-border flights, as well as States’ regulation of UAS within their national airspace. Also described are the main bilateral and multilateral air services and transport agreements with respect to their application to the operation of UAS. Given the escalating need to adopt a comprehensive international regulatory framework for the operation of UAS aimed at facilitating its safe and efficient integration – even as the technology advances and continues to outpace law while the potential for incidents involving UAS grows – this book is well timed to meet the challenge for States and International Civil Aviation Organization and airspace planners. Its innovative approaches to the management of the air traffic safety and security of UAS are sure to influence the development of regulations for civil UAS. The book will be welcomed by aviation regulators, interested international and regional organisations, research organisations, aviation lawyers, and academics in international law and air law.

This book includes original, peer-reviewed research papers from the ICAUS 2021, which offers a unique and interesting platform for scientists, engineers and practitioners throughout the world to present and share their most recent research and innovative ideas. The aim of the ICAUS 2021 is to stimulate researchers active in the areas pertinent to intelligent unmanned systems. The topics covered include but are not limited to Unmanned Aerial/Ground/Surface/Underwater Systems, Robotic, Autonomous Control/Navigation and Positioning/ Architecture, Energy and Task Planning and Effectiveness Evaluation Technologies, Artificial Intelligence Algorithm/Bionic Technology and Its Application in Unmanned Systems. The papers showcased here share the latest findings on Unmanned Systems, Robotics, Automation, Intelligent Systems, Control Systems, Integrated Networks, Modeling and Simulation. It makes the book a valuable asset for researchers, engineers, and university students alike.

This volume presents the conference proceedings from FinDrones2020. The book highlights recent developments in drone technology by experts, academicians, and entrepreneurs for applications in agriculture, forestry, and other industries. Emphasis is placed on contextualizing the conference presentations and content to Finland and the unique challenges typical to this region. The work will be of interest to academicians and professionals involved in remote sensing applications of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as enthusiasts of drone technological developments.

The first comprehensive technical history of air, land, sea, and underwater unmanned systems, by a distinguished U.S. Navy roboticist. Military drones have recently been hailed as a revolutionary new technology that will forever change the conduct of war. And yet the United States and other countries have been deploying such unmanned military systems for more than a century. Written by a renowned authority in the field, this book documents the forgotten legacy of these pioneering efforts, offering the first comprehensive historical and technical accounting of unmanned air, land, sea, and underwater systems. Focusing on examples introduced during the two world wars, H. R. Everett meticulously traces their development from the mid-nineteenth century to the early Cold War. A pioneering Navy roboticist, Everett not only describes these systems in detail but also reverse-engineers the designs in order to explain how they operated in real-world conditions of the time. More than 500 illustrations—photographs, drawings, and plans, many of them never before published—accompany the text. Everett covers the evolution of early wire-guided submersibles, tracing the development of power, propulsion, communication, and control; radio-controlled surface craft, deployed by both Germany and Great Britain in World War I; radio-controlled submersibles; radio-controlled aircraft, including the TDR-1 assault drone project in World War II—which laid the groundwork for subsequent highly classified drone programs; and remote-controlled ground vehicles, including the Wehrmacht's Goliath and Borgward demolition carriers.