The Windracers ULTRA, a fixed-wing, long-range aircraft, made its fully automated inaugural U.S. flight from Jasper County Airport April 9. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named Earhart, will be used by researchers working with the Purdue-led Center on AI for Digital, Autonomous and Augmented Aviation to help make autonomous UAVs safer, more efficient and scalable. (Purdue University photo/Phillip Fiorini

Indiana is the crossroads of America. Purdue University is pioneering initiatives to turn Indiana into the smart crossroads of America. By 2027, nearly 1 million commercial uncrewed aircraft systems are expected to be flying throughout the United States, doing more than delivering packages. These drones will provide key supplies for emergency services, defense, humanitarian aid and health care — even assisting in fighting wildfires.

Responding to this expected demand, Purdue is launching a pioneering center to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) to make these transportation systems safe, efficient and scalable. The Center on AI for Digital, Autonomous and Augmented Aviation (AIDA³) will deliver innovations for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other autonomous systems, focusing on developments that can be scaled up as demand for the technology grows. Several faculty members from the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering will be contributing their expertise to the center, including: Peter Bermel, Elmore Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mark Lundstrom, Don and Carol Scifres Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the chief semiconductor officer for Purdue, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Vice President for Global Partnerships and Programs, Yung-Hsiang Lu, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Saurabh Bagchi, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

What is developed in its laboratory, based at a “smart operating center” at the Purdue University Airport, will be put into real life.

AIDA³ founding partners Purdue and Windracers bring significant strengths to quickly develop technologies for a fast-changing marketplace.

• Windracers, a low-cost logistics champion, is providing invaluable real-world experience that comes with its large-scale UAVs on its patented autopilot system for the Royal Mail, Royal Navy and the British Antarctic Survey.
• Purdue carries the heft of research expertise across several academic disciplines: polytechnic, engineering, liberal arts, science and agriculture.

Together, AIDA³ will investigate AI and ML models for autonomous transportation applications ranging from demand analytics and maintenance in commercial logistics to meteorological sensing and real-time weather prediction.

“Purdue is very proud to partner with Windracers, because AIDA³ is focused on solving pressing societal needs,” said Karen Plaut, Purdue’s executive vice president for research. “What we develop in the laboratory will be designed to make a difference when put into real-world practice. Purdue’s research strengths and success in aviation and AI — linked with Windracers’ expertise in transportation of the future — makes for a powerful innovation engine.”

Source: Purdue launches world’s first center pioneering use of AI to innovate tomorrow’s modes of autonomous aviation transportation